Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard managed to score from roughly 100 yards away when his kick from inside his own penalty area bounced about 30 yards from the goal and sailed over Bolton Wanderers keeper Adam Bogdan’s head in a Premiere League match at Goodison Park.
U.S. international goalkeeper Tim Howard, 32, notched up a wind-assisted fluke goal last night – after making a clearance from inside his own penalty area.
In a strong wind, Tim Howard, Everton No.1, connected sweetly with the ball as it was rolled back towards him with the score at 0-0 in the home match with Bolton Wanderers at Goodison Park.
But he looked on in bemusement as the 92-yard clearance is allowed to hit the ground by the opposition team and takes an enormous bounce.
It then loops handily over rival goalkeeper Adam Bogdan as he desperately stretches to reach it, before nestling into the back of the goal.
It was Tim Howard’s 1st professional goal in his 250th appearance in England, but he refused to celebrate.
Tim Howard told Sky Sports: “For the back four and the goalkeepers at both ends, there was an awful wind swirling. You could see everybody was mistiming balls.
“Defenders were missing clearances that normally they would put up the field.
“I let [Bogdan] know that I was feeling for him. It’s not a nice place to be. I’ve been there before, a long, long time ago, and that was why I didn’t celebrate.”
Tim Howard becomes the second American goalkeeper to score in the English Premier League.
Compatriot Brad Friedel, 40, who now plays for Tottenham Hotspur, scored for Blackburn Rovers against Charlton Athletic in February, 2004.
The two other goalkeepers to score are Denmark’s Peter Schmeichel and England’s Paul Robinson – who has managed the feat twice.
They’ve all got some catching up to go with the world’s most prolific goalkeeper, Paraguayan Jose Luis Chilavert, who managed an impressive 52 goals for club and country during his career.
Bolton Wanderers went on to win the match 2-1.
Tim Howard
Born: March 6, 1979 in North Brunswick, New Jersey.
Height: 6ft 3in
Made his professional debut aged 18 for the North Jersey Imperials in May, 1997.
Then signed for New Jersey MetroStars, for whom he made 88 appearances between 1998 and 2003.
Became the youngest player to win the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2001 at the age of 22.
Signed for Manchester United for $4m in 2003, but after initially doing well lost his position.
Loaned to Everton in 2006, and eventually transferred to the club the following year.
Won first cap for the U.S. against Ecuador in March, 2002 and was 1st choice goalkeeper at the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.
Tim Howard was awarded the MLS Humanitarian of the Year award in 2001 for his work with children with Tourette’s syndrome. He was diagnosed with the condition in middle school.
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