It happened in the 75th minute as Rodriguez was jockeying for position with Toronto FC midfielder Michael Bradley on a free kick from deep in the NYCFC defensive end. As Rodriguez tried to establish control of the ball, Bradley pulled on his shoulder, leading Rodriguez to throw himself backwards on the ground with a massive flop to sell the call to the nearby official.
The embellishment worked, as the official called the foul on Bradley and awarded NYCFC a free kick. Too bad it came too late to win an Oscar this year, although that could have earned him a slap from Will Smith.
Toronto had the last laugh, however, as they won the match 2-1, while the defending MLS champion NYCFC continues their slow start with their third loss in their first five matches to start the 2022 season.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
