Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.This article has been updated after an error in the original. In the original version we incorrectly identified Gavin Hoyte as the player involved in the game’s free-kick ‘gaffe’. We apologise to Mr Hoyte for our error.
In one of the World Cup's most endearing, hilarious moments, minnows Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) were facing the might of Brazil.
It was a group game on 22 June, 1974 in West Germany. Brazil lined up to take a free-kick when right-back Mwepu Ilunga broke ranks, charged towards the ball and booted it away, earning himself a yellow card.
Plenty believed Ilunga didn't know the rules, although it has since transpired that the defender may well have been wasting time.
The Zairean players had been threatened by the nation's despotic leader, Mobutu Sese Seko, before the game.
"He sent his presidential guards to threaten us," Ilunga, who died last May, told the BBC in an interview in 2002.
"They closed the hotel to all journalists and said that if we lost 0-4 to Brazil, none of us would be able to return home."
Zaire would go on to lose 3-0 to the Brazilians.
The video has become a regular fixture of football gaffe DVDs in years gone by and now, 42 years later, the famous scene has happened again in League Two.
On their way to a 3-0 defeat at Northampton Town, Yiadom lines up in a wall alongside his fellow Barnet team-mates.
Nicky Adams looks like he is going to strike the ball but a second, then third man runs as if he is to take it - that is when the full-back reacts.
He charges at the ball and although Adams checks himself, Yiadom, who has been at Barnet since 2012 and has three caps for England C, just can't stop.
He speeds at the ball and eventually hacks at it (rather poorly, in fact) with his left foot.
The 24-year-old, probably embarrassed, then turns to the other Northampton player standing over the dead ball and gets into a pushing match.
Not his finest hour.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments