On a weekend of spectacular goals, Orlando Engelaar’s for Melbourne Heart was up with the very best.
Michael Bridges capped Newcastle’s 5-0 A-League rout of Wellington with a sumptuous volley and Wayne Rooney scored a 50-metre half-volley in Manchester United’s English Premier League win at West Ham.
But the giant Dutchman’s booming own-half lob was arguably the pick of the bunch.
Central Coast Mariners’ Nick Fitzgerald must have thought nothing of giving the ball away on the edge of his own box on Sunday after Massimo Murdocca’s tackle.
But the ball spilled to Engelaar, who – rather than take a steadying touch – used his time on the ball to look up and spot goalkeeper Liam Reddy at the top of the 18-yard box.
He then launched a 55-metre lob that looked destined for the net as soon as he’d kicked it.
A stunning display of skill from the former Netherlands international, and what Heart boss John van ‘t Schip agreed was an extraordinary goal.
“It’s a great goal … a special moment,” he said.
“You can see the ball going and you think `what’s happening?’ Then everybody reacting in a way that’s great.”
Sadly for Heart, they were to capitulate and lose 2-1 to Central Coast, but the goal revived thoughts of both past and future.
What could their season have been if Engelaar hadn’t missed the first three months of the season?
And will he be a part of the Manchester City revolution that Heart are to undergo in the months ahead?
Van ‘t Schip said he had “a little chat” with Engelaar about extending his stay at Heart to next season but was unsure what the future holds.
“He’s having some things that he wants to think over, we have also things we’re looking at for the future. In the coming weeks we’ll see what happens,” he said.
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