Michigan Soccer Player James Murphy Copies Thierry Henry’s Signature Goal, Downs Ohio State (Video)

James Murphy must have seen that goal Thierry Henry scored in 2000. How else would he have thought to try it in an American college (university) soccer game on Sunday?

Murphy, a sophomore forward at the University of Michigan, scored the only goal in his team’s victory over rival Ohio State. The strike was straight out of Henry’s personal highlight reel, and Murphy somehow managed to do in a game what Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chaimberlain couldn’t do in practice.

Murphy controlled a pass at the top of the Ohio State area, flicked it up to himself and volleyed it into the top corner of the goal. It was virtually identical to the goal Henry scored for Arsenal against Manchester United in October 2000, which is considered one of the greatest goals in Premier League history.

Chances are that Murphy has seen the goal more than once. He was born and raised in England, spent five years in Reading FC’s youth system and played for Ireland at U-16 and U-17 levels. Players with that sort of background are no strangers to DVDs containing the Premier League’s greatest goals and games.

See Murphy’s goal in the video below.

See Henry’s goal in the video below.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer or @mkomard, his Facebook page or NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.