It’s ninety minutes deep into an intense Manchester Derby rivalry and both sides are square. The referee signals for the projected extra time and the two clubs battle on. Michael Owen, a Manchester United 90th minute sub, puts home the game-winner well over the initial extra time given by the officials. Think the goal should have never counted? So does Manchester City manager Mark Hughes.
But to be honest Owen’s game-winner with no time remaining is in one of the those grey areas of sports rules. On Man City’s side the goal came well after the time given (about two minutes) and the game should have already been blown dead well before the Red Devils were near the net. And on Man U’s side the club played hard until the final whistle and until that whistle went off they did everything in their power to score.
Should the play have been blown dead? This is a question that will likely remained unanswered for many years. Would Burnley or the Wolves have been given such a lenient amount of time to score a game winner? Who knows, but either way Manchester United isn’t upset at the ruling.
The only way for such a mishap to be avoided again would be simply by changing the rules. Most sports here in the States have a mechanical clock that controls the final regulation. NFL, NBA, NHL and even boxing are all examples of sports and leagues that support the players being aware of the remaining time on the clock. In fact in these sports they often use this limited-time-left-in-the-game scenario for stunning conclusions to the match.
Buzzer beaters are a part of any basketball game, two minute drills are involved in most football games, and in the final round of a boxing match you know those guys are going to go all out. So would such a mechanically structured system work for European football?
I don’t think it would ever go over as well if it were adopted rather then initially established like in these other sports. Soccer is loved for it’s rich history and simplicity in the rules. What happened last weekend to the Blues was unfair, but it is one of those small blemishes on a wonderful sport. You have to trust the officials judgment in those situations even though their is no factual evidence to how the game should end.
Well actually there still is one way of knowing when the game should end.
When the ref blows the final whistle.
