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Goal of the Week: Rewind to…1988 volley!



By Simone Poliandri

The opening goal in Real Madrid’s 5-1 away victory against Osasuna in matchday 31 of the Spanish Liga brings all long-term football aficionados back to memories of past champions. On March 31, Madrid striker Karim Benzema volleyed a surgically accurate cross by Cristiano Ronaldo into the opposite top corner of Osasuna’s net. This marvel of coordination and accuracy resembles closely Dutch phenom Marco van Basten’s splendid goal against USSR in the 1988 European Cup final.

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Fair Play: The way to play the game



By Simone Poliandri

It is always a surprising pleasure to witness episodes of fair play on the football pitch. What should be the norm rather than the exception entails placing a higher value on honesty than on winning a game or scoring a goal. This is exactly what midfielder Vittorio Esposito of Termoli Calcio did in the Italian National Amateur Cup quarterfinal return match against Torres. After being unjustly awarded a penalty kick, Esposito missed it intentionally, thus earning the opponents’ respectful cheers as well as those of all footballers and lovers of the sport. For the record, Termoli won the game 1-0 and advanced to the semifinals on a 3-2 aggregate.

As we still witness countless unsportsmanlike episodes like diving and faking injuries among professionals in all leagues and international competitions, Esposito’s gesture represents both a breath of fresh air and an example that many of his more famous and better paid colleagues ought to emulate. Way to go Vittorio!

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Goal of the Week: Tandem bicycle!



By Simone Poliandri

The recent matchday of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League, played on March 6-7, saw the Korean side Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma host the Japanese team Nagoya Grampus in an exciting game that ended 2-2. Trailing until the very last second of stoppage time, the home team tied the game in the 93rd minute with a spectacular double-bicycle-kick play in which Brazilian forward Everton Santos assisted Brazilian midfielder Héverton Durães Coutinho for the goal that sent the home fans nuts and the Japanese ones into silent desperation.

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Goal of the Week: South African bicycle



By Simone Poliandri

Orlando Pirates striker Benni McCarthy scored the winning goal against Maritzburg United with a spectacular bicycle kick in the 75th minute. The game, played at Orlando Stadium on Sunday, February 25, saw Pirates prevail 1-0. The win placed Pirates level with second-placed Kaizer Chiefs on 33 points, just three behind leaders Sundowns in the Premier Soccer League of South Africa. McCarthy dedicated his fabulous goal to ailing former president Nelson Mandela.

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Goal of the Week: Heel



By Simone Poliandri

Uruguayan striker Gaston Ramirez scores the second goal in Bologna’s 2-0 victory against Fiorentina in a Serie A match on February 21. Ramirez finishes the cross from teammate Marco Di Vaio with a heel strike that leaves no chance to the “viola” goalkeeper, capping a classic, well-executed fastbreak.

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Goal of the Week: Coast to Coast



By Simone Poliandri

In the Lebanese Premier League, Al Nejmeh forward Hassan Al Mohammad controls the ball right outside of his team’s box, sprints across the field, and scores the winning goal with a superb long shot from midfield in the 89th minute. Al Ahed goalkeeper can only watch the football flying into the net, settling the score at 3-2, and sending the home fans into a craze. February 15, 2012.

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Goal of the Week: Bicicleta Brasileira!



By Simone Poliandri

Alexandre Oliveira of Londrina displays his superb skills scoring the go-ahead goal against Iraty with a state-of-the-art bicycle kick in the Brazilian Campeonato Paranaense, the football league of the state of Paraná. Iraty then tied the game at 1, which was the final score of the game.

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