Cheeky! Samuel Eto'o and three more players who stole the ball from the goalkeeper - with different results

After the Chelsea forward robbed David Marshall to set up a goal, we look at three similar sneaky incidents

Quick thinking: Eto'o nicked the ball from David Marshall before Chelsea's first

Reuters

Some call it street smarts. Others see it as blatant gamesmanship. Either way, the sight of a striker nicking the ball from the safe hands of a goalkeeper is a pretty rare pleasure.

Samuel Eto'o was the man at the centre of a controversy on Saturday , poaching the ball as Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall bounced it. Eden Hazard finished the job and the goal stood, much to the frustration of the Bluebirds players and staff . 


According to the latest edition of FIFA's Laws of the Game, the goal should have been disallowed:
 
A goalkeeper is not permitted to keep control of the ball in his hands for more than six seconds. A goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball:

• while the ball is between his hands or between his hand and any surface
• while holding the ball in his outstretched open hand
• while in the act of bouncing it on the ground or tossing it into the air

When a goalkeeper has gained possession of the ball with his hands, he cannot be challenged by an opponent.
 
Marshall, for his part, apologised to his team-mates for the lapse that allowed Eto'o to nip in. "Goals change games - it was a silly goal to lose. I'm just gutted that it's affected everybody," he said.
"It's a habit of mine. I always bounce the ball before kicking the ball so [it's] probably my fault."
But he's not the first to be caught out by a sneaky striker. Here are three similar incidents from the annals:

George Best vs Gordon Banks

The Northern Irish great though he'd bagged a goal against England in 1971, when he nicked the ball from basketball star wannabe Gordon Banks and tucked the ball into the empty net. The goal was chalked off by the referee, but the video remains a great example of Best's carefree style.

Gary Crosby vs Andy Dibble

This one won't win any prizes for aesthetics, but Gary Crosby did get on the scoresheet. The Nottingham Forest man lingered behind Manchester City's Andy Dibble, eventually nipping forward to head the ball from the goalkeeper's hand and finishing. The goal stood, to the visible annoyance of Dibble.

Thierry Henry vs Brad Friedel

Some typical Va-Va-Voom from the Frenchman, who casually flicked the ball away from the Blackburn custodian before knocking the ball home. His innocent face was not enough to convince the referee that the goal was legal, however.