Must-see sports moments of the week: Footballer chugs a beer while in game

There were plenty of eye-catching sporting moments from the past week, including a player who decided to have a beer in the middle of a game. Yahoo Singapore picks out a selection.

There’s always time for a beer – even during a match

A Bulgarian footballer certainly proved otherwise, with his antics in a Bulgarian First League playoff match between his team FC Vereya and Levski Sofia.

The game was briefly disrupted in the 28th minute when a number of fans started throwing beer cans onto the pitch.

That’s when Ivan Bandalovski, a defender, couldn’t resist and picked up one of the cans to take a massive gulp before tossing it aside. Amazingly, Bandalovski scored a last minute equaliser for Vereya, although Levski Sofia won the game on penalty shootout.

The 30-year-old clearly saw the funny side to it – he even uploaded a clip of him drinking the beer on the pitch and posted it on his own Facebook page with the caption ‘Beer Time’.

Pole-vaulting too easy? Try Fierljeppen

A popular sport in the Netherlands will make your jaw drop. In fierljeppen, athletes run and jump onto a pole, and climb up the pole while vaulting across a body of water (yes, you read that right).

It started out as a way for people to easily cross waterways without using a bridge, but has now become a sport which will definitely impress onlookers.

Big goal for the big stage

Big players tend to shine in the big stage, and there are certainly no bigger stage than the UEFA Champions League final, save for perhaps the final of the World Cup.

Juventus and Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic certainly recognised that, as he saved his best effort of the season, and possibly his career, for the game against Real Madrid. While Real and Cristiano Ronaldo hogged the headlines following Juve’s 4-1 defeat, much of the limelight was focused on Mandzukic’s goal – a stunning bicycle kick.

The 27th minute goal was an absolute beauty. After Alex Sandro whipped in a teasing cross from the left, Gonzalo Higuain did well to control the ball before flicking it towards Mandzukic.

The striker chested the ball, before twisting his body acrobatically to fire the ball over the outstretched arms of Real keeper Keylor Navas into the top corner.

Never mind that Mandzukic didn’t end up with a winners’ medal. The moment surely guaranteed that his name will be remembered for years to come.

Class is permanent

For anyone who disagrees with the saying that form is temporary and class is permanent, you just need to point them towards Paul Scholes.

The retired Manchester United legend once again proved that he still has the necessary skills to play top level football, despite lacking the athleticism at 42.

The playmaker rolled back the years in former teammate Michael Carrick’s testimonial, which saw the United 2008 team that won the Champions League face off a team made up of legends in football, past and present.

Scholes reminded what the United fans are missing – pinging passes from all over the pitch, controlling possession like the maestro he once used to be in his playing days.

That included this amazing pass to set up Wayne Rooney for an easy chance (which the current United captain missed, of course). It was not just about the accuracy of the pass. It was about the vision and the uncanny ability to time a pass too.

We’re pretty sure fans of the team are crying out for someone like Scholes to play in their midfield again.