Better than Beckham? Outrageous goal from halfway stuns football world
Updated . First published at
Better than Beckham’s?
Diego Gómez scored a strong contender for best goal of the Premier League season, launching a spectacular strike from halfway in Brighton’s 5-0 rout of Crystal Palace on Monday (AEDT).
Diego Gomez of Brighton & Hove Albion celebrates scoring. Getty Images
The audacious 50m hit immediately drew comparisons to David Beckham’s iconic opening day strike against Wimbledon in 1996, which catapulted the Manchester United prodigy into the global spotlight.
“When I got the ball I knew the goalkeeper (Walter Benitez) was a little bit ahead,” the Paraguay midfielder said of his seventh minute wonder-goal.
”When I scored I didn’t know where to run or what to do. I was very happy with the goal.”
Gómez unsuccessfully tried his luck from a similar distance in the previous match against Sunderland.
“There, the wind wasn’t perfect for this try,” Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler said.
“Now, the wind was better for him. I’m really happy that he gets this reward for all of the effort he’s putting into the club, into his own development, and into the team.”
With the win, Brighton surged into third place on the ladder, behind only heavyweights Manchester City and Arsenal.
Yasin Ayari, Charalampos Kostoulas and Jack Hinshelwood also scored after Palace’s Jaydee Canvot conceded a fourth minute goal.
Brighton, who also beat defending champions Arsenal 3-0 in September, have already scored 23 goals in this campaign. Only three teams - Arsenal (2009-10), Manchester United (2011-12) and Manchester City (2019-20) - in Premier League history have scored more after seven matches.
Palace manager Pierre Sage is being tipped to lose his job after the embarrassing loss to the club’s biggest rivals.
“I just want to apologise to the fans,” the dejected Frenchman said.
Pierre Sage, manager of Crystal Palace, applauds the fans. Getty Images
“Only one feeling - shame. When you play this kind of game you have to show another face. It was our worst face.
“It’s my fault because I am the coach, I gave the motivation. I prepare the situations. We played so bad it’s my fault. It’s difficult to summarise because there are a lot of negative points.
“We started really bad. It’s completely not normal to concede three goals in this kind of game after nine minutes.
"I prepare the team, that is why I am responsible of what's happened on the pitch. I have a lot of work to do because I have to change this kind of thing."
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