Dive or No Dive? Vote on Johnson, Sola and Lavezzi

We’re going on a continental road-trip in this instalment of Dive or No Dive.

Beginning in Germany, we’ll have a look at Fabian Johnson’s penalty shout for Hoffenheim, after which we’ll travel to Spain, where Athletic Bilbao were awarded a spot-kick amid considerable controversy.

Finally, we’ll conclude our journey in France at Toulouse, where Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain opened the scoring from 12 yards following a foul on Ezequiel Lavezzi.

But should the referees have allowed play to continue in any of the following three exhibits?

You decide.

Exhibit A: Fabian Johnson vs. Borussia Monchengladbach

Harald Tittel/Associated Press

Free-scoring Hoffenheim nicked a crucial point away from home on Saturday, but true to form they also conceded a pair of goals in a draw at Borussia-Park.

Hosts Monchengladbach were 2-0 in front by the 18th minute thanks to goals from Patrick Herrmann and Tony Jantschke, but shortly after the restart Hoffenheim had cut the lead in half through Roberto Firmino’s tap-in.

The stage was set for some late dramatics, and Fabian Johnson provided them when he went under pressure from Martin Stranzl with eight minutes left on the clock—sending Sejad Salihovic to the spot to convert the equaliser.

Exhibit B: Kike Sola vs. Real Betis

Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press

Real Betis just can’t catch a break.

Already dead last in La Liga at kick-off on Sunday, the Seville side thought they should have won a penalty when Ruben Castro went to ground following a challenge from Mikel Balenziaga.

But the referee was unmoved, and not long after he actually awarded a penalty to visitors Athletic Bilbao, ruling that Kike Sola had been fouled inside the area by Damien Perquis.

Iker Muniain made no mistake from the spot, and the Basque side went on to win 2-0 thanks to an insurance marker from Guillermo in the 81st minute.

Exhibit C: Ezequiel Lavezzi vs. Toulouse

Thibault Camus/Associated Press

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a hat-trick in Paris Saint-Germain’s 4-2 win away to Toulouse on Sunday, opening the scoring just moments after teammate Ezequiel Lavezzi went to ground inside the hosts’ 18-yard box.

Toulouse had actually commanded much of the play until the incident, which saw Uros Spajic tackle the Argentine, but after 32 minutes the score read 1-0 to the guests thanks to Ibrahimovic’s sixth penalty of the season.

The Sweden captain would score again in the 68th and 89th minute, and Lavezzi himself would find the back of the net just prior to the hour-mark.

Toulouse, meanwhile, found  a pair of goals through Ben Yedder, although his brace was insufficient as PSG moved five points clear atop the table.