Age 21, standing at 6-4 and hailing from Muskego, Wisconsin, you probably think you know the USMNT’s latest salvation at the forward position, Andrija Novakovich. You’ve probably sketched a mental outline of a big, blundering center forward with an affinity for Milwaukee’s Best, but we mustn’t forget that Harry Kane was similarly written off for being a chubby, traveling salesman-looking version of Butt-head.
The legend of Monarcas Morelia’s Raul Ruidiaz continues to grow after the Peruvian international scored his second Liga MX golazo in the space of a week last night. Morelia defeated bottom-of-the-table Atlas 2-1 on Friday with Ruidiaz scoring the game-winner in the 45th minute.
Rodrigo Millar had given Morelia the early lead, but Atlas responded from the spot through Daniel Arreola. However, on the stroke of halftime, a spectacular 15-yard scissor kick from Ruidiaz restored Morelia’s advantage.
Roberto Firmino cemented his reputation as the most disrespectful, no-fucks-given player in the game when he scored Liverpool's third goal against West Ham this weekend with a no-look finish.
That was not the first time Firmino has scored a no-look goal this season. In fact, it has been a staple throughout his career, so much so that there's enough material available for a whole highlight video.
Roberto Firmino - Made You Look pic.twitter.com/LXlk94Kkod
There are goals and then there are GOLAZOS.
Solo goals, scissor kicks, team goals, you name it. There are innumerable ways to score. Pragmatists will say it doesn't matter how stunning or beautiful a goal is, even own goals count the same as the jewels only Messi could craft.
And yet, there is a certain violent charm to bangers.
With all due respect to Juventus supporters, as exciting as it would be to watch you lift your seventh straight Scudetto, the entire planet is behind Napoli’s push for their first title since 1990, when Diego Maradona lifted the Neapolitan club to glory. On Monday, we were given further evidence as to why Napoli is essentially In-N-Out Burger when comparing football clubs to restaurant chains (hell, there’s even a Neapolitan shake on The Secret Menu).
If you ever grow tired of the “Who’s the best player in the world?” debate or weary of solving for “Who’s the best goalkeeper?” just know that there’s a much more refined, much classier discourse you can join regarding “Who has the best outside-of-the-boot (trivela in Portuguese) technique, Besiktas winger Ricardo Quaresma or Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric?
A 30-yard ballistic missile from 23-year-old midfielder Bruno Fernandes helped Sporting CP to a 6-4 aggregate victory over FC Astana in the Europa League Round of 32 Thursday, the Portuguese international scoring the first of his two goals on the day in the 53rd minute with this rocket.
