Awana Diab earned the unwanted epithet of football’s number one idiot after scoring the final goal for the United Arab Emirates from the penalty spot in their 6-2 win over Lebanon in an friendly last Sunday. [Watch the video]
In one of the most unsportsmanlike, arrogant actions ever seen in international football, Diab turned 180 degrees as he approached the penalty spot and proceeded to back heel the ball into the back of the net.
The bewildered goalkeeper did not react. This was not a test of skill and nerve where you meet your adversary face to face.
There was no skill involved.
The game was over. The opposition was deflated, beaten and waiting for the final whistle to blow.
This was not a sporting coup de grace. It was an insult to Diab’s opponents, an embarrassment to his team mates and the country he represents.
The act didn’t deserve a goal, but the referee gave it. The Lebanese players had the good grace to take it well.
UAE manager, Srecko Katanec, who had only just brought Diab on, took matters into his own hands and dragged him off immediately.
“This penalty, I didn’t like it. We must respect players from other teams. In future you don’t know what football will give you back.”
“He’s a young guy and he knew he made a mistake immediately. I just want him to show respect, not just on the field but off it as well,” Katanec said after the game.
Unfortunately, he didn’t learn his lesson earlier by back-heeling the ball straight to the keeper.
Lebanese officials were also less than impressed.
But in a strange twist, Lebanon coach Emile Rustom saw things differently.
“I didn’t feel it was an insult and this is my attitude. This is a personal decision the player made and it has nothing to do with the way the UAE plays its football.”
Hmmm… football, always a game of opinions
Art Sapphire is the pseudonym for Athas Zafiris, and is on Twitter @ArtSapphire
David
Guest
A goal is a goal. Plus in this case the goalkeeper should've just saved it. I remember when Michael Jordan scored an important free throw with his eyes closed and no one came out and called him disrespectful... And saying the Lebanon team was tired and deflated is just pathetic - its like saying out of sportsmanship they shouldn't have even taken the penalty at all . The sort of backlash this has caused should have only come about if he'd missed it...
Update: Diab apologises for being a dill. 'I did wrong. I made a mistake. Tell the team I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry I did this thing.' Well done Awana. He must have read this piece ;) http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jul/19/backheeled-penalty-uae-awana-diab
Kasey
Guest
disrespectful came to my mind and to the manager of UAE(Ismail Rashed) - further developments today:) http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/united-arab-emirates-footballer-may-be-punished-for-back-heeled-penalty-in-friendly-against-lebanon/story-e6frf423-1226097978722?from=public_rss
apaway
Guest
Fussball Peter Shilton may well have been rightly aggrieved that Maradona's hand propelled the ball into the net in 1986. But he should be more annoyed at his own ineptitude for failing to come out and deal with the high ball in the first place. Maradona only gained an extra couple of inches with his hand; if Shilton had caught the ball "at its highest point" as keepers are taught to do, there would never have been 25 years of debate about that goal!
Bondy
Guest
Serve the idiot right , im glad the gaffa dragged him .
Nathan
Guest
Yes but think of all the amazing headlines we would have missed out on; Hand of Clod, Poisoned Glove, was better than the Watergate scandal.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Yes, by all accounts, Maradona circa 1994 was certainly the man you'd go to when you wanted speed ... ;-) Of course, Shilton will tell you that Maradona 1986 did juggle the ball into the net ... using his hands!
whiskeymac
Guest
aka soccer freestyling for example www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvFrSYdr2Gg maradonna 94 - he was only quick when being escorted out of the country....
Futbanous
Guest
Yes thats the way I envisaged the move as Fussball said. Lionel claimed that even he couldnt move that quick, although he did say that Maradona at the 1994 WC in the USA could have just made it.
dasilva
Guest
Cheers for the clarification Which makes me wonder. Is there a harlam globetrotters equivalent of football? There may well be a market for people wanting to see crazy tricks that people wouldn't attempt in the actual game
Nathan
Guest
Watched it again in start-stop in response to your comment and noticed the defender encroaching at the same time (clearly noticeable at 0:48, shocking discipline), so yes, should have resulted in a retaken kick, YC1 to any encroaching player. Probably a stern word to a couple of the Hiroshima players, too. Dunno how I missed that white shirt on the move first time around. Does show how easily refs can get it wrong in real time though!
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@ dasilva Pretty sure Futbanous was envisaging Player A taking the penalty kick and flicking it up in the air, and The Seal (who did not take the penalty) runs into the area and balances it on his head into the goal! @ Futbanous Perhaps, more of a job for Cirque du Soleil than Leo?
dasilva
Guest
Hang on You quoted this "b) the kicker cannot touch the ball until it touches another player." Therefore if he flicks the ball forward, he can't touch the ball. If that counts the head then it still wouldn't count right? Or am I missing something For the seal dribble headed goal. It would require him to pass the ball to a team mate who then pass back to the penalty taker and then does the seal dribble for a goal
Futbanous
Guest
Just on the line to Messi now.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Nathan I now see what you're saying and, yes, you are 100% correct - it should have been an IFK if the attacking team has infringed. Or, perhaps, retaken if the ref felt both teams infringed at the same time?
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@ Futbanous ... I still get confused by some of the technicalities of the LOTG after watching the game for 30+ years! Ok I understand what you're saying ... someone kicks the ball up and forward, and the Seal charges into the area and juggles the ball on his head and walks into the goal ? Well, this can happen at any free kick - not just the penalty kick ... and, I reckon, if anyone is able to do that even the opposition would start applauding. :-)
Nathan
Guest
Current ruling is that "feinting is a part of football" but the interpretation is that whilst you can stop or abort your run-up, you cannot pause alongside the ball. Once you've reached the ball you are committed and must take your kick or be considered to have infringed and cautioned for unsporting behaviour. And yes, kicker must be nominated and only that person may be in the box, simply running in doesn't cut it :)
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
apaway - your final point is the technicality Sanfrecce eventually got pinged on. Although the referee (incorrectly) ruled it a goal, they were later warned about failing to nominate and identify their chosen penalty taker.
Futbanous
Guest
Fuss far be it from me to state I'm an expert on the laws of the game,but I dont see why the seal move cant be used.. The ball must be kicked forward. So its lofted upwards & forward, The Seal can in theory(have to be bloody quick I know) get to it & balance/juggle it on his head. The goalkeeper can move once the ball is kicked so he could advance towards the advancing Seal who heads over him into goal.
apaway
Guest
So where do we draw the line at arrogant penalty taking? Some time ago, the stutter step during the run-up was outlawed but that seems to have been forgotten. Is the delicate chip a la Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final arrogant? Honestly, the Lebanese keeper should have saved the UAE penalty. What I don't get, is that a penalty is the closest thing an attacking team can get to being handed a goal. Set shot, right in front of the goal, 11 metres out. There should not be a NEED to complicate the process with backheels, roll-forwards or fake runs. And someone can correct me, but I thought in the taking of a penalty, the taker is nominated and clearly identified prior to the shot - not sure if this is a LOTG or just protocol but if the former it would make the second Sanfrecce penalty illegal.