Published on 12:00 AM, June 26, 2019

Suarez’s bizarre penalty appeal

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez took his reputation as a fierce competitor to new heights in his side’s 1-0 win over Chile in the Copa America on Monday by appealing for a handball -- by Chile’s goalkeeper.

With his side searching for a goal against the Copa America holders to earn them top spot in the group, Suarez raced into the box and rounded Chile’s Gabriel Arias but the keeper rose again to punch the striker’s shot away for a corner.

Suarez, however, seemed to momentarily forget that Arias’ job is to stop shots with his hands and appealed for a penalty, gesticulating to the referee by pointing to his own hand.

The striker soon realised his mistake and stopped protesting, putting his hands on his head to console himself for the missed opportunity.

It was five years to the day when Suarez infamously bit Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini in a group stage decider at the 2014 World Cup, which saw him banned for four months.

Later in the game the striker made another frantic appeal to the referee to ask for Chile’s Gonzalo Jara to be sent off after the defender tripped up a pitch invader.