Goal of the Day

a golazo a day keeps the doctor away.

[dailygolazo-blog]

Bas Dost goal vs Bayern Munich, 1/30/2015: Junior

This thriller saw Die Wolfe line up against the perennial league leaders, this time sporting black armbands. Symbolic in a literal sense, but also carrying an unfathomable weight; this match was for more than just points. This was the first match since the tragic death of Wolfsburg midfielder Junior Malanda.

By the end of regulation time, this match would also be Bayern’s first defeat in the league since April 2014. The gap between first and second grew even smaller (though it ultimately would not be overturned), and this match played by grieving players in front of thousands of grieving fans was a stream of light pouring from a dark cloud. 

The underdogs, led by a stoic and effective Kevin De Bruyne (a close friend of the late Malanda), completely dismembered Bayern. After opening the scoring in the first four minutes from a pass from De Bruyne, Bas Dost’s volley from the edge of the box was one of four goals in a victory that meant the world. Grief, while heavy and unwieldy, can be a powerful weapon.

Kevin De Bruyne (now at Manchester City), Ricardo Rodriguez (now at AC Milan), Daniel Caligiuri and Naldo (both at Schalke), members of this Wolfsburg team of old, piled atop a jubilant and empowered Bas Dost (now at Sporting). Despite their divergent directions, surely they all carry Junior Malanda with them.

[dailygolazo-blog]

Alessandro Del Piero v Germany, 7/4/2006: “Andiamo a Berlino Beppe!”

This is a fantastic finish any way you slice it. A curling shot hit first-time into the top corner to put a seal on Italy’s 2006 World Cup semi-final match against Germany. 

Del Piero’s goal was assisted by Alberto Gilardino (one of the top scorers in Serie A history) who was sent on the break by Francesco Totti (Roma legend and Serie A’s second top scorer ever), who took the ball from Fabio Cannavaro (the only non-German defender ever to win the Ballon D’Or). So many legends, so little time. 

However, the start of the move is perhaps the most impressive. 5′9″ Cannavaro wins a header over 6′6″ Per Mertesacker and, without breaking stride, wins the ball off of Lukas Podolski just over 10 yards away, allowing Totti to make the key pass. Listen to what his hard work meant to the announcing team.

This hunger, this desire to sprint and leap and create--even in the 121st minute--is what legends are made of. In many moments like this throughout his career, Fabio Cannavaro gave the world another reason to call him one of the greatest defenders in history.

(vid credit to crystalblade91)

[dailygolazo-blog]

Michael Owen v. Argentina, 06/30/1998: “A terrific moment!”

The match in which David Beckham became a pariah in England for his sending off just so happened to be the same match as Michael Owen’s arguably most iconic moment. Aged just 18 years old, he tapped a long ball from Beckham past Jose Chamot and dashed by Roberto Ayala. Chamot and Ayala, two well-respected Serie A defenders, could only watch on. The angle was closing. The Liverpool youngster was still undeterred. 

Young Michael Owen was a sight to behold. His ability to get off the blocks to reach his top speed in no time at all and his precise finishing combined to make him an absolutely terrifying striker. A two time Premier League Golden Boot winner by the age of 20, the only thing that could hold him back from being a world-breaker was something he could not escape from--his hamstrings.

Inevitably, England would lose this match--and their spot in the World Cup--via penalty shootout. 

(vid credit to Icampionidellosport)

[dailygolazo-blog]

Dennis Bergkamp v. Argentina, 7/4/1998: “Dennis Bergkamp!”

Dennis “Iceman” Bergkamp believes this wonderstrike is his best goal. Better than his goals against Newcastle and Leicester. Better than his first professional goal ever, against FC Haarlem. Better, because of the magnitude. After crashing out of Euro 1992, World Cup 1994, and Euro 1996 despite their immense talent, Bergkamp and his teammates earned an opportunity to insert themselves into the footballing pantheon. They earned the chance to accomplish what their innovative and gifted predecessors could not.

In the 90th minute, bereft of any other options, Frank de Boer hit the ball 60 yards to Bergkamp from his own half. The Arsenal man, using his right foot the entire time, plucked the ball out of the air and knocked it between Roberto Ayala’s legs. “After the second touch I thought, ‘there’s no way I could mess this up,’” Bergkamp said. For his third and final touch, he fired it past Roa with the outside of his boot. A stroke of genius befitting of a World Cup knockout match.

This Netherlands squad, stacked with other incredible names such as Frank and Ronald de Boer, Marc Overmars, and Edgar Davids, would leave France empty-handed, losing in the semi-finals on penalties to Brazil and even crashing out of the third place match against Croatia by way of a Davor Suker goal. History tends to repeat itself.

(vid credit to Frank de Jong)

[dailygolazo-blog]

 Lionel Messi v. Bayern Munich, 5/6/2015: “Here he is again…”

Messi tends to score worldies. Goals that are hard to believe. Goals that raise hairs on the back of one’s neck and pull the question “how” from their throat. His goal against Getafe as a young man, eerily mirroring Maradona’s against England in the 80s. His incredible run against Bilbao less than a month after this goal, where he seemingly phased through three defenders. And this.

It took Messi close to 80 minutes to take this match by the scruff of the neck, beating Manuel Neuer at his near post with a powerful shot from the edge of the 18. However, this goal, his second of the game, is otherworldly. This goal, the type of goal only a player like Messi can score, one that leaves the crowd dumbfounded, hands-on-head. A goal in which the little magician fells World Cup-winning defender Jerome Boateng like a redwood tree and chips Manuel “I’ll show him who’s boss″ Neuer on his way out…

…with his weak foot. 

Then, the chants. “Messi, Messi, Messi…”, and with every utterance of his name, several tens of thousands of spectators bow to an incredible player.

“Only football can make you feel like this.” Martin Tyler might be onto something. 

(vid credit to NasFCB)

[dailygolazo-blog]

Antonio Puerta v. Schalke, 4/27/2006: Puertagol

In the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, tensions ran high as the second leg of the Europa League semi-final between Sevilla and Schalke continued goalless. A few incredible saves and offside calls held both teams back from breaking the deadlock in regular time. However, cometh the hour (and forty minutes), cometh the man. 

As Schalke right-back Rafinha moved away to cover the striker in the box, the long ball fell instead to Sevilla substitute Antonio Puerta, who hit a swerving half-volley to the far post. With this goal, the emotionally-charged Puerta pushed Sevilla into the Europa League final, where they smashed Middlesbrough 4-0. His involvement in this Sevilla team that would go on to win five titles in fifteen months cemented his significance to the people of Seville.

Being a one-club man, Sevilla paid Puerta back for his loyal servitude to the club; Puerta’s kit number, 16, was retired after his untimely death at the age of 22, just a year after this goal. (He is seen wearing the number 27 in this video.)

(vid credit to VamosMiSevillaCom)

[dailygolazo-blog]

Thierry Henry v. Manchester United, 10/1/2000: “Sheer brilliance.”

17 years ago, at Highbury...

23 year-old Thierry Henry, coming off the back of a 26-goal debut season with Arsenal and winning the Euros with France, found himself in the midst of a month-long goal drought. But as Arsene Wenger said, “when you haven't been scoring goals, sometimes you need to try something a little bit crazy.”

Receiving the ball with his back to goal, King Henry took this opportunity to flick the ball up with his right leg, pivot, and lob Fabian Barthez from 20 yards. Arsenal held on with a bit of difficulty until the final whistle, after which Sir Alex Ferguson said, “the goal was spectacular...the only way they could beat us.”

Arsenal would eventually finish second to Manchester United for the third consecutive Premier League season.

(vid credit to Haven’t A Kalou)