What a game
At this stage you know that England are through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
They defeated Colombia on penalties, with Kieran Trippier scoring the crucial spot kick after his initial mistake allowed Colombia back into the game.
That goal came courtesy of a Yerry Mina header, with the Colombia centre-back getting on the end of a corner to head into the ground and into the net courtesy of Trippier’s head.
What wasn’t noticed though was what caused that corner.
It wasn’t a clearance, a block or anything even resembling that. It was one of the great World Cup saves and it came courtesy of Jordan Pickford.
The shot came courtesy of a bit of head tennis, before the ball fell to Colombia’s Uribe, who threw his leg at it and struck it perfectly. The ball flew through the air at a ludicrous and looked destined for the postage stamp of the goal.
Instead, Pickford – looking off balance if anything – took a step back and launched himself into the air off his left leg.
Once there, he used every piece of strength in his body to stick his left arm out. That left arm was connected to a left hand, which in turn was connected to a set of fingers. Those fingers touched the ball – just about – and sent the ball wide of the post.
Jordan Pickford made one of the best saves of the World Cup, but you might never see it again elsewhere because seconds later Colombia equalised. Watch it to your heart's content here #rtesoccer #worldcup #ENG #COL pic.twitter.com/iDKWwwxvuf
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) July 3, 2018
Did the save lead to a goal? Inadvertently, yes. But it was also one of the best saves this competition has ever seen.
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