Monday Osagie, a center back for Churchill Brothers in the Indian I-League, scored from just inside the halfway line to open the scoring against Shillong Lajong on Friday. It was the least impressive goal from midfield you’ll ever see.
Monday first-timed a side-footed volley from inside the center circle, lobbing a high ball into the box with no particular aim other than keeping the ball in the opponent’s half. Shillong Lajong goalie Phurba Lachenpa thought he had an easy catch. But Lachenpa horribly misjudged the flight of the ball, completely whiffing on the catch and allowing the ball to bounce into the goal.
I guess you could say the Monday Osagie goal gave Lachenpa a case of the Mondays.
The goal was more about the goalkeeper's mistake than his own strike, but that didn't stop the defender from celebrating with a flip. The strike came in the eighth minute and set the stage for a 2-0 victory for Churchill Brothers, which is in fact not the name of a fine clothing store.
Britto PM scored the second with an impressive strike from about 22 yards out in the 76th minute. Despite being half the distance, the ball was struck with twice the force.
The win was Churchill Brothers’ second of the year and pulled the club off the bottom of the I-League table and out of the one-team relegation zone.