Don’t Pass Back to This Goalkeeper, Ever

Defenders on Mexican team Puebla FC learned a valuable lesson over the weekend: Don’t pass back to keeper José Guadalupe Martínez, ever.

Joaquín Velázquez tried it in the 4th minute of Puebla’s Primera División game against San Luis, heading the ball back to the man with the gloves. Everyone knows you can handle headed backpasses, but Martínez decided to trap the ball instead. Except he failed, and the ball bounced straight through. 1-0 to San Luis, and poor Velázquez gets “credited” with the own goal because Martínez was too lazy to bend down and pick up the ball.

Can happen to anyone once (right Paul Robinson?) But in the 35th minute, another Puebla defender played the ball back to Martínez. This time the comedy keeper controlled it, but then passed it straight to the feet of San Luis’ Colombian midfielder Tressor Moreno, who happily stroked the ball past the stranded Martínez.

Puebla actually put up a good fight and pulled a goal back. But San Luis get the 2-1 win to stay in touch with Chivas at the top of the Primera División, while relegation is now a very real concern for Puebla.

One bright spot for José Guadalupe Martínez: he may be useless with his feet, but manager Jose Luis Sanchez Sola is standing by his man Tammy Wynette style.

“I just want to point out that I am very proud of my players, that I don’t care about this defeat, that Puebla will not be relegated and that the type of people that were booing Lupe after the first goal don’t deserve to have a team like Puebla.”

For more Mexican football, pay a visit to our recently revamped Mexico Offside, where we’ve got team blogs for Chivas, Atlas, Pumas and Cruz Azul.

Category: Mexico

Tags: backpass, Guadalupe Martinez, Joaquín Velázquez, Jose Luis Sanchez Sola, Mexico, own-goal, Paul Robinson, Puebla, San Luis, Tressor Moreno, World Football, World Soccer

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