USL goalkeeper sent off for throwing extra ball onto the field after failed stoppage time equalizer

Kari AndersonSun, March 29, 2026 at 2:36 PM UTC

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A goalkeeper in the USL Championship league was penalized for a bold attempt at wasting time in the final minutes of play on Saturday.

With his team down 1-0 against Orange County SC, Oakland Roots goalkeeper Raphael Spiegel joined his team in the box for a late equalizer attempt. But the Roots’ dangerous free kick was well-defended by Orange County, leaving them with a chance at a wide-open Oakland goal.

Rather than run back toward his goal, Spiegel then got creative to try and stop the seemingly inevitable goal: He ran behind the opposing goal, grabbed the waiting extra ball, and launched it onto the field.

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The time wasting attempt did not work, at all. Orange County ignored the ball completely, and got off a mid-field shot that looked headed right toward the Roots’ goal. It was only a heroic goal-line save from Oakland midfielder Tommy McCabe — who sprinted more than half of the field to get back to the goal — that kept the ball out of the net.

Spiegel was promptly sent off for the egregious attempt at time-wasting, and Orange County won 1-0 in full time. Spiegel will serve a one-game suspension as a result of the red, unless USL decides to up that suspension.

Orange County is now undefeated to start the season, holding the top spot in the USL Championship behind a 3-win, 2-draw, no-loss record.

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Source: “AOL Sports”