Football
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New York Red Bulls trick-play goal should not have counted, says PRO

The New York Red Bulls got away with a trick play to temporarily tie the game against the Chicago Fire on Wednesday, even though in the end it wasn't enough after Chicago ended the Red Bulls' six-game undefeated streak with a 3-2 victory.

With the Fire leading 2-1 in the second half at Toyota Park, Red Bulls centre-back Ronald Zubar set up a trick play off a corner kick in the 49th minute, and amid confusion, referees awarded a goal scored off the play that ended up pulling New York level with Chicago 2-2.

Having won a corner kick on the right, Lloyd Sam stepped up to whip in a cross and touched the ball a few times before moving aside to allow Sacha Kljestan to take it. Kljestan then stood over the ball for a few seconds, talked to the linesman, and darted forward on the dribble before feeding Zubar with a low cross. The ball was deemed to have been in play because of Sam's touches, which allowed Kljestan to run with it against a Fire defense that was looking around in confusion.

Announcers on the broadcast in the New York region told viewers that the MLS league office and PRO (the Professional Referees Organization) had relayed word to say that the goal should not have stood.

Citing Law 17 of the FIFA Laws of the Game which addresses corner kicks, a PRO official informed MLSsoccer.com on Wednesday night that the act of Sam touching the ball more than once is an offense punishable with an indirect free kick for the Fire. The FIFA Law states that "if the kicker touches the ball again before it has touched another player, an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team."

New York has not won in Chicago since 2005.

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