Leave it to Darren Randolph to defy physics and keep a ball out of the net that seemed destined to go in.
The Republic of Ireland international goalkeeper was selected to start between the posts for West Ham United as they hosted Manchester United in the Premier League on Monday.
It didn’t take long for the shot-stopper to make an impact on the game as he stopped the Red Devils from scoring what looked like a certain goal in the first half.
On the 35-minute mark, West Ham found themselves on the ropes with the opposition attacking deep in their box. Both Antonio Valencia and Jesse Lingard managed to break free from their markers inside the six yard box, awaiting for the cross to come directly into their paths.
The ball found its way to Valencia who was handed a golden opportunity to break the deadlock. However, he scuffed his shot slightly, but managed to get the effort on target. Some fans were already celebrating as he hit it.
However, those fans prematurely celebrating didn’t count on one thing – the sheer determination of Randolph who managed to get just enough of his hand on the ball just before it crossed the line to parry it away from goal.
Randolph required a bit of fortune as it fell straight at the feet of Jesse Lingard. The IRishman’s luck came in as Lingard somehow managed to hit the upright with the rebound.
After the ball hit the post, it rolled harmlessly into Randolph’s arms and the crisis was averted.
The new-fangled goal-line technology showed exactly how close the ball came to crossing the line. It came down to a matter of millimetres.
Had Valencia gotten a little bit more power on his effort or had Randolph had a little less strength in his arm, it would have likely gone down as the game’s opener. This would have saved both Valencia and Lingard a lot of heartache.
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