The infamous beachball and the Premier League’s other weirdest ever goals
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It was ten years ago this week when Sunderland defeated Liverpool 1-0 at the Stadium of Light thanks to an innocuous Darren Bent strike that hit a beach ball, which had been thrown on to the pitch by Liverpool fan, and ended up in Pepe Reina’s net. In hindsight, the goal should never have stood as the game should immediately be stopped if the ball comes into contact with ‘an outside agent’. Either way, the memory of goal lives on in infamy, but it’s not the only weird goal of the Premier League era. We’ve taken a look at some of the others.
Dion Dublin v Newcastle
Back I n November 1997, Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given made a bowler of a mistake which led to him conceding a strange goal against Coventry. After collecting the ball from a cross, Given rolled the ball out in front of him so he could kick it long. However, the Irishman forgot to look behind him and as such, he never saw that Coventry striker Dion Dublin was still behind him. Dublin took full advantage of the situation by running past Given and rolling the ball into the empty net.
Peter Enckelman OG v Birmingham
Trailing 1-0 in a derby, the last thing you need is a howler from your goalkeeper but that’s what Aston Villa got in 2002. Villa defender Olof Mellberg took a throw-in and threw the ball back to his goalkeeper Peter Enckelman. However, the goalie made a mess of things and the ball ended up in his net. The referee seemed that the ball had touched Enckelman before going into the net and as such, awarded the goal to Birmingham.
Divock Origi v Everton
With last season’s Merseyside Derby looking destined to end 0-0, Liverpool launched one last long cross into the Everton box. It was headed away but only as far as Virgil van Dijk. The Dutchman’s attempted volley was so mistimed that it looked up onto the top of Everton’s crossbar. The bounce of the ball on the bar completely flummoxed Jordan Pickford and it ended up dropping onto the head of Divock Origi, who nodded home to win the game for Liverpool.
Jason Cundy v Ipswich
He’s now better known for his role with TalkSport but Jason Cundy once scored a very freaky goal. Whilst playing for Tottenham, Cundy scored against Ipswich, back in the 1992/93 season. In an attempt to play a long pass 40 yards from goal, Cundy slipped and the ball shot off towards the Ipswich goal. Thanks partly to the wind, the ball ended up flying over Ipswich goalkeeper Craig Forrest and into the back of his net.
Michail Antonio v Southampton
When a player scores his first goal for a club, it’s usually a memorable occasion and Michail Antonio‘s first West Ham goal is no exception, although his is remembered more for how ridiculous it was. The winger went on a lazy run, but stumbled as he got inside the penalty area. However, a Southampton defender tried to clear the ball, but he smacked it off Antonio’s head and it looked up, over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Stan Collymore v Blackburn
In 1996, Liverpool travelled to Ewood Park to face a very strong Blackburn Rovers. The Reds got a huge slice of luck as Stan Collymore fired a very week shot at goal. Tim Flowers kneeled down to collect the ball, but it hit a huge divot in the pitch, looped over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Youl Mawene v Southampton
Youl Mawene only ever scored one Premier League goal and it was a rather interesting one too. Southampton’s James Beattie swung a leg at a corner kick and the ball ended up looping high in the air. Saints’ goalkeeper Paul Jones completely misread the flight of the ball. He thought it was sailing over the bar so he left it alone but it actually dipped and ended up falling to Youl Mawene who was pretty much standing on the goal line to poke it into the net, giving Derby a 1-0 win.
Jari Litmanen v Aston Villa
Back in 2001, Liverpool beat Aston Villa 2-1, whilst getting a bit of a lucky break. Aston Villa goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel attempted to throw the ball out to one of his players. However, it hit referee Andy D’Urso’s back and fell kindly to Jari Litmanen, who finished comfortably into an empty goal.
Thierry Henry v Fulham
It almost seems unfair when Thierry Henry scores a fluke goal as he was so good, he didn’t really need them. However, in 2002, he was more lucky than good when he scored against Fulham. A header from Lauren hit the Fulham post, bounced out, hit Henry on his knee and ricocheted straight into the goal.
Tomas Brolin v Sheffield Wednesday
Leeds’ Tomas Brolin got a huge slice of luck in an all-Yorkshire battle against Sheffield Wednesday in 1995. He chased a loose ball in the box, as did Wednesday ‘keeper Kevin Pressman. Brolin got to the ball first and tried to poke it home. However, it ended up hitting Pressman and bounced back, cannoned off Brolin’s standing foot and into the back of the net.
Paul Robinson v Watford
It’s unusual to see a goalkeeper score at any time, but especially from a free-kick deep within his own half! In a game against Watford in 2007, Tottenham’s Paul Robinson launched a long-kick forward. It sailed miles in the wind, bounced just before the penalty spot and over Ben Foster’s head into the Watford goal.