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| June 4, 2002 | Tuesday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 22,1423 |
Rivaldo admits faking injury
ULSAN (South Korea), June 3: Barcelona’s Rivaldo said he faked the injury that saw Turkey’s Hakan Unsal sent
off in their 2-1 win here Monday.
Hakan was given his marching orders in the dying seconds for a second bookable offence after kicking the ball at Rivaldo.
Despite the ball being hit with little force Rivaldo fell to the ground clutching his face as though floored by a Mike Tyson killer punch.
The Brazilian number 10 later said he played up the incident to make a point.
“Obviously I exaggerated the incident for the guy to be sent off,” he said.
“The ball hit my hand and my leg. It didn’t hit me in the face but that kind of attitude (kicking the ball against an opponent) must not be allowed on the pitch. He deserved to have a red card.”
Rivaldo, in his second World Cup, has always been perceived as an under-achiever at international level, despite an impressive scoring record, and has much to prove in South Korea and Japan.
Hakan was the second Turk to be sent off after Alpay Ozalan was shown the door for the shirt pulling that gave Brazil the penalty that won them the match. Rivaldo scored from the spot.—AFP
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