Watch this crazy Bradley Wright-Phillips bicycle goal in the Red Bulls' 1-1 draw with TFC
For a league that, by its own admission, isn’t yet one of the world’s best but hopes to get there, Major League Soccer already produces a disproportional amount of great goals.
[ Follow FC Yahoo on social media: Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr ]
On Friday, the league’s most prolific striker, Bradley Wright-Phillips of the New York Red Bulls, did his bit in a tense 1-1 tie with Toronto FC in New Jersey. He grabbed the lead for his afflicted side – in the throes of a three-game losing streak going into the match, and now winless in four – with an unreal bicycle kick.
After a deep free kick was lofted into the box and headed across to him, the Englishman didn’t hesitate and pulled the trigger, even though he had his back to goal.
???????? #NYvTOR pic.twitter.com/CtT01VXlny
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 20, 2017
???? Anatomy of a bicycle kick goal, in four frames! ????#BikeToWorkDay | #NYvTOR | #RBNY pic.twitter.com/w0kDLMxNfR
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) May 20, 2017
???? #NYvTOR pic.twitter.com/zNa6wdRVkk
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 20, 2017
Alas for the Red Bulls, Benoit Cheyrou would equalize in the second half, although the home side would hang onto a point thanks to the penalty saved by Luis Robles and a disallowed goal.
Cheyrou's header makes it all square at 1-1! #NYvTOR https://t.co/D1DQPhlLUX
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 20, 2017
So BWP’s took its place on a growing list of great goals scored during this MLS season alone.
Most notably, there was the weaving run and blast by Darlington Nagbe.
Still watching this @darlingtonnagbe goal ????
Check out this week's #ATTGotW winner: https://t.co/1srhOnxdTp pic.twitter.com/PdS5wm5ehK
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 27, 2017
And Anthony Jackson-Hamel’s uncanny backheel.
And the winner is…https://t.co/0yJ3NGGVmd #ATTGotW pic.twitter.com/6gBSFOt36X
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 20, 2017
Then, of course, there was David Villa’s half-court heave.
Is @Guaje7Villa's DEEP chip the #ATTGotW?
Get those last votes in: https://t.co/Zw4UA7PlWk https://t.co/YZY6UFo1Lv
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 20, 2017
Unfortunately, there weren’t as many people there to see BWP’s goal as you’d have hoped. Especially at the start of the game, it looked like there were an awful lot of empty seats at Red Bull Arena. It’s hard to get a read on exact MLS attendance, since the figures are often given as the number of tickets distributed (which is standard in most leagues) rather than how many people have come through the door.
But in spite of winning the Eastern Conference regular season non-title – there isn’t such a thing, although there probably should be – three seasons in four, the Red Bulls have a tough time drawing fans in Harrison. In spite of playing in one of the nicest stadiums in the league.
If BWP scored a goal like this in every home game, though, things would surely be different.
Leander Schaerlaeckens is a Yahoo Sports soccer columnist. Follow him on Twitter @LeanderAlphabet.