GiveMeSport
·23 October 2023
GiveMeSport
·23 October 2023
Brazilian side Coritiba are going viral for a rather interesting and bizarre goal kick. Coritiba were hosting Palmeiras in Brazil's Serie A at the Couto Pereira Stadium.
In the 13th minute, with the scores still at 0-0, goalkeeper Gabriel stood over a goal kick. A law change allows defenders - but not opposition players - inside the penalty area to collect the ball so two Coritiba defenders stood either side of the six-yard box looking to get the ball from Gabriel. However, two Palmeiras strikers were on the edge of the box so Gabriel was clearly unsure on whether giving his defenders the ball was a good idea as they would immediately be under pressure.
Gabriel waved the two defenders up the pitch as they began to run towards the edge of the penalty area. The two Palmeiras strikers relaxed and, also, turned to start jogging back into position. One the two defenders reached the edge of the penalty area, they both turned immeditaly in an attempt to get the ball off Gabriel. However, the two Palmeiras players were alert and switched back on to the possibility of them receiving the ball. Gabriel could've easily have rolled the ball to one of his defenders but, instead, decided to attempt to clip the ball to a player further forward. However, he got it completely wrong and smashed the ball straight out of play.
All of that for absolutely nothing. And the goal kick was so bad that it's been doing the rounds on Reddit. Football fans have been sarcastically responding to the bizarre tactic that certainly didn't go to plan.
"You know they practiced that sh*t too," one wrote.
A second said: "I assume the tactic is to confuse the opposition."
"That's gonna change football," a third added.
Meanwhile, one certainly saw the funny side by writing: "I haven’t laugh so hard in football for awhile. It isn’t even like it was lower league."
"Ok I laughed...I did not expect that ending," a fifth added.
What makes the attempted goal kick even worse is the fact Coritiba lost 2-0 at home to Palmeiras. First half goals from Gustavo Gomez and Joaquin Piquerez gave the away side all three points. It leaves Coritiba in real danger of being relegated from Brazil's top-flight. After 28 matches plaued, they sit 19th out of 20 teams with just 20 points. They've won just five matches this season and are currently 11 points from safety with four teams being relegated.
It's not unusual for the club, though. Coritiba has the most relegations in the history of Serie A having been demoted on six occasions. They will be desperate to avoid making it seven. Between 2011 and 2017, Coritiba spent seven consecutive seasons in the top-flight before being relegated. But it only took two seasons for them to bounce back to Serie A. However, they were relegated in their first season back during the 2020 season but, you guessed it, earned promotion again in the subsequent campaign. Last campaign, they finished a respectable 15th in Serie A but look set to be heading back to Serie B next season.