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Flukes add to beautiful game

Author: Rose Young
Date: 24/10/2009
Football betting

The beautiful game often serves up some beautiful goals, pieces of magic and acts of improvisation usually produced by an artist or musician.

But at times, acts of hilarity by someone or something can bring about convivial rapture.

Take Darren Bent's solitary goal in Sunderland's 1-0 win against Liverpool at the weekend as an example.

Can Sunderland follow up their win against Liverpool by taking three points at Birmingham City on Saturday? - Latest Football Betting

A meek effort from the edge of the penalty area that seemed destined to be smothered by goalkeeper Pepe Reina until an alien object found itself in the way to inadvertently deflect the ball beyond the bemused Spanish stopper.

The object? A Liverpool emblazoned beachball that had been launched onto the playing surface.

We will have a look at some other bizarre goals that we have witnessed in recent times that have caused a stir in the football world.

Gary Neville own goal - Croatia v England, October 11 2006 - With England seeking a way back into the game after Eduardo's opening goal, the ball was played to Gary Neville in the right-back position, with no obvious pass on, he rolled the ball back to Paul Robinson.

As England's former number one steadied himself to launch the ball upfield, the ball took an horrific bobble as his right boot neared the ball, skipped over his foot and rolled slowly into the unguarded net to send the Croats wild and condemn England to a humbling 2-0 defeat during their ill-fated European Championship qualifying campaign.

Nwankwo Kanu - Arsenal v Sheffield United, February 13 1999 - With Premier League giants Arsenal being held 1-1 at home to Sheffield United in the FA Cup, a replay looked on the cards. But following a brief injury to a United player, the ball was put out of play.

Arsenal were expected to return the ball to the visitors but inexplicably Marc Overmars burst down the wing with the ball and crossed for Kanu to slot home.

The United players and management were incensed and at the final whistle, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger immediately offered to replay the fixture. The FA agreed and in an unprecedented replay, Arsenal won 2-1 - the same score the original contentious game finished.

Peter Enckelman - Birmingham City v Aston Villa, September 16 2002 - Aston Villa's Finnish goalkeeper had a Birmingham derby to forget in this instance.

Defender Olof Mellberg threw the ball back to the unchallenged stopper and as he went to trap the ball he got his technique all wrong.

The ball scraped under his boot and crept towards goal and nestled sweetly inside the far post. Scenes of chaos followed as the goal killed off the contest with Villa trailing 1-0 at the time.

The hosts went on to win 3-0 which was the first derby between the sides in 16 years.

Stan Collymore - Blackburn Rovers v Liverpool, February 24 1996 - Blackburn keeper Tim Flowers will have been livid with the grounds man at Ewood Park following Collymore's goal that made him look a tad silly.

The England striker lashed the ball towards goal and although he didn't connect that sweetly, the ball managed a hop, skip and a jump over the crouching Flowers who had positioned himself perfectly.

Another divot that flummoxed a bewildered goalkeeper.

John Eustace own goal - Watford v Reading, September 20 2008 - With the ball pin-balling around Watford's penalty area, Eustace deflected the ball across the byline for what should have been a corner.

With no celebrations or appeals, the linesman consulted rookie referee Stuart Attwell and suggested that the ball had crossed the line from the other side of the post and a goal was awarded.

Needless to say the 'goal' created huge debate and the game ended in a 2-2 draw.

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