Poll: Heartbreak aside, was Bassett’s own goal the best about?
Published:
It must be just an English thing. The brave Lionesses did everything right and probably deserved to win in 90 minutes against Japan, until a moment of fate cruelly snatched it away from them.
Going out in the semi final of the World Cup in injury time is harsh enough, but for it to come at the expense of an own goal is even worse.
Laura Bassett was probably England’s best player over the course of the game, so a further gut-wrencher is that it was her mistake that was the undoing.
Now, while we are all gutted for Mark Sampson’s ladies, you do have to step back and appreciate a wonder-own-goal.
So for today’s poll we are asking you to pick your “best” own goal. Here’s the shortlist…
Laura Bassett – England Women v Japan Women
Step back from the sheer disappointment for the Lioness and you have to admire Bassett’s finish, as unwanted as it may be.
As the Japanese winger crossed the ball in, a simple sticking out of a leg heralded a sublime lob that saw Karen Bardsley left stranded as the ball crashed into the crossbar before bouncing over the line.
Chris Brass – Bury v Darlington
An early favourite to take this poll, as managing to break your own nose as you put it past your goalkeeper deserves an honourable upgrade.
Brass’s effort was subsequently voted FourFourTwo magazine’s number one “It Shouldn’t Happen to a Footballer” moment of 2006.
Jamie Pollock – Man City v QPR
Visions of Gazza against Scotland were probably going through Jamie Pollock’s mind as he dinked the ball over one QPR opponent as he scorched towards the box in 1998.
A composed header over the goalkeeper would have had press and fans alike in raptures at the Englishman’s genius but for the fact that the goalkeeper he beat was teammate Martyn Margetson.
Carl Jenkinson – Arsenal v FC Koln
Having just arrived at Arsenal, a club he supported as a boy, it’s fair to assume that Carl Jenkinson would have wanted to make an instant impact with the Emirates faithful.
He certainly did with this effort as he managed to loop the ball over Wojciech Sczezny with what looks like his shin from all of 25 yards out. Let’s just say the keeper was out of position…
Milan Gajic – Young Boys v St Gallen
The best piledriver own goal we managed to find came straight out of the Swiss Super League in the mammoth clash between Young Boys and St Gallen.
As the opposing forward burst through, about to unleash what looks like a rocket strike, Young Boys midfielder Milan Gajic thinks “not if I get there first” and shows the watching Espen how it is done.
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All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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