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'Absolutely incredible': Football world loses it over 'freak' moment

andrew reid
·5-min read
Ben Garuccio's extraordinary goal for Western United against Western Sydney will be remembered for some time. Pic: AAP/Ch10
Ben Garuccio's extraordinary goal for Western United against Western Sydney will be remembered for some time. Pic: AAP/Ch10

Western United's Ben Garuccio has left the football world speechless, with a moment of magic that will be replayed for some time.

The United fullback stole the show in Sunday's 3-2 A-League victory over Western Sydney with a mind-blowing strike that many are already calling the 'goal of the season'.

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Garuccio threw himself forward to meet Aleksandar Prijovic's outside-of-the-boot cross, with one of the most exceptionally executed pieces of improvisation seen for quite some time.

With the ball awkwardly behind him, Garuccio somersaulted forwards and flung a boot out behind him to flick the ball into the back of the net with his right heel.

Much like Riley McGree's Puskas Award-nominated goal for the Newcastle Jets against Melbourne City in 2018, Garuccio's scorpion kick goal left commentators and fans stunned.

"It was unbelievable, to be honest," Garuccio, who scored two goals at AAMI Park on the night, told reporters.

"It was spur of the moment. (Prijovic) got it and I saw a little gap and I just ran and he played a top ball and I just stuck my leg up basically and I thought, 'if I can get any sort of connection on this it will be alright'.

"It actually hit my heel nice and flush and I was like that's a good connection but I couldn't see it and I looked up and it was in the net. The rest is history, I suppose.

"It just felt like I got a good connection on it because I did one in training a couple of weeks ago and I face-planted horribly and everyone laughed at me."

Seen here, Western United's Ben Garuccio celebrates after scoring one of the goals of the season against Western Sydney.
Western United's Ben Garuccio celebrates after scoring one of the goals of the season in the A-League Men's match against Western Sydney. Pic: Getty

Ben Garuccio goal leaves viewers in awe

The 68th-minute goal immediately went viral, with United's coach and Socceroos great John Aloisi admitting he had no idea how Garuccio had executed it at first.

"I didn't know if he did a bicycle kick or what until I saw it back on the screen. I just couldn't believe it," Aloisi said.

"There's some goal. He's probably in line for a Puskas Award, goal of the year around the world, so let's hope he gets that."

Garuccio played down expectations of joining his former Adelaide United teammate McGree as a global award nominee.

"I don't really think about that stuff too much," he said.

"Obviously, it's a nice feeling. It's an unbelievable goal. It's probably the best I'll ever score in my career. So, of course, I'll enjoy it.

"Riley McGree's was unbelievable. It was right-footed as well. He's a left-footer and he did it with his right foot and it was outside the box. I still enjoyed it, I'll take it.

"I haven't really looked (at my phone) too much. I just checked my family's messages and stuff like that and, yeah, there's a lot of stuff on Twitter and Instagram and that.

"I'll get around to that and enjoy it for the moment and then move on to another game Wednesday."

with AAP

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