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Goalkeepers are generally expected to be solid at the back with minimum fuss and allow the attackers to win the games for the teams. Very often the best goalkeepers in the world (like Iker Casillas, Manuel Neuer) are often part of star-studded successful squads, where they keep the opposition strikers at bay, while their team’s attack does the needful at the other end of the pitch.However there have been instances when the goalkeeper has stepped up and become the saviour for the side as the player almost single-handedly ensured a favourable result for the side. We look at a few instances in the last two decades where the goalkeepers turned hero and saved the game for their sides.
#1 Ricardo (Portugal)
Game: Portugal vs England – 24 June 2004 at Estadio da Luz, Lisbon
Not many know that Ricardo was responsible for England getting knocked out from 2 major events in just over 2 years (Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006), as he denied the star-studded English squad at the penalty shootouts in the two games, which incidentally both occurred at the quarterfinals stage.
The keeper first grabbed headlines in the Euro 2004 quarterfinal where Portugal, the host nation, beat the England team (which was a favourite of many fans worldwide). The two teams were 1-1 after normal time, and scored a goal each in the extra-time to force a penalty shootout to decide which side would progress.
The penalties score was 5-5 when Darius Vassell stepped up to take his kick. In an attempt to unsettle the striker, Ricardo took off his gloves and the tactics worked as he could save the penalty kick. Ricardo later described the incident as "I felt that I had to do something after conceding three penalties all in the centre of the goal. Taking the gloves off was what occurred to me at that moment and I did it to try and motivate myself and to put Vassell off." He then surprised everyone, including some of his Portuguese teammates, as he proceeded to take the next kick, which he coolly slotted in to ensure that his side progressed to the next round.
#2 Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico)
Game: Mexico vs Brazil – 17 June 2014 at Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza
It was a game in Brazil. The fans went to see fireworks from the star-studded hosts, but instead were treated to a goalkeeping masterclass by the opposition keeper. Guillermo Ochoa, a free agent who was released by French second division side AC Ajaccio, ensured he won’t be an unknown name in football circles after that game.
Ochoa made some outstanding saves in the game – including a spectacular save off Neymar’s header by diving to his right and pushing the ball around the post – considered by many as among the best saves in World Cup history. He denied Neymar in another goal-scoring position, and also saved a close-range shot from Paulinho. Ochoa sealed a credible 0-0 draw for Mexico when he saved a late header by Thiago Silva from point-blank range.
Ochoa was rightly adjudged the Man-of-the-Match, and was instrumental in Mexico qualifying for the knockout stage of the tournament. The player’s performance also helped him bag a contract with Spanish La Liga team Malaga.
#3 Jerzy Dudek (Liverpool)
Game: Liverpool vs AC Milan – 25 May 2005 at Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul
Jerzy Dudek finds a mention in this this list despite having conceded 3 first-half goals in a Champions League final, and was having a game to forget. The Polish keeper won’t be counted among the best keepers in Liverpool history, but he certainly has left his mark on the club’s legacy as he transformed from villain to hero as the game progressed and helped Liverpool win their fifth trophy in the competition.
Steven Gerrard had inspired the team to eliminate the deficit from 0-3 to 3-3 in the second half, and the match headed to extra-time. With a little under three minutes remaining in the second-half of the extra-time, Dudek produced a moment of magic (actually double magic!).
Andriy Shevchenko, one of the best strikers in the world, headed the ball straight at the goal, but Dudek blocked it. The ball fell straight back at Shevchenko on the rebound perfectly for him in a position to score. But an outstretched arm from Dudek somehow deflected the show above the bar. Andy Gray summed up the incident saying, “When Andrey Shevchenko misses this with less than three minutes to go, you might as well start carving Liverpool’s name on the trophy.”
But Dudek wasn’t finished yet. He used the Bruce Grobbelaar’s “spaghetti legs” technique to unsettle the penalty takers. After Serginho shot wide off the goal, Dudek saved Andrea Pirlo’s penalty. Shevchenko stepped up to take Milan’s fifth kick knowing that he had to score in order to keep his side in the game. He hit his penalty kick straight down the middle. Dudek had started moving towards his right, but somehow managed to block the shot with his left hand, and thus sealed a famous win for Liverpool.
#4 Tim Krul (Netherlands)
Game: Netherlands vs Costa Rica – 5 July 2014 at Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador
Tim Krul’s inclusion in this list may be argued by some saying that the goalkeeper was present on the pitch for only a few minutes. But Krul was the hero of the World Cup quarterfinal between Netherlands and Costa Rica as a tactical step by Dutch coach Louis van Gaal proved to be a masterstroke, with Krul becoming the first goalkeeper in the World Cup history to be sent in as a substitute solely for a penalty shootout, as the Dutch knocked out the Costa Ricans and progressed to the semifinals.
Krul had been relegated to being the second choice keeper for the side behind Jasper Cillessen. The move to substitute Cillessen for the shootout made sense as the keeper had never saved a penalty in his professional career. But Krul didn’t boast a very impressive record either, having saved just 2 out of the 20 penalties he had faced in domestic football in the last 5 years. So it was more of a tactical move by van Gaal to unsettle the opponents. And it paid rich dividends as Krul saved two penalties and Netherlands won 4-3.
Ironically, Netherlands had to play another penalty shootout in the semifinal vs Argentina, but with van Gaal having made all three permitted substitutions, he was unable to bring on Krul for the shootout. Cillessen was unable to break his penalty jinx and the Oranje were knocked out.
#5 Peter Schmeichel (Manchester United)
Game: Manchester United vs Newcastle – 4 March 1996 at St James Park, Newcastle
The 1995-96 Premier League season saw Manchester United and Newcastle tussling for title glory. Newcastle took a massive 12 point advantage in January 1996, and looked set to coast to league victory. However their form stuttered and Manchester United saw an opening.
The two sides faced off at St James Park in March and even though Newcastle’s recent form wasn’t impressive, they were on a 13 home-games winning streak. Tino Asprilla, Les Ferdinand and Peter Beardsley were a constant threat for United, but the Great Dane Schmeichel was rock solid at the back and didn’t let anything inside the goal. A rampart Newcastle side seemed to attack like firing squad, but Schmeichel stopped everything that came at him.
Eric Cantona scored against the run of play for United, and a now-deflated Newcastle could not trouble the scorers. Manchester United won the game and continued the momentum as they went on to win the league on the final day of the season.
#6 Joe Hart (Manchester City)
Game: Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund – 3 October 2012 at Etihad Stadium, Manchester
After having been criticized by City boss Roberto Mancini for his poor performances in the season till then, Hart produced an incredible display in goal as he made at least seven stunning saves to ensure that a lacklustre home side scraped with a point from a Champions League group game that the visiting Germans dominated.
Hart thwarted numerous attempts by the Dortmund attack, before a misplaced pass by Jack Rodwell was converted into a goal by Marco Reus. However Hart denied Mario Gotze, Robert Lewandowski and IlkayGundogan from near-certain goal-scoring shots. Hart’s efforts didn’t go waste ultimately as Mario Balotelli’s 90th minute penalty equalized for the hosts.
Mancini was quick to accept that Hart’s performance in the game was the reason that City somehow got a point – “Joe Hart saved us from an incredible defeat. He saved everything, so I should say thank-you to him. He gave a fantastic performance. I don’t know if it is the best performance in football history, but he did very well. He saved us because he did very, very well.” Hart’s show also prompted Wayne Rooney to tweet “Have to say Joe Hart has been incredible. For me best keeper in the world”.
#7 Iker Casillas (Spain)
Game: Spain vs Paraguay – 3 July 2010 at Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
Iker Casillas had a World Cup to forget this year in Brazil. But the Spanish victory in 2010 South Africa would have never happened but for the goalkeeper’s performance against Paraguay at the quarterfinal stage.
The Spanish attack put up a lacklustre show and an out-of-form Fernando Torres was substituted after only 56 minutes. Paraguay seemed the side more likely to score, but Casillas and the Spanish defence kept them quiet, until Gerard Pique conceded a penalty for a foul on Oscar Cardozo. With the score being 0-0 at that moment, and Spain looking unlikely to score, a goal at that stage would have pushed La Roja close to an unceremonious exit.
Cardozo himself stepped up to take the penalty kick, but Casillas guessed correctly and saved it and followed it up with another brilliant stop, this time from a one-on-one situation, thus ensuring that Spain were still in the game, which they later went on to win an 83rd minute goal by David Villa.Casillas had a good game against Germany in the semifinal, and made a spectacular one-on-one save against Arjen Robben in the final.
#8 David Marshall (Celtic)
Game: Celtic vs Barcelona – 25 March 2004 at Camp Nou, Barcelona
19-year-old Marshall had come on at half-time at Celtic Park during the UEFA Cup tie between Celtic and Barcelona after Rab Douglas was sent off. Barcelona ended up having two players sent off as well in that game, and Celtic made their players-advantage count as Alan Thompson’s goal meant the sides entered the second leg of the tie at Camp Nou with Celtic leading 1-0 on aggregate.
The second leg saw Marshall being handed his first start for the club by manager Martin O’Neill, who joked to the player: "It's all downhill from here, you might as well retire." The Barca team entered the game after recording their ninth successive win in the La Liga, and few gave the young keeper a chance against their attack. But Marshall relished the challenge and rose to the occasion as he put in a memorable performance.
Faced with a barrage of shots from the Barcelona players, he blocked and saved everything that came his way. Gerard, Luis Enrique, Luis Garcia, Sergio Garcia – all had their goal-scoring attempts thwarted by the teenager, and Celtic went on to hold the hosts to a 0-0 draw and progressed to the next round of the competition with a 1-0 aggregate win.
#9 Paul Robinson (Leeds United)
Game: Leeds United vs Barcelona – 24 October 2000 at Elland Road, Leeds
It is hard to believe that Leeds United, now languishing in the Championship for a long time, were a force to reckon with in Europe just over a decade ago, as they reached the semifinal stage of the 2000-01 Champions League. Similarly Paul Robinson, now playing for Championship side Blackburn at the age of 34, was once the England number one goalkeeper and had been linked with a move to the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool at one stage.
But back in October 2000, a young 23-year-old Robinson kept the fancied Barcelona attack quiet in the crucial group stage game at Leeds as a 1-1 draw between the sides ultimately resulted in Leeds advancing to knockout stages, while Barcelona were eliminated from the competition.
Facing the threat of Barcelona’s Brazilian international Rivaldo, Robinson brought his top game to the fore as he first dived full-length to turn away a header, and then made excellent saves from some brilliant free-kicks by the Brazilian wizard. Though Rivaldo finally managed to score a goal in the 95th minute, it proved to be a mere consolation.
Leeds went on to enjoy a run to the semifinal stage in Europe’s premier club competition, before their dramatic decline began in the following season which ultimately resulted in relegation from the Premier League in 2004.
#10 Brad Friedel (Blackburn Rovers)
Game: Blackburn Rovers vs Tottenham Hotspur – 24 February 2002 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Once likened to Superman by Gordon Strachan - "Friedel must have got changed in a telephone box. I wouldn't be surprised if when he takes his shirt off there's a blue jersey with an `S' on underneath it", Brad Friedel put in a memorable performance for Blackburn Rovers in the 2002 League Cup final, as newly-promoted Rovers won their first Cup trophy in 74 years.
The American goalkeeper put in a Man-of-the-Match performance as he made brilliant saves from shots from Les Ferdinand and Gus Poyet. After Andy Cole put Rovers 2-1 ahead in the 68th minute, Spurs began a series of attacks in an effort to find the equalizer. But Freidel stood tall and kept denying them, and his defiant play ensured that the Graeme Souness managed side got to lift the trophy at the Millennium Stadium.
