When you think of late goals in football, the thought of Manchester United's golden generation under the stewardship of Sir Alex Ferguson instantly comes to the mind.
Of course, it becomes a whole new proposition when that last minute goal is netted by the goal-keeper but Manchester United remain just as relevant in this regard. No one has forgotten Peter Schmeichel's crazy antics, the great Dane having scored 13 goals in his career, including the famous equaliser from a corner against Rotor Volgograd in a UEFA Cup tie back in 1996.
The first goalkeeper to ever score hailed from Manchester's blue half – Charlie Adams made history when he scored against Sunderland on April 14, 1900. And if we are to think of goal-keepers grabbing headlines with their last minute equalisers, there are quite a few in recent history to think of. Sunderland's Mart Poom did it in 2003 and Paul Robinson of Leeds pulled off his dramatic heist in the same year with his last-minute equaliser against Swindon in the Carling Cup.
And the distinction of the most dramatic last-minute goal by the keeper perhaps belongs to Jimmy Glass whose last minute goal against Plymouth helped Carlisle avoid relegation from the Football League in May 1999.
But the last and most recent addition to this category is the remarkable goal that has got the entire footballing world talking. The scorer is neither a blue-eyed wonder boy from Manchester nor an emerging hotshot in European football.
Chances are however that even if you are the most ardent follower of African football, you might not have heard about him. Oscarine Masuluke is one such name. Not many would have known about him but the Baroka FC goalkeeper has scored an astonishing last-minute equaliser that can well be nominated for the prestigious Puskas award next year.
Baroka, a bottom-half team in South Africa's Premier Division, were playing at home to the relative giants Orlando Pirates. Trailing 0-1 with all of five minutes of added time played, a defeat looked almost certain until the referee awarded a last-minute corner kick and the Baroka goalkeeper came up to produce the moment of sheer magic.
After a sloppy punched clearance by the Pirates' goalkeeper, Jackson Mabokgwane, Masuluke was able to meet the second ball, calmly letting it bounce before launching an acrobatic overhead kick, swinging his foot over his head. The ball looped back into the goal as the Pirates goalkeeper and defenders on the line stayed glued to the spot.
Chaos broke out as Masuluke broke into slick dance moves and a euphoric Baroka FC started celebrating. The goal soon went on to be one of the most talked about things in the footballing world, going viral on South African social media sites.
Speaking about the miraculous goal later, the 23-year old Baroka FC keeper said, "I am still shocked,” he said. “When woke up this morning was still surprised.
"I still don’t believe it. It's not something that I practise. It's just [a] decision I took at that moment. Fortunately, it worked so well. I am still excited and can't believe it. I feel great."
He also revealed that the secret of his success might lie in the fact that he did play as a regular forward between 2008 and 2010.
"I used to play as a striker at home in Giyani. I played as a striker with my former team Chudu Young Chiefs playing in the Castle league in Giyani. But this will stand out as the most memorable goal in my whole soccer career," he added.
Goalkeepers have scored bizarre goals in the recent past like Asmir Begovic's shot from his own 6-yard box that bamboozled everybody in a match against Southampton in 2013.
But the goal that comes closest to Masuluke's strike in brilliance and style is the full-volley overhead kick by the Alcudia Mallorca B keeper, Tolo Barceló back in 2013.
But Masuluke's goal will undoubtedly remain one of the talking points of the year simply because of the amazing skill on display. It is a goal that even a Cristiano Ronaldo or a Zlatan Ibrahimovic would have been proud of!
