JOHANNESBURG South African midfielder - Siphiwe Tshabalala's thunderous strike against Mexico in the opening match of the FIFA 2010 World Cup was on Friday shortlisted for goal of the tournament. Tshabalala, turning out for Johannesburg-based glamour club, Kaizer Chiefs, came to the end of a Kagisho Dikgacoi diagonal pass in the 55th minute of the hosts opening game at Soccer City on June 11, picked his spot and let fly a left footer that gave Oscar Perez, the Mexican goalkeeper, no chance and sent over 84 000 supporters into a frenzy.
The goal received rave reviews in both the South African and international media, being described as one of the best that have been scored in the World Cup and it is hardly a surprise that it is now battling it out for top spot with some of the finest goals witnessed during Africa’s first-ever World Cup.
Also in the running is Carlos Tevez’s long-range strike for Argentina, also ironically against Mexico at Soccer City, but in the round of 16.
Others to be nominated include Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez’s curling shot against Korea Republic, also in round 16, while Netherlands skipper Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s stunner against Uruguay in the semifinals in Cape Town has also made the cut.
Golden Ball Award winner – Diego Forlan of the Uruguay, is also in line for the award for his left-footed strike from outside the box against Germany in the third place play-off at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium on July 10.
Fans vote for the best goal, the winner to be announced in a few weeks time.
Post published in: Football