Category: DTotD

DTotD: Red chest, but no red card after kung fu kick

Once the happy pooches were cleared from the pitch during the Copa Libertadores match between Deportivo Tachira and Pumas, things got nasty. After attempting to clear a high ball, Tachira defender Yuber Mosquera planted his boot in Pumas midfielder Alejandro Castro’s chest.

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DTotD: Paul Pogba taken down by champagne slicked floor

Juventus sealed their record fifth consecutive Serie A title with Roma’s 1-0 win over Napoli, prompting the usual celebrations of bouncing around while spraying champagne. But since the players were in a room with a hardwood floor instead of the dressing room, this created hazardous conditions. And Paul Pogba fell victim to them.

While attempting to take a selfie while moshing around, Pogba slipped on the wet floor, then looked like he was trying to walk on ice as he attempted to get back to his feet.

This is a video that likely gave France manager Didier Deschamps a heart attack so close to Euro 2016, but Pogba appeared to survive the ordeal without any ill effects.

This has been the Dirty Tackle of the Day: a chronicling of unfortunate events. 

DTotD: Nigel De Jong introduces himself to MLS

It took five matches for him to settle in and become comfortable enough to be himself, but Nigel De Jong did his first Nigel De Jong in MLS during the LA Galaxy’s 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers. The Dutch midfielder was only shown a yellow card for connecting with Darlington Nagbe’s ankle on a tackle that forced Nagbe to leave the match.

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DTotD: Tippeligaen player sent off for shoving his own goalkeeper

In a Norwegian Tippeligaen match between Haugesund and Stromsgodset, alliterative midfielder Haris Hajradinovic conceded a penalty, angering his goalkeeper, Per Kristian Bratveit. Well, Hajradinovic didn’t appreciate Bratveit’s criticism, so he shoved him away. And when Bratveit didn’t back down, Hajradinovic shoved him in the face. This earned him a red card.

Bratveit went on to save the ensuing penalty, but Haugesund still lost 2-0. According to the Guardian, this indiscriminate violence is becoming the club’s MO. They already have two red cards and 11 yellows in their first three matches this season. Sergio Ramos could fit in nicely with them.

This has been the Dirty Tackle of the Day: a chronicling of unfortunate events. 

DTotD: Canada’s chiropractor smashes unsuspecting pitch invader

Mexico went to Canada and won 3-0 in a World Cup qualifier, which meant that the best moment of the evening for many fans in attendance was when Canada’s chiropractor absolutely leveled a pitch invader with a bone-crunching tackle from behind.

The man who made the tackle, Garret Kusch, is a former striker for the Canadian national team himself. After retiring in 2001, he became a chiropractor, which apparently involved studying exactly where to hit another person to completely incapacitate them.

Hopefully he slipped the pitch invader his business card for the spinal realignment he will inevitably need after this.

This has been the Dirty Tackle of the Day: a chronicling of unfortunate events. 

DTotD: Vicente Del Bosque gets run over by linesman

During the first half of the international friendly between Italy and Spain, a linesman collided with Spain manager Vicente Del Bosque, sending the mustachioed World Cup winner to the ground.

Del Bosque shook hands with his assailant after getting up, showing that he forgave the linesman while we can only assume that his mustache did not. Sadly, the linesman was not booked for this shameful foul.

This has been the Dirty Tackle of the Day: a chronicling of unfortunate events. 

DTotD: Vincent Kompany smashes Sergio Aguero in the face with a ball

Manchester City will face Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on Tuesday and Man United in the Premier League on Sunday, so Vincent Kompany decided to blast Sergio Aguero in the face with the ball during training. This makes perfect sense. Do not question it.

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DTotD: Referee stands his ground after taking vicious kick

During an amateur match in Italy that appears to have been played atop all the mud in the known universe, the referee decided to show a player for Castel San Niccolo a red card. As the referee turned to walk away, the ejected player initially laughed off the decision, but then decided to act like a crazy person and savagely kicked the ref in the back of the legs.

The ref, however, absorbed the blow and remained on his feet, staring down the player like some kind of officiating Terminator. This incensed the player, who had to be carried away in hilarious fashion by a larger teammate while the ref maintained his cold as ice demeanor. An impressive display of power and restraint.

This has been the Dirty Tackle of the Day: a chronicling of unfortunate events.

Video via 101GG