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Sports Pulse
Israel forward Sayed Abu Farchi was shown a red card for a celebration with the corner flag in a 3-1 defeat against Austria on Thursday, Sept. 24.
Abu Farchi was yellow carded in the 51st minute of the UEFA Nations League match. Just four minutes later, the Colorado Rapids striker scored a header to level the match at 1-1.
Following his goal, the 20-year-old ran to the corner flag and removed it, then dropped to one knee and rested the pole on his right hand before making a firing gesture. It wasn’t clear if Abu Farchi was mimicking a weapon, a pool cue or something else.
Regardless, the referee produced a second yellow card, and Israel had to play the rest of the match down to 10 men.
There is no rule specifically banning removing the corner flag during a goal celebration, but the Laws of the Game say that a “celebration must not be excessive.”
Israel’s man disadvantage would prove costly as Austria scored twice after the 90th minute, first through Phillipp Mwene and then through Saša Kalajdžić, to secure a two-goal win at Raiffeisen Arena in Linz, Austria.
Abu Farchi only just joined the Rapids from Maccabi Tel Aviv in a deal worth a reported $6 million. The 20-year-old has appeared in three games for the MLS side so far.