If there’s one competition that can challenge CONCACAF for zaniness, it’s the Europa League. Week after week we tune in because we know something crazy will happen. Thursday was no exception as the referees missed a blatant hand ball on the goal line in the match between Hapoel Be’er Sheva and Steaua Bucharest in Romania.
The back-to-back European champions were humbled 3-1 by Tottenham at Wembley in Champions League group play on Wednesday, and Dele Alli’s performance will be fondly remembered in London. But it’s Casemiro’s strange form of embellishment when touched by Harry Winks that’s got the whole world talking.
The touch caused Casemiro to lose his balance for an instant, but then the Brazilian continued to forcibly lose his own balance for what seemed like an eternity.
What can a person do in nine seconds?
-Ride a bull long enough for points to be awarded.
-Run Mike D'Antoni's offense.
-Quarter-mile drag race if your car is fast enough.
-Watch that one Miller High Life Super Bowl commercial.
-Decide that "The Chainsmokers" are awful.
-Make a decision that will have UNSEEN REPERCUSSIONS affecting THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
The USMNT is obviously hurting along with the rest of us right now. As such, the players’ social media accounts have pretty much gone quiet since Tuesday. After the debacle in Trinidad and Tobago, Bruce Arena, Michael Bradley, Tim Howard and Omar Gonzalez all addressed the media and answered questions. You can watch the first three in the video above and Gonzalez in the video below.
A Russian Second Division match (the third level of Russian football) between Tekstilshchik and FC Torpedo Vladimir (that’s a pretty badass sounding club) descended into absolute farce when the referee, Pyotr Miroshnichenko, failed to award Vladimir a penalty after two scandalous decisions within the space of 60 seconds.
Some takeaways from this video:
1. Messi.
2. This video definitely involves Messi.
3. The Messi Experience Park.
4. The Messi Experience Park is scheduled to open in 2020.
5. And that's it.
6. That's all there is.
7. That's all the information the video gave us.
8. We are still very much in the dark concerning the actual content of the Messi Experience Park.