Sports

Tuesday November 18, 2008

Catania discover creative way to score — drop your shorts

ROME: Serie A side Catania have come up with a creative way to score from a free kick — block the goalkeeper’s vision by having players drop their shorts down in a wall.

The Sicilian team carried out the manoeuver to perfection when Giuseppe Mascara scored in Sunday’s 3-2 win over Torino.

Three Catania players dropped their shorts down near their knees so Torino goalkeeper Matteo Sereni couldn’t see Mascara’s kick.

“This is a strategy that (Catania coach Walter) Zenga tries continually in training,’’ the club’s chief executive Pietro Lo Monaco told RAI state radio yesterday.

Former referees coordinator Paolo Casarin called the move “unsportsmanlike and in bad taste.

“It’s a trick that should not be tolerated anymore by the referees,’’ Casarin said.

Lo Monaco responded: “A trick? I wouldn’t say so. It’s up to the re­fe­ree to decide if it should be pena­lised, otherwise I don’t see where the problem is ... Good taste is relative.’’

Meanwhile, Brazilian forward Julio Baptista scored the winner five minutes after the break as AS Roma gave their season a welcome boost with a crucial 1-0 derby victory over 10-man Lazio on Sunday.

Roma began the match only goal difference above the Serie A drop zone after a dreadful start to their season which had seen them win only twice in 10 games.

To make matters worse, their bitter city rivals have been operating at the other end of the table this term and victory would have seen them go third. — AP/AFP

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