Opinions

Making and Breaking Hearts: Football’s Greatest Goals

16 February 202223 February 2022By
Making and Breaking Hearts: Football’s Greatest Goals

Following Marcus Rashford and Seven Bergwijn’s recent last minute goals in the Premier League, we are taking a look at those other heart stopping late winners that have secured victories and made.

 

Troy Deeney – 2013 Championship Play Offs

You cannot possibly compile a list of last-minute goals without including the incredible scenes that occurred at Vicarage Road in 2013. With Leicester in the leading 2-1, and both teams drawing on aggregate at 2-2, Leicester’s injury time penalty seemed like the end of Watford’s dreams for a place in the championship play off finals.

However, a few sparks of hope were given when goalkeeper Manuel Almunia saved both the penalty and the rebound. From this, Watford went on the counterattack. Within a few seconds they were in Leicester’s box, where Jonathon Hogg headed the ball down to Troy Deeney, who smashed it in the back of the net – and thus one of the most iconic goals was born.

What followed was complete pandemonium. A shirtless Deeney jumped into the crowd, Watford fans flooded the pitch in celebration and Watford manager Gianfranco Zola even slipped over in all the chaos.

Despite Watford going on to lose the final against Crystal Palace, the game stands as one of the most iconic in football history.

Lucas Moura – 2019 Champions League Semi-Final

After Liverpool managed to steal the victory against Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League Semi-Final, we didn’t think we would see anything as dramatic the day after when Tottenham met Ajax to see who would play Liverpool in the final.

50 minutes into the game, Tottenham were behind 2-0, leaving them trailing 3-0 on aggregate. By the 90th minute, Lucas Moura had brought them level to 2-2, but they were still behind on aggregate. That was until the last kick of the game – in the 95th minute, when Moura smashed the ball into the bottom right corner to seal his hattrick and his team’s place in the final.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – 1999 Champions League Final

Sticking with the Man U theme, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s goal to win the Champions League in 1999 has gone down in history. So much so,   even mentions it as one of the reasons 1999 was the best year of his life.

And this game has not just one last minute goal, but two. As the clock ticked into injury time, United were losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich. After 90 minutes were played, manager Sir Alex Ferguson brought on Teddy Sheringham. Within a few minutes Sheringham hit the back of the net to tie the game. One minute later, Solskjaer goes on to score the winner, sealing Man United’s third Champions League title in a row and securing Manchester United, ‘The Treble’ that season.

David Beckham – 2001 World Cup Qualifiers

In 2001, England saw themselves at risk of not qualifying for the World Cup. Everything depended on their final game against Greece and Germany’s game against Finland.

2-1 down into injury time, England’s World Cup dreams were slipping from their grips. However, David Beckham, in classic Beckham style, scored from a free kick in the 92nd minute, bringing the score to 2-2. With Germany being held to a 0-0 draw, England topped the group on goal difference and were propelled into the World Cup Finals.

Alisson Becker – 2021 Premier League

In 2021, Liverpool’s hopes of finishing in the top four of the Premier League were in the balance. It looked like it was slipping away from them as the 90th minute approached in an away game at West Brom. Liverpool were drawing 1-1, a score that could have left them outside fourth place.

As the 95th minute hit, Liverpool won a corner, giving them one last chance to take back the game. Pretty routinely, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker ran to the West Brom box for the corner. As the ball flew in, Becker made contact and headed it into the back of the net. moments.

This victory was crucial and helped Liverpool go on and take third place in the league and grab a Champions League spot.

Read more: Football and Me: Why the beautiful game means so much to fans