Dinho saves Milan in Milan-Napoli Spectacular

By: fetyani | November 2nd, 2008

What a game, the Milan-Napoli showdown did not disappoint at all. As a Milanista it was a nerve breaking game, it was overwhelming and torturous. BUT we have Dinho..Dinho..Dinho!!

For a game recap you can check Milan @ The Offside. In a few words, intense games, endless chances, ball hit the post few times and in the end Ronaldinho sealed the deal. It was a great game all in all for all football fans, 2 strong team going at it giving the fans what they paid for.

Dinho Goal? Well 85th minute the referee calls a controversial penalty for Milan. Kaka misses the penalty, Iezzo with the save. Don’t you worry. 87th minute, Dinho got himself a freekick. A rocket shot deflects off German Denis and GOAAAL!!! Dinho Dances!! and Milan are back on the top of Serie A for the first time in 4 years (since May 16, 2004 when Milan won the Scudetto).

So technically the goal wasn’t credited to Ronaldinho, rather an own goal by Denis. Not a big deal, the three-points for the team are much more valuable. So Dinho is still at 3 goals with the Rossoneri. Now Dinho has 4 goals. Milan & Dinho’s next opponent are Braga in the UEFA Cup on Thursday at the San Siro

The Goal

Here’s the official Dinho Coro/Chant.

O Mamma Mamma Mamaa, O Mamma Mamma Mamma. Sai Perche, Me Batte Corason.

Ho Visto Ronaldinho..Ho Visto Ronaldinho

Ue Mamma Innamorato Son.

Forza Rossoneri..Forza Milanisti..Forza Dinho!

UPDATE:

Update from the Official Milan Site on Ronaldinho’s Goal:

IT’S RONALDINHO’S GOAL

According to the FIFA directive on goals/owngoals, the Milan-Napoli goal was scored by Ronaldinho: if the shot is directed towards goal, it’s a goal even if it’s deflected by an opponent.

Denis own goal? No thanks. The FIFA directive speaks clearly: “If the shot is directed towards goal, it will be considered a goal, even if it’s deflected by an opponent. However, if the ball goes away from goal, that is not towards goal, and a deflection makes it end in goal, where it wouldn’t have done so without the help, then it would be an own goal.”

The difference is very clear, the border line is evident. Not only from the theoretical and virtual level. Let’s take an example: at Heerenveen, in the Uefa Cup, Kaka crosses towards the middle of the penalty area, the ball is deflected towards goal by defender Jong a Pin. It’s a classic own goal. A clear example, different from the one of last night.

The directive is particularly significant. In this Monday post Milan-Napoli, the statistics of the daily newspapers are different. Some, like the Gazzetta dello Sport, speak about a Ronaldinho goal, others say it was an own goal by Denis. However may experts attribute the goal to Ronaldinho.

The motivations are tied, and in any case lead to, the same FIFA directive: Ronaldinho’s shot was directed towards goal and it continued its run towards Iezzo’s goal, despite Denis heading the ball. However, Denis’ intervention is not ‘new’, that is it is not different than the shot’s direction.

In other words, according to the Fifa directive, and according to the sense, it’s difficult to say that the goal is not of Ronaldinho. Because: it was directed towards goal, its trajectory was not alternated radically, the goal is of the player show towards goal and not of the one who deflects it (forced by the shot’s danger).