USA star hailed for ‘elite time wasting’ after launching two balls into crowd & taking comedy dive to help 10-man team win (VIDEO)

A USA international has earned plaudits for his "sh*thousing" skills at the end of a Major League Soccer game in theatrical scenes which have gone viral on social media.

Playing away in the City of Brotherly Love, the New England Revolution had been down to ten men for half an hour following Arnor Traustason’s sending off but were still leading 1-0 deep into stoppage time at Philadelphia Union.

While table-toppers Revolution are sitting pretty atop of the Eastern Conference with a 14-point lead over Nashville Soccer Club, Union badly needed a point or three to boost their play-off push, with just four points between seventh and third place.

Beating everyone to the ball after it went out of play, defender Henry Kessler proceeded to launch a volley as high as he could into the rafters of Subaru Park.

When the USA newcomer spotted a replacement that Alejandro Bedoya had eyes for, he picked the second ball up and tossed that into the stands with his hands as the Union captain attempted to push him over.

While a mini-scuffle broke out, Kessler then made fans laugh with a dramatic roll on the turf.

Viewers reacted by saying they were left "absolutely dead" by Kessler's antics and hailing the MLS as "the best league in the world". 

On the other hand, those who are not fans of the American top flight quipped that watching the MLS "is also elite time-wasting."

Kessler was also complimented for "some damn good gamesmanship", with some lamenting the lack of "moxie like that" in the USA team.

"For the uninitiated: the angrier it makes you, the better it is," another said of his farcical antics.

Revolution put their latest triumph down to "sheer will and determination" rather than an exemplification of the beautiful game.

“This group just wants to win,” said Matt Polster, who scored the only goal of the game in the 33rd minute.

“I think the boys have said it a couple times – sometimes we don’t care how we win, we just want to win.

"Granted, I don’t think we’d want to go and do that again per se, but it’s good to show that kind of grit and character and winning mentality in these kinds of environments.”

Kessler made his senior international debut as an extra-time substitute in the USA's 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final victory over Mexico earlier this month.