Asmir Begovic is a full-fledged member of soccer’s fraternity of goalkeepers, but he sensationally broke ranks with his comrades on Saturday.
Begovic, the starter at English soccer club Stoke City, scored just 13 seconds into his team’s Premier League game against Southampton. Yes, you read that correctly.
The Bosnian stopper’s wind-assisted clearance traveled 100 yards, bounced over Southampton goalkeeper Artur Boruc and went straight into the goal, giving Stoke City the earliest of advantages. It was Begovic’s first career goal — for club or country.
Begovic became the fifth goalkeeper in Premier League history to score a goal. He joins Peter Schmeichel, Paul Robinson and Americans Brad Friedel and Tim Howard in that select company.
After the game, Begovic expressed sympathy for Boruc, according to the BBC.
“It’s a cool feeling but it was a fortunate incident. I feel a bit bad for Boruc,” he said. “It is a long ball that got caught in the wind and it took a wicked bounce. It’s not nice to be on the receiving end of those things as a goalkeeper.
“It does not make a goalkeeper look good and after it I did not want to celebrate out of respect for him.”
A number of clubs are reportedly interested in signing Begovic — for his goalkeeping abilities. The highly rated 26-year old brings more than shot-stopping ability to his team, so Stoke’s asking price has probably increased.
Unfortunately for the Potters, Southampton scored, erasing the lead Begovic’s goal provided. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.
See Begovic’s goal below.
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Photo via Facebook/Asmir Begović Official
GIF via Reddit/soccer
