Olivier Giroud: Frenchman turns goalkeeper for AC Milan as he saves last minute shot from Genoa, helps them to go top of the table
Olivier Giroud has turned goalkeeper for his side AC Milan on the dying minutes of their outing against Genoa, after both keepers get suspended. He even went one notch further when he saved a clutch shot in the dying minutes, and prevented their opponents to restore parity, as AC Milan went to top of the Serie A table.
Football’s wonders
Football is a sport where one can experience several unexpected things, Be it a dog scrambling to the ground to snatch the ball from one of the players in a South American league fixture, to outfield players turning out on the goal to save their team’s blushes, wonders and miracles in football never cease to exist. Last night, people in Milan had witnessed one of the rare sightings in the game when their striker, French World Cup winner, Olivier Giroud, turned out to be a goalie, on the dying minutes of the game. He further went down in history when he thwarted a last ditch attack from opponents, Genoa, thus leading the side to an anticipated victory.
The former Arsenal legend was forced to deputize as the makeshift keeper, when their primary custodian Mike Maignan was sent off. He was replaced by his compatriot Giroud, who has never plied the role of a keeper in his lifetime. But, as they say, a class player can play in ‘every’ positions, Giroud displayed nerves of steel between the sticks as he saved a goal on the dying minutes.
Maignan sent off for a reckless challenge
Milan’s latest recruit from Chelsea, former Dortmund forward Christian Pulisic was instrumental in leading Milan in the game, after his late goal was enough for the Rossoneris to take lead. But, in an unexpected turn of events, their first-choice custodian Mike Maignan was sent off for a leaping rash challenge at Caleb Ekuban, when the French star hurled out of the penalty area to thwart an uprising challenge.
Despite going past allotted seven minutes, Giroud was summoned to shoulder the duties of a goalkeeper, as in a surprising yet unwanted turn of events, opposition goalie Josep Martinez was sent off too, for a second bookable offence. After restart of the game, Genoa hit the crossbar with a wayward free-kick, thus forcing Giroud to stand under the goalpost.
When super sub George Puscas was going for a chance in the dying minutes, it was Giroud who came off the line to thwart the attack, and prevented his side from a heartbreaking tie. For an ultimate cameo, he sprung upwards and plunged the ball out of danger, thus leading the Rossoneris to a valiant victory, as they led the Serie A table.
