Athletes sometimes have the tendency to produce the outrageous when they are pushed to a corner or have their backs against the wall. Whether individual or team sport, such responses are what fans tend to remember long after a moment has passed.
With his team trailing 2-4 in a thrilling Bundesliga match on Sunday, Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Valentino Lazaro scored a goal that will be remembered for a long time. Even if it did not help his side avoid defeat as Bayer Leverkusen climbed to fourth in the table with a 4-3 win.
Borussia Moenchengladbach, who suffered their first loss since the opening day of the season, made sure that they were not going down without a fight as Lazaro produced a fully-intended scorpion kick that left the opposition goalkeeper stranded.
It’s a bit of a shame that the goal did not mean much to the result and the player couldn’t even celebrate it but it will be talked about for years.
Watch the goal here:
Watch the highlights of the match here:
Lucas Alario struck twice and now has seven goals in six league games after twice equalising before Jamaica winger Leon Bailey and midfielder Julian Baumgartlinger netted second-half goals for Leverkusen.
The 28-year-old Alario, who has scored two goals in each of his last three league games, is the Bundesliga’s second highest scorer behind Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, who has 11.
Gladbach captain Lars Stindl converted a penalty after only 18 minutes when Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky upended striker Breel Embolo in the area.
Alario levelled by curling in a superb shot into the top far corner on 27 minutes.
Stindl grabbed his second when he snapped up a stray Leverkusen pass in the area and fired home with a half an hour gone.
Gladbach had clear first-half chances as defender Ramy Bensebaini clattered the post and forward Marcus Thuram had a shot saved.
Alario equalised for the second time when he outleapt his marker and his header flew past Gladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who mistimed his clearance, to make it 2-2 at the break.
Leverkusen sealed the win when Bailey fired home from a tight angle, then Baumgartlinger finished off a flowing move eight minutes from time.
And then in the 90th minute, Gladbach substitute Valentino Lazaro used the back of his heel to volley a spectacular shot.
(With AFP inputs)