Pablo de Blasis scores penalty after half-time whistle
As if 90 minutes of Bundesliga action were not enough to keep football fans on the edge of their seat, Pablo De Blasis put his name down in history as the first player to score a valid goal after the half-time whistle in Mainz's 2-0 win over Freiburg on Monday night.
De Blasis gave the hosts the lead after the referee Guido Winkmann had already sent the two teams into the dressing rooms for half-time, but before he signalled the start of the second half.
Watch: de Blasis on his half-time goal!
How could it happen, you may be asking? The Bundesliga is pioneering the use of technology in football this season with Video Assist giving referees a helping hand and ensuring fairness across the board. As Winkmann and the teams left the field, the referee received a message in his ear telling him of a handball on the final action of the first half.
After checking the replay for himself, Winkmann agreed that a penalty should have been awarded before he had blown the half-time whistle. The teams were thus ordered back onto the field, and De Blasis struck home a goal for the history books.
Watch: How video assist works
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De Blasis added a second late on to earn Mainz their first win in seven, a result which saw them trade places with Freiburg in the standings.