Pundit Arena Because Sport Is Everything
French international Dimitri Payet has often shown fancy footwork and brilliant finishing on the pitch, but never before has the opposition goalkeeper needed a stretcher afterwards. Until now, that is.
In the 87th minute of Marseille’s home victory over Strasbourg on Tuesday evening, with the hosts already a goal to the good, Payet latched on to a pinpoint pass and immediately had his eyes on the goal.
He dribbled towards the opposition area and faked a shot, using sublime footwork. The goalkeeper, Alexandre Oukidja, was completely fooled and dropped down in an attempt to save the ‘shot’. This allowed Payet to knock the ball past him and into an empty net to make it 2-0.
While Marseille celebrated, Oukidja was left in a heap on the floor clutching his leg. The medics were then called on to stretcher him off and he was replaced by substitute goalkeeper Landry Bonnefoi.
Dimitri Payet is ending goalkeepers seasons… literally! ?? pic.twitter.com/3Xx8rKyZkF
— Football Stuff (@FootbalIStuff) January 17, 2018
The goal was Payet’s third of the season and lifted Marseille up to second in the Ligue 1 table, after Monaco were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Nice. Paris Saint-Germain sit nine points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand on the chasing pack.
For Strasbourg, it was their third defeat on the spin and leaves them just five points clear of the relegation zone. They are also left worrying about the fitness of their keeper ahead of a home fixture against Dijon this weekend.
Other Memorable Dummies
It isn’t the first time a goalkeeper has been duped by a dummy, and it probably won’t be the last. There were two other memorable dummies pointed out in the comments on Twitter.
Those were that of George Best, for Manchester United against Northampton Town in 1970, and Alexis Sanchez for Arsenal last season.
It’s good. But nothing beats the dummy Best sells the keeper for his sixth against Northampton. The goalie just gives a resigned shrug as the ball rolls in. ?⚪️⚫️ https://t.co/DjAmvniTE1
— ダン (@timmytinkers) January 17, 2018
Like Sanchez last season https://t.co/YTR7QYPM3d
— shaun (@okbirchy) January 17, 2018
Peter Reynolds, Pundit Arena
