Soccer players have a reputation for exaggerating both contact and the aftereffects of contact.
That’s a well-earned reputation, though at this point it’s silly to pretend that basketball and football players don’t do use similar methods to try and bait officials into favorable calls. Still, it’s typical to want to roll your eyes when you see a soccer player writhing in pain, their apparent agony seemingly 90% theatrics.
Tonight’s MLS Cup match between Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders was not one of those times. Because just six minutes into the match, Drew Moor took one right in the dick thanks to Seattle’s Nelson Valdez:
This man took a boot directly to the family jewels #MLSCup https://t.co/qxSnNQYimt
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) December 11, 2016
Zoinks. That was Nelson Valdez delivering the blow. He claimOed innocence, and indeed Valdez does seem to be tracking the ball, but that probably didn’t help Drew Moor feel any better. And in fact, as soon as play resumed, Moor hacked down Valdez in retaliation, causing tempers to flare.
A few choice Twitter reactions:
https://twitter.com/ChrisDobbertean/status/807762362329681920
hope he was wearing an MLS cup
— Randall J. Sanders (@RandallJSanders) December 11, 2016
Neither player saw yellow, likely thanks to the stage; no ref wants to open up a cup final with early cards.
We’ll see if Moor can exact revenge with a victory.
