Footballers are not exactly known for being the epitome of sportsmanship. But for the second time in a week, the sport is in the news for the right reasons.

Just a day after German footballer Aaron Hunt became an Internet hero for rejecting a penalty and confessing that he had dived, a football team in Italy's Serie D was also hailed for doing the right thing.

The bizarre incident transpired in an Italian Serie D match between amateur sides Fersina Perginese and Dro a fortnight ago.

It started with a calamitous error from the Dro goalkeeper, who allowed an innocuous back-pass to slip through his legs. The "pass" came from a Fersina player, who was merely attempting to return possession to Dro, which had put the ball out of play following an injury. But the pass somehow went straight through the goalkeeper's legs and into the net.

That moment of comedy and tragedy, however, inspired an admirable act of sportsmanship.

Although crucial points were at stake in the relegation "six-pointer", the Fersina players allowed their opponents to score from the kick off to cancel out the mistake.

The game, which has since drawn widespread attention across Italy, ended 3-3 with both teams locked together at the bottom of Group C in the country's fourth tier.