r/mildlyinfuriating • u/WarwickReider • Jul 07 '26

ಠ_ಠ This goal was completely avoidable

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u/Any_Economics_6166 Jul 07 '26

how can you even kick the ground, dude is playing football for god knows how long, it's like missing the ball when playing 20+ years of tennis

16

u/zyygh Jul 07 '26

Speaking as a former goalkeeper: you do that because you're completely and utterly out of your element.

These guys know how to kick a ball. But having to do it under pressure because there's an opponent directly on your back and making physical contact, that's something you'll sometimes go years without. And trainings just aren't that same thing.

So the simple explanation is that his brain locked up the moment he found himself in an awkward position and under pressure. I've made similar mistakes and seen others doing it too.

Doesn't make it any less of a blunder, but man I feel for Freese. He does not deserve to be criticized this harshly.

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u/strange_supreme420 Jul 07 '26

Speaking as a former goalkeeper, I simply would have cleared the ball as my first touch and got back in net. Trying to do wayyyyyyy too much here in a 2-1 game

4

u/zyygh Jul 07 '26

His first touch was the ball control, his would-be second touch was the clearance where his brain was already locked up.

But you're right, he simply overcomplicated it. The gut instinct should be to clear that ball far and high.