WATCH: A goal from before half-way line, a bicycle kick, Atlético Tucumán score two worldlies in the same match of Argentina’s Primera Division

A bicycle kick? Who doesn’t want to score one of those. When you defy the laws of physics and land the sweet spot of your foot onto the ball, mid-air, and it beats the goalie. Or, a shot taken from your own half? Closer to the 18-yard box than it is to the half-way line, and one that ends up being the misery of the opposition goalkeeper, who is nowhere near his box to defend it. Anyone who’s tasted the sport would have pictured themselves scoring at least one of these two worldlies. But what if a team scores both of them, inside 90 minutes? Argentina’s Primera Division side Atletico Tucuman did.

Playing on the 15th matchday of the season against Barracas Central, Atletico Tucuman’s Cristian Menendez and Mateo Coronel gave a severe headache to the pundits picking the moment/goal of the match in a 4-0 win.

It was Menendez who opened his team’s account with a stunning overhead kick deep inside the opposition box, leaving goalkeeper Maximiliano Gagliardo with little time or anticipation to stop the ball from penetrating the goal line to his right.

🚨 CHILENA GOAL ALERT.
Same match as the before half way line goal, Menéndez scores this for Atlético Tucumán in Argentina. 🇦🇷pic.twitter.com/hQiqcDTVAn

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) August 24, 2022

Leading 1-0 going into the second 45, Ramiro Ruis Rodrigues doubled his team’s advantage inside four minutes. Joaquin Pereyra tripled that, ten minutes later. Crucial goals but two that won’t have nearly have the sheen of their predecessor, and successor.

Three minutes into the stoppage time, Barracas Central earned a free kick near the Tucuman goal and thrusted forward all their eleven, including Gagliardo, who was far away from his goal. Barracas were open to taking the risk to get one back late into the game, and risk it was as the set piece opened up a counter for Tucuman. Mateo Coronel however, would decide against running and took the shot from his own half with the goal wide naked. A shot that bounced once on its way to the top left corner, killing the game off in some style and taking the 4-0 winners to top of the league table with 32 points.

Mateo Coronel of Atletico Tucumán in the Argentinian First Division just scored from nearly his own box. Absolutely insane… #soccer #Argentina #amazing pic.twitter.com/2BfcHMuLXu

— The Beautiful Game (@BeautifulGame28) August 24, 2022

Positioning (and a bit of luck) key to the execution

While it will be Menendez and Coronel’s execution of their respective goals that will be talked about all day and night and in the days and nights to follow, their positioning was key in setting them up to score.

Before receiving the final pass in the box, Menendez, standing on the edge of the box, is surrounded by a defender on either side with very little space.

Menedez (encircled) in the buildup to the first goal. (Screengrab: ESPN Vivo)

But with Tucuman playing two strikers in a 4-4-2 position, the number 11 has the advantage of his partner up front occupying the attention of the defender behind him. The pass he receives is a quick one, which centre back Gonzalo Paz is unable to get a hold off in his first attempt.

Screengrab: ESPN Vivo

Luck matters as much between scoring a worldly and not. Menendez is unable to judge the pace of the pass and lifts his left feet. The ball bounces off his right foot and goes straight up but is gravitating directly towards him on the fall. Both the centre backs are just gazing the Tucuman forward who takes off with his back facing the goalkeeper. And bam, 1-0!

That first touch from Menendez ensured that both Barracas centre-backs were in no position to intervene as he went for the overhead kick. (Screengrab: ESPN Vivo)

The fourth goal is another example of how being at the right place at the right time is the most rewarding cliche for a goal scorer. With seconds left on the clock and  down by three goals to nil, Barracas Central earn a free kick. They really want to score one here.

Standing at five feet and six inches, 23-year-old forward Mateo Coronel, who came on as a sub in the 80th minute, knows his role at this very moment. Standing in his own box, he is set to pounce onto any opportunity to work a counter attack.

Coronel (encircled) as Barracas Central attempt the free-kick in the final seconds of the second half. (Screengrab: ESPN Vivo)

As soon as the initial attempt is dealt with, Coronel makes his way to outside his box, anticipating an opening. There is another opportunity for the men in black on the rebound but the shot ricochets away and, as luck would have it, falls withing reaching distance of Coronel, who has positioned himself such that he has a couple of seconds before an opposition player can tussle with him.

As soon as the ball ricochets off the second attempt, Coronel (encircled) is set to pounce and start a counter. (Screengrab: ESPN Vivo)

A first touch to control the ball on its landing and without a single gaze at his target, Coronel delivers a shot that is the talk of the football town. A fine finish, just like Menendez’s. But it wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for the positioning that preceded the execution, just like Menendez’s.

All goals require the makers to run the quick math of all permutations and combinations and choose the best position possible before they execute the final touch. The same was the case with the two aforementioned.