World Football Strange but True: Good Sportsmanship Leads to Freak Goal (Video)

Sometimes, even the best of intentions aren't enough. And sometimes, neither is good sportsmanship.

This is one of those times.

The setting was Norway and the scene was a Tippeligaen (the top league in Norway) match between Lillestrøm SK and Brann.

What happened next was one of those things you never really think about until it happens. Brann led 3-2 early in the second half, and play stopped while a Lillestrøm player received treatment.

When play resumed, Brann observed the rules of football etiquette and gave the ball back to Lillestrøm.

Er, well, at least they tried to.

The video appears above, and I'll hand it over to 101 Great Goals for the rest:

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Etiquette dictates that Brann should have returned the ball back to Lillestrom once the play is resumed, and Erik Mjelde tried to do that. But he amazingly FAILED, scoring a freak 60-yard goal that incredibly bounced over keeper Stefan Magnusson and into the net.

After scoring came the question of conscience. Should Brann allow Lillestrom a goal to make amends for the freak golazo, or alternatively (considering the desperate need for points) should Leciejewski’s error be put down to his own foolishness and thus the match should carry on at 2-4? The Brann answer was mixed.

Whilst most in the visitors team allowed Lillestrom striker Bjorn Bergmann Sigurdarson a free passage on their goal, Brann goalie Piotr Leciejewski worked hard at trying to stop the striker from scoring. In the end though Sigurdarson buried his shot to leave the final scorecard reading 3-4.

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That's right. Some Brann players allowed Lillestrøm into their penalty area uncontested—but not the keeper!

And you thought the Miracle in Manchester was crazy.

(h/t 101GG)

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