The Most Memorable Football Counter Attacks in History (Part 2)
G'day tribe! Yesterday I posted part one of the most memorable counter attacks in football history. Check it out here. Today I present the final part. Check out the best in history below!
3. Jamie Vardy – Leicester City (2016)
Leicester City were 5000-1 odds to win the Premier League season in 2015/16 and they shocked the world in doing so. Leicester built their unbelievable title run on the back of devastating counter attacking football. Jamie Vardy's speed and his movement was pivotal to their style of play.
There isn't a better example of Leicester's counter attacking play than Vardy's strike against Liverpool, one of his 24 league goals during the season.
Inside his own penalty area, Danny Drinkwater broke up a Liverpool attack. His clearance landed with Riyad Mahrez who lofted a long ball forward which Vardy latching onto it. After letting the ball bounce, Vardy smashed a brilliant 25-year striker over Simon Mignolet, Vardy revealing after the game that he had seen the keeper stray off his line previously.
2. Troy Deeny - Watford (2013)
Before Leicester's amazing 2015/16 title run, Leicester somehow lost an enthralling Championship play-off semi-final from a seemingly impossible position. Watford lost the first leg 1-0. Ahead 2-1 in the second leg and with no away goal rule in place, the match was destined for extra time.
Leicester's Anthony Knockaert fell to the ground deep into injury time in controversial circumstances and looked set to take Leicester to the playoff final for a place in the Premier League. Watford's Manuel Almunia however, saved the penalty as well as the follow up rebound and the ball was cleared up field.
Watford could breathe a sigh of relief as they survived certain death and on the counter attack, Ikechi Anya controlled the clearance, feeding the ball to Fernando Forestieri who crossed it to Jonathan Hogg at the back post. Hogg headed it back to Troy Deeney who smashed the ball past the keeper completing one of the most amazing counter attacks in history and sparking pandemonium from Watford fans.
1. Olivier Giroud – Arsenal (2017)
Giroud's goal against Crystal Palace was so amazing, it earned him the FIFA Puskás Award 2017. The lead up play was Arsenal at their finest and epitomises Arsenal's playing style.
Deep inside their own half, Arsenal's Lucas Perez intercepts a pass to start the break. Giroud cleverly flicked the ball into the path of Granit Xhaka taking two defenders out in the process. Xhaka found Alexis Sanchez in open space down the left and then delivered a cross into the box.
The ball went behind Giroud who scorpion kicked the ball which came off the underside of the crossbar and over the line. The strike completed a devastating 13-second counter attack from Arsenal's penalty area. The beautiful lead up play and stunning finish makes Giroud's Puskas Award-winning goal the most memorable and best counter attack in history.
YES, ANOTHER FOOTBALL BLOG...
Football Blog FC is a spin-off of Wolfgang Sport, an American and British sports blog I created in 2017. The beautiful game isn't what I remember it to be as a kid and using satire is my way of coping with it. FBFC was created to write about football with a bit of fun reflecting the current state of football.
Just like yesterday, I can see images of that night against Crystal Palace. The scorpion goal. I remember Mhikitaryan had scored a similar one for Manchester United a few days earlier and they were both in contention for the Puskas. Memorable times created by Giroud at Arsenal.
Undoubtely, the goal of Giroud is extra-class. In my personal opinion the Deeney goal should be number one because it was such an important goal as well and because of the penalty before but I guess this would be an endless debate :D
Once again a very ncie article to read! :)
That Vardy half-line strike was indeed an excellent and memorable one. Although I blame Mignolet, I still give Vardy the accolades.
Overall, it was a great season for Leicester City.