I fondly recall a goal I have seen on TV(B&W in those days), scored by now Dutch coach, Marco Van Basten, in the mid-'70s. He was somewhere around the centre-line, on the right flank(he was the right-winger, remember). By the time the move started on the left flank, he started running towards the opposite goal-line, parallel to the right touchline. An extremely fast runner(reported to run a 100 metre sprint in 12.3 secs, then), he had almost overrun the goalline when the cross came to him from the left(probably from Ruud Gullitt). He met the ball on the full, with his fully-stretched right instep, while sliding and falling with the monentum. He was barely a foot inside the goal-line and the ball travelled in a straight line to enter the net through the top right hand corner of the goalposts. The only goal which compares to it may be the one Maradona scored against England in the '86 WC.
RE:Wonder goal
by innocent on Jun 10, 2008 11:55 AM Permalink
i appretiate all for their knowledge. Gulitt is attackinh player yes, but Van Basten is an inteligent player in my opinion. Yes it was in 1988
RE:Wonder goal
by Kaushik Ganguli on Jun 10, 2008 12:07 PM Permalink
This was the final match of Euro 88 played at Munich where Holland won 2-0 against USSR.
RE:Wonder goal
by SATYAKI DATTA on Jun 10, 2008 12:42 PM Permalink
Dear Mr. Basu, Your memory seems to be very good...but for a small hiccup. Marco Van Basten scored that wonder goal in the final of the 1988 European Cup....and not in the mid '70s. The opponent was the then USSR, and the goalkeeper was the best at that time...Rinat Dasayev. And, Van Basten did not fall with the momentum. As for ur comparision with that of Maradona's goal against England. I think that its baseless as they were of two different types....one being all of technique of meeting the ball on th efull, and the other being whizzing past opponents at a break-neck speed.Instead, a lose comparision would be the one Zidane scored in the final of the 2002 UEFA Champion's League against Bayer Leverkusen, playing for Real Madrid....when he hit a volley first time from a cross by left back Roberto Carlos.
RE:Wonder goal
by madan menon on Jun 10, 2008 11:46 AM Permalink
You are abs right. Rudd Gullit & Van Basten made a great combination. But Gullit, I thought, was a much attacking player. Why he retired so early is still is now known.
RE:Wonder goal
by JudeAsisPrabhu Rayappan on Jun 10, 2008 12:11 PM Permalink
Hi Basu You are having good memory. They call that shot as Zero degree angle shot. Actually Van Basten is one of the highly rated player in the world. When i saw the match yesterday i felt, Italy yet to learn alot from Dutch, No attack, even though they have 4 man in the defence, but still dutch forwards able to break the defence. Other than 1st Goal, rest of the goal is great one. End of the day Soccer is a game. You need to go with that. This is not cricket where every body can pour money and change the result. Good show and team work from Dutch team. Looking forward to see Dutch in EURO Finals. But couple of teams are in good shape like portugal,Germany. By Jude
