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There’s a very good reason why, shortly after a team has scored, you’ll see their manager doing his best impression of a sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela’s funeral. Invariably said manager will start furiously jabbing a finger against his temple, swiftly followed by the slow raising and lowering of his outstretched palms, all designed to instruct his players to “use their heads” and “keep calm.”
You see, one of the basic tenets of soccer is that the few minutes after a team scores are the most dangerous: hubris takes hold, you lose your focus and, before you can say “Waiter, bring me 11 bottles of Cristal!” you’re picking the ball out of your own net.
Someone should really have explained this all to France’s Layvin Kurzawa.
Back in 2014, Sweden and France met in a play-off to determine who would go through to the finals of the Euro 2015 Under-21 tournament in the Czech Republic. It was the second leg, and France came to Halmstad with a 2-0 lead and as favourites to progress. Yet, after 71 minutes Sweden found themselves 3-0 up on the night and 3-2 up on aggregate. If they held on, they were on their way to the finals.
Then came Kurzawa’s dramatic intervention: with just three minutes of regular time remaining, the Monaco defender scored the goal that levelled the tie at 3-3, enough to send France to Prague courtesy of away goals. Sweden were heading out, the home crowd was silenced and Kurzawa celebrated wildly, unnecessarily saluting the Swedes at close-quarters as if to say: “See ya, suckers.”
What the young Kurzawa has apparently yet to learn, however, is that football matches are typically played over 90 minutes, not 87. Just 60 seconds after his misguided celebrations, Sweden scored again to book their place in the finals: cue some of the most tightly choreographed schadenfreude this side of North Korea.
Back in your box, Layvin. Back. In. Your. Box.
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