Missed penalty call makes striker go ballistic

Down 1-0, every goal opportunity is crucial, and no one knows that better than Rosenborg striker Nicki Bille Nielsen. With a match in the balance against Sandnes Ulf, Nielsen received a ball in the box but was unable to make a play on the ball because the keeper holding his leg (see the replay at :08).

Apparently the referee had his head in the clouds, and did not call a penalty. Understandably, Nielsen was not happy. The striker makes a fuss about the non-call and ends up receiving his second yellow and being booted from the match.

Cue the meltdown. Nielsen takes out his anger on anything and everything he can, including the ball, the ground and finally, his uniform.

We’ve got to take his side with this one, a pretty bad non-call, but no need to take out the frustration on a perfectly good jersey!

Apr

Bruce Grobbelaar eat your heart out! The ex-Liverpool keeper famously put off penalty takers with his spaghetti legs. He ain’t got nothing on Lithuanian keeper Maris Eltermanis, whose moonwalk earned his side FC Kruoja a 1-0 victory!

Feb

You won’t see Jackson Martinez try another Panenka penalty anytime soon.

The Porto forward looked as cool as the other side of the pillow…until he didn’t. His look (and his manager’s) really says it all.

Incredibly, his teammates granted him a second chance at a penalty later in the match. That time, Martinez made no mistake.

Jan

Now that’s when you dive! Check out Gareth Bale taking a turn as goalkeeper during a Spurs training session this last week. Quite a save out of the young winger!

Dec

Wanna know what all the fuss was about in the Arsenal-West Brom game? Check out Santi Cazorla drawing the penalty kick.

Sound off: How bad of a dive was this? What do you think the league should do?

Nov

An unlikely hero was the story of Galatasaray’s 1-0 win at Elazigspor on Saturday.

Felipe Melo jumped to the rescue with a dramatic 90th minute penalty save after goalkeeper Fernando Muslera was sent off at the death. With no substitutes left, the Brazilian defender slipped on the gloves and incredulously made a fine save! And then proceeded to crawl around the box in celebration.

Muslera owes him big time!

Sep

Watch Liverpool’s Luis Suarez get denied an obvious penalty call in today’s game against Norwich at Carrow Road. Think it’s because of his reputation as a diver? Discuss.