Dutch goalie Mark Flekken is really into hydration. How else do you explain perhaps the worst goalkeeping error we’ve ever seen here at The18?
Flekken, who plays for MSV Duisburg in the Bundesliga 2, was caught in his own net grabbing a water bottle while FC Ingolstadt scored an equalizer. A teammate attempted to head the ball back to him to pick up, but Flekken was nowhere to be found.
The incident occurred in the 18th minute of their match on Saturday. Duisburg thought it had gone ahead 2-0 with a goal that was ultimately ruled out for offside. Flekken apparently thought the goal had stood and went to his net for a drink. While he was unaware (a cardinal sin as a keeper, or any player, really), Ingolstadt sent a long ball forward. The ball would have been harmless with a simple header back to Flekken had the goalie been anywhere but inside his own goal having a drink.
The announcer’s reaction is priceless: “Back to the keeper. Where is the keeper? Where is the goalkeeper?!”
Stefan Kutschke scored the easiest goal of his life while Flekken hung out in his own net to make the score 1-1 in the 18th minute.
Fortunately for Flekken, Duisburg’s Borys Tashchy scored a winner in the 66th minute, so he can have a laugh about this, because we all know we’re having a laugh about it.
This has perhaps the worst goalkeeping error or close to it because it wasn’t about effort or execution, it was about not paying attention. Next time you’re thirsty, Mark, make sure the ball is out of play.