5 of the most surprising open goal misses by big-name players
The best forwards are often remembered for the goals that they score; after all, it is the only thing that matters. However, there are often times when a forwards fails to convert an easy chance, but there is always a silver lining for them since these mistakes are soon forgotten, unlike, say, goalkeeper mistakes.
However, what is not forgotten are open goal misses. When a forward lines up to shoot at an open goal, they are more than expected to score. Indeed, it is harder to not score in such situations, but even then they miss… and that’s what the most awkward highlight of their careers becomes.
And here are 5 such open goal misses…
#1 Fernando Torres v Manchester United
Only a few football fans aren’t aware of this moment, and even then it would be shocking because this is perhaps the most famous open goal miss of all time. I am not a fan of Chelsea football club, neither do I adore Fernando Torres, but this moment almost left tears in my eyes just due to the helplessness that the Spaniard’s reaction depicted after the miss.
He was brilliant, playing his best game ever for Chelsea. And what a team to play your best game against in a Blue shirt—Manchester United. The Red Devils were leading 3-0 at half-time, but Torres was having a lively game.
At the start of the second half, he scored and ran back to restart the game. He was looking determined, ready to make amends for all the failures ever since making his move to the Bridge.
Maybe, just maybe, Fernando Torres was back. Finally. Every move he made oozed confidence, so when a Juan Mata through ball found its way to the former Liverpool forward, he dragged the ball away from David De Gea with his first touch to make it an open goal for him.
What happened next, however, became an image that froze in the minds of the viewers. With an empty net to aim at, Torres shot the ball with his left foot…and it went wide. He very next moment, the number 9 dropped on the ground with head and knees sunk in the ground, perhaps wondering what sins he had done to face such a fate.
It was an image of helplessness that perhaps still scars Torres. Life could have been so much more different for the Atletico Madrid forward had that gone in.