DIVING

Diving! What does this word remind you of, at the YOG? Big name youth divers like Tom Daley and Qiu Bo, perfoming exqusite dives and wowing crowds come to an ordinary person's mind. But tonight, in the mind of all soccer fans, it is not about that, but about diving, the way of feigning fouls.

Singapore vs Haiti.

Well, everybody knows the result by now dont they? Singapore lost 1-0, and as a Singaporean, I am gutted, maybe whatever I am going to say is biased, but still I have to say it out. Haiti played their hearts out tonight, and I was impressed by their industry, and willingness to harry their opponents and prevent them from getting into a steady passing rhythm. What was not so impressive was the tendency to crash down unto the floor despite minimum contact with the Singaporean players, one Haitian player even clutched his face, trying to portray pain, when in fact, throughout the whole match, he was not even touched in his face for the whole game, sportsmanship completely lacking. In the dying moments Haiti won a penalty,well the penalty was rightfully gained, but the reaction of the Haiti players was terrible, he theatrically collasped to the ground and banged his legs in pain, making medics come to him, and wasting time, only to be seen up and running moments later, and in the proccess wasting Singapore's precious time.

In wanting to win the match, Haiti resorted to unscrupulous means and even though they fought and played hard, i will remember them as cheaters, while they celebrate, we do not respect them, often, when you want to win, by hook or by crook, you would stray and give up your sportsmanship, and it is often by this little mistakes or over desire to win that takes away the respect people have for you, just look at Haiti, days ago, they were praised for being feisty and having the never-say-die spirit, after bouncing back from a 9-0 defeat to Bolivia, but now, my respect has turned into disgust, then they were losers, on the pitch, but winners off it, now they win on the pitch, but off it, they LOSE.