Tricks

Trinity Rodman begins new season with an unstoppable performance against OL Reign

Opening weekend of the NWSL season continued Sunday with the Washington Spirit welcoming OL Reign to Audi Field, where Trinity Rodman brought the crowd to its feet with some sublime quality on the ball and a solo game-winner in the second half.

We had a scoreless opening 45 in the nation's capital, but Rodman established herself as the standout player with a couple brilliant moments. 

One run from deep inside her own half was finished with a backheel pass and half-chance for Ashley Hatch.  

Meet Evan FerGOATson, the 18-year-old phenom who's here to save Ireland

Goalscoring has been an awfully bleak exercise for the Republic of Ireland since all-time leading scorer Robbie Keane announced his international retirement in 2016. The team only scored seven goals in nine matches during a failed qualifying cycle for Euro 2020, and things didn't get much better on the road to Qatar where Ireland only scored 11 in eight games (the majority coming against Luxembourg and Azerbaijan).

Fallen player comes up with nasty, clever bicycle kick goal while lying on the ground

Every day there's a goal that illuminates our lives. And on Sunday, that light came from Brazil thanks to Léo Reis, who got himself out of a tough spot by scoring a nasty, wonderful bicycle kick while lying on the ground.

1-0 down against Céara in the first leg of the Cearense Championship semifinals, Reis was trying to find an equalizer for his club Iguatu when reaching for an aerial cross, but he ended up on the grass with his back to goal. 

High-flying Brentford get past Tim Ream's Fulham while attempting some butt flicks

You know it's heady times in the Premier League when Brentford versus Fulham makes for can't-miss TV, and that was the case in a Monday Night Football clash at Gtech Community Stadium that outlined why both clubs are safe from relegation and eyeing a place in Europe. The London derby was a five-goal barn burner.

Brentford flew out of the traps and earned a deserved lead in the sixth-minute. A barrage of early balls into Fulham's area had been met by Tim Ream, but the American defender could only watch in horror as his attempted block deflected beyond Bernd Leno. 

Japan finds its Goal of the Season after just 3 weeks

Japan's professional leagues only began play in mid-February, but there's already a strong contender for goal of the season in the J2 League after Matchday 3 of the competition.

Shimizu S-Pulse (relegated from the top division last year) traveled to V-Varen Nagasaki on Friday and earned a 1-1 draw with one of the greatest late equalizers you'll ever see.

Messi and Mbappé combine for 3 outrageously good goals in PSG romp over Marseille

Like the rest of America, I've been selfishly hoping that Lionel Messi decides against renewing his contract with Paris Saint-Germain and instead opts for Inter Miami, giving me one glorious day out at Allianz Field of Wil Trapp man-marking the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.

South African showboating reaches divine level with an on-field prayer

This is becoming an annual occurrence. Every so often, a bit of "kasi flava" in South Africa goes viral and people go off with the power of a thousand Roy Keanes — "IT'S A DISGRACE!" "IT'S NOT PROPER FOOTBALL!" "I'D BREAK THEIR LEGS!"

No lie, this has to be one of the greatest assists of all time

For the game's great distributors of the ball, there's unfortunately no assist equivalent of the Puskás Award. But maybe we'd do well to highlight the year's best assist with the Pelé-to-Carlos Alberto Memorial Trophy or something. Basically I just think that Giannis Konstantelias needs some form of recognition for what he accomplished in PAOK Thessaloniki's recent Super League victory over AEK Athens. 

Sensational goals from Marco Reus and Karim Adeyemi make it a 3-horse race in the Bundesliga

DORTMUND, Germany - Borussia Dortmund crushed Hertha Berlin 4-1 on Sunday with a goal and an assist from Karim Adeyemi to join leaders Bayern Munich and Union Berlin at the top of the Bundesliga and stretch their winning run in the league to six consecutive matches this year.

Panama just one win from first Women's World Cup after one hell of a bicycle kick

Panama secured a 2-0 win over Papua New Guinea in the final qualifying playoffs for the Women's World Cup in New Zealand on Sunday and will face Paraguay, who beat Taiwan 4-2 on penalties in a thrilling game.

With both teams seeking World Cup qualification for the first time, Panama and Paraguay will face off in Hamilton on Thursday.

Cameroon will face Portugal, and Haiti will take on Chile in the other two playoffs on Wednesday for the July 20 to Aug. 20 World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, which will be the first edition to feature 32 teams.

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