And it Counts (Part 2)
From DQ reader Ralph Teixeira (in Brazil):Technically, though all media is using the "ball boy scores" headline, the ref actually signaled a goal from that first shot that went clearly wide (from the TV viewpoint). She gets confused because the linesmen (off the movie) signaled a goal (the radio narration, in Portuguese, is very clear about that; they do not even talk about the ball boy, I think they also missed him), and she "did not trust her initial instincts that the shot was wide" (her statement after she saw this movie herself). Of course the ball boy must have added to the confusion (my guess is that the ref and linesmen took their eyes off the ball, then looked again, and, behold, the ball was in!), and her mistake was a very bad one... Now, soccer has this rule that "during a game, the ref is king", so this infamous goal will probably stand!
Now, if you go to Youtube and look for "Gandula Penetra" (Gandula is slang for Ball Boy, and you can guess that "penetra" is slang for "intruder"), you will find a 2:37m video in Portuguese with Ball Boys stopping goals -- it seems to be more common than I imagined in the lower divisions of Brazilian soccer! What I find very curious is this: true to the *spirit* of soccer, NONE USE THEIR HANDS...
If you go look at the Youtube video, here's a translation of the ball boy's interview (after stopping a goal), again courtesy of Ralph:
Reporter: So, Macauba, didn't you know that the team can have only 11 players on the field?
Macauba: Yes, ma'am, I knew it allright.
R: You wanted to save Aracatuba (the soccer team)?
M: To save it... there was no way anymore, because we were already losing 3-1, but.... but the goalie left the goal, and I took his position, and avoided our losing by even more.
R: What did you fell the moment you saved that shot?
M: I felt "quite sure". [people laugh]
Another site reports that Macauba saved it with his head because, in his words, "You nuts? If I save with my hands, the ref could signal a penalty kick!"
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