USL goalkeeper sent off after throwing extra ball onto the field after failed stoppage time equalizer
With his team down one, Oakland Roots keeper Raphael Spiegel tried to waste time in an unusual way — and was quickly given a red card as a result.
A goalkeeper in the USL Championship league was penalized for a highly 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 towards 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. 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 towards 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 keep the ball out of the net. MULTIBALL in the @USLChampionship - Oakland Roots Goalie (in Blue) up for a last minute header doesn’t connect so he decides to throw another ball on the field to try to stop play and then gets a red card. pic.
twitter. com/QA1Ceyh0jY — Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) March 29, 2026 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.