On average, about one goal per 30 corners. However, success rates tend to rise dramatically when goalkeepers and their entire defense stand outside their six-yard box.
It was an extraordinary scene in the UEFA quarterfinals in Dortmund on Sunday. Germany’s Jamal Musiala turned the ball into an empty net against an Italian team, behaving like they thought the game would stop putting the report into the place where everything went wrong in the first half.
Joshua Kimmich had other ideas, as well as a combination of his excellent agile thinking and Musiala’s goal hanging – combined with a ball boy who was on the ball, which gave Germany a 1-0 lead from a highly unusual corner in 36 minutes and took April Fools’ Day away from Italy in the process.
Musiala celebrates the score in a very unusual way (Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)
The goal evokes the memories of Liverpool’s fourth-place finish against Barcelona in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals at Anfield in 2019, when Divock Origi swept the corner of home Trent Alexander-Arnold to beat Premier League clubs 4-3 with a total of 4-3. On that occasion, however, there was a goalkeeper between the outposts. By contrast, Gianluigi Donnarumma had an AWOL last night in Dortmund.
It’s not just the Italian goalkeeper caught. Amazon Prime shows off the game live as part of a pay-per-view package, almost completely missing the goal, and viewers can only see what happened when the replay is finally displayed.
The strange chain of events begins with Donnarumma producing the twisted header of the outstanding one-handed rescuer Tim Kleindienst to bend. At the time, Italy was eliminated and targeted a total of 3-1 goals one night after Kimmich’s punishment. It’s not surprising that their players are irritated in this case.
Kleindienst dared to doubt and disappoint, Kleindienst held his head and Kimmich (circled below) quickly headed towards the corner flag.
Italian defender Giovanni di Lorenzo (No. 22) began the investigation, pointing his right arm in the direction of his Central Aristoba teammate Alessandro Bastoni. Bastoni opened the play toward the back of the play, and he was also gesturing as he walked towards Di Lorenzo.
Donnarumma decided to be involved as well. The Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper wandered outside his six-yard box, reaching out his weapon, Musiala behind him, after following Clayline’s original header.
So far, some important work has been done on the court. The housekeeper (circling behind the goal below) was busy trying to get Donnarumma’s ball back.
When the butler bent down to pick it up and gestured, he realized that a ball boy (also hovered) near the corner flag had passed a chest pass, with prophecy written throughout (think Callum Hynes, the teenage Tottenham Hotspurs Boy, five out of five of his time manager Mourinho (Jose) Mourinho) racing, he once won the car speed in racing, which is the racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing car racing
As Musiala signaled Kimmich to make a quick turn, Donnarumma continued walking and joined the five Italians who are now gathered outside the six-yard box to dissect their problems. The only things missing are tactical boards, tables and chairs.
Central defender Alessandro Buongiorno is also his defender, one of that group, and central defender Federico Gatti is also busy wiping his face with his shirt. The rest of the team may also be covering their eyes.
The meeting was late, and midfielder Samuele Ricci (circling below) was about to become Italy’s sixth player until he saw Kimmich see through the corner of his eye and sired the alarm. Unfortunately for Italy, it was too late.
After putting the ball, Kimmickey discovered Musiala alone – it was hard to miss the young man in Bayern Munich, especially when he waved his arms like a plane marshal on the runway – the corner was fired towards the edge of the six-yard box.
Although the ball was slightly behind, forcing him to retreat a little, there was enough gap in labor. To be precise, six codes. Donnarumma is also in a blind panic state when Musiala’s shape rotates and hits the ball with her right foot. Musiala’s shot was on the way to the back of the net before the goalkeeper had a chance to re-recognize his six-yard box.
…Germany rose 2-0.
Italy is credited with a great fight back from three goals, scoring 3-3 that night (losing 5-4 overall). But the damage caused in the first half of the chaotic first half – some of it was self-inflicted.
Italy’s head coach Luciano Spalletti told reporters a few days ago.
Thanks to Musiala’s strange goals, the topic of conversation left a while here for Italy.
(Top photo: Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
