What was a great save turned into a teachable moment about the hazards of walking away too early.
It may be easy for a casual soccer fan to forget that a penalty kick doesn’t end at the point of impact, but you would expect a goalkeeper to bear that in mind when it matters most. Given the unlikely bounce that this penalty kick took in a match between two Thai teams, Bangkok Sports Club and Satri Angthong, it’s possible that the keeper simply didn’t think the ball had a chance of going in following his initial deflection.
He realized moments too late, well into his premature celebration, the folly of his judgment and raced to the goal in vain to stop an errant ball from crossing the line.
He didn’t make it, turning what would have otherwise been a spectacular save into a teachable moment for all the kids out there tempted to put pride before their on-field duties.
This display is far from the first time a goalkeeper celebrated too early but, frankly, one of the more understandable instances given the velocity of the ball following the deflection. But the point in maintaining one’s composure is to be prepared for the unexpected.
A litany of videos reveals that even the most seasoned keepers are subject to letting their emotions get the best of them, neglecting to account for unlikely spins and trajectories after the initial kick.
The play doesn’t end at the moment of contact, a fact that becomes painfully more clear when a goalkeeper forgets it.