Читать книгу Unforgettable Soccer - Luciano Wernicke - Страница 24

Many field players have guarded the goal during penalty kicks around the world, having had to replace red-carded or injured goalies. None of these feats received such remarkable help like the save made by the Chilean defender Cristian Álvarez on October 12, 2002. In the middle of a heated match between Universidad Católica and Universidad de Chile, tied 1-1, the referee Carlos Chandía granted a penalty kick for the away team of Universidad de Chile. The goalkeeper, Jonathan Walker, could not defend his goal because he had gotten hurt during a violent clash against his rival, Mauricio Pinilla.

As the Catholic squad had already made the three substitutions allowed, Álvarez put on his gloves to face the designated kicker, Pedro González. Seconds before whistling to authorize the penalty kick, Chandía put his mouth to Álvarez’s ear, and said, imprudently, “to your left you should go, go to your left.” And so Álvarez did. The defender-turned-goalie dove to that side and saved the shot. The story had a happy ending for Universidad Católica, but not for Chandía. As his inappropriate advice had been captured by the television’s microphones that surrounded the pitch, the unusual mishap spread through the media and ignited a national scandal. The following day, the National Association of Professional Soccer determined, after evaluating the case, that, although the referee could not know for sure where González’s shot would eventually go, his irresponsibility and his big mouth definitely cost him a match fine.