Madness! Israel star sent off for the most bizarre celebration
Israel's Nations League match against Austria produced one of the strangest red cards of the season: Saied Abu Farchi was sent off because of his own goal celebration.
Details: The Maccabi Tel Aviv forward scored and celebrated by grabbing the corner flag and using it like a rifle, a gesture the referee punished with a yellow card. Since Abu Farchi had already been booked earlier, it meant a second yellow and a sending off, leaving Israel with ten men. French commentators on L'Equipe were stunned, with one remarking that it looked like he was using the flag like a billiard cue.
The incident instantly went viral, splitting opinion across social media. Some fans felt the referee applied the letter of the law, since provocative or weapon resembling celebrations have long been discouraged and Abu Farchi was already on a booking. Others called it an absurd decision, arguing that passion after a goal should not cost a team a player. What is beyond debate is the price: Israel, locked in a tense Nations League battle with Austria, had to continue with a man less because of a celebration that lasted only a few seconds.
It's worth noting that this is far from the first time a celebration has led to a red card, but the corner flag rifle will go down among the most memorable. For Abu Farchi, the bitter lesson is simple: in modern football, even joy has its rules, and the referee's whistle does not care how beautiful the goal was.
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Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
