Tempers flared after the whistle blew following a Ukrainian Cup round of 16 soccer match between Tavriya Simferopol and Vorskla Poltava on Wednesday. But while the footage may be a glaring example of poor sportsmanship, it's also a testament to how tough some soccer players are.
Vorskla Poltava midfielder Artem Hromov got into an argument with Tavriya Simferopol goalie Serhiy Pohorilyi, following Vorskla Poltava's loss at home. Early in the footage, Pohorilyi deals a punishing left hook to Hromov's chin. Amazingly, the midfielder is unfazed by the blow and slowly begins to pursue the goalie down the field.
Players from both clubs rush to separate the men. Although the final whistle had reportedly blown, the referee issued a red card to Pohorilyi, marring his team's victory.
Tavriya Simferopol scored 3 goals in the first 32 minutes of the single-elimination tournament match. They would hang on to win 3-2.
This isn't the first time soccer players have gotten violent on the field. In 2010, Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo was dealt a red card for hitting an opposing player with a no-look elbow to the face.
In 2006, French footballer Zinedine Zidane infamously head-butted a player from the Italian team during a World Cup competition. That red card-earning incident was immortalized in a bronze statue earlier this year.
(via Reddit)