One thing we can't get enough of here at The18 is a ridiculous bicycle kick. And boy do we have one to share with you. Zach Knudson, a sophomore from Oakland, New Jersey provided us with this gem of a goal as N.C. State tied #4 Notre Dame this past weekend.
An Alexis Sanchez goal in the first five minutes of the match vs Manchester United set the tone for the Gunners as they marched their way to a 3-0 victory in the Emirates this weekend. Alexis Sanchez continued his tear netting this ridiculous back heel to put the Gunners up 1-0. Only a minute late Mesut Ozil added to the tally and the route was on. It was a vintage Arsenal performance as the Gunners played with pace and creativity, while Manchester United looked stuck in the mud. The result was what Arsenal needed after coming off a Champions League loss to Olympiakos.
Was it the greatest performance by a soccer player in a final? Yes. Carli Lloyd's hat-trick in the 2015 Women's World Cup final only took 16 minutes, and was capped off with a 50 yard boot over the Japan keepers head, giving the USWNT a commanding lead not even half way through the first half. All three goals showed off Lloyd's skill set.
The first: Lloyd streaks into the box beating her defender to the ball and executes a difficult finish with the outside of her left foot.
Is there anything he can't do?! No. Is this his best goal ever? WE DON'T KNOW. This Lionel Messi goal in The Copa Del Rey final just might win the award for the greatest La Pulga goal ever. But what about his goal vs Getafe? Or when he ended Jerome Boateng? And dozens of others that we simply just can't mention because then this post would get way too long. Here's the deal. Messi is the greatest player of the generation. I don't think most players would even try to do what he did in this goal, let alone actually pull it off.
Even if you’ve been living under a rock for the past month, you most likely heard – and saw – Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski’s evisceration of Wolfsburg's defense, scoring five goals in the span of nine minutes – certainly one of the greatest single game performances of all time. What’s even more impressive is Lewandowski accomplishing the feat after coming on as a substitute in the second half.
I know that Premier League match atmospheres have a lot going for them. The fans are extremely passionate; there seems to be a song for every single player and every single situation. But, they lack a certain kind of raw power found in the Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian Leagues.
The best example I can give is the way that they celebrate an amazing goal. The crowd doesn’t cheer so much as it collectively looses it’s s***; it’s the difference between yelling “YES!” and “OH MY F***ING GOD!”
Observe the phenomena in the Portuguese first division: