Top 7 Goals of the Week

The worst performance of the weekend has to go to the J-League’s Kashiwa Reysol.

After starting the season horribly and finding themselves cut adrift at the foot of the table, last weekend they pulled the proverbial rabbit out the hat but winning 3-2 at mid-table Julio Iwata. This weekend they proved that win was a fluke by bombing to a humiliating 4-0 home defeat to Albirex Niigata in which the first two goals were scored by their own players, the third came courtesy of a miserable mis-placed pass out of defence followed by a refusal of the defender to make a tackle, and the fourth came from the spot after heads had sunk into the ground. (Watch here.)

Of the more personal let-downs, England’s Young Lions roared all the way to a bitter 4-nil thumping at the hands of Ze Germans in the U21 European Championships final, and no-one will we want to forget the match as much as keeper Scott Loach.

Yet, rising above the crowd to claim the schmuck of the week award is Gamba Osaka goalie Naoki Matsuyo, who committed a reputation-ruining 91st minute screw-up that threw away a crucial point at Nayoga.

Under zero-pressure collecting a weak Takumi Shimohira pass as the final seconds ticked over, the Gamba number one had a total brain-freeze. With only one man to avoid for what appeared to be miles, keeper Matsuyo managed to comically balls-up in the worst possible way with Nagoya’s Yuki Maka the lucky beneficiary. (See what happened here.)

Onto the list, where it’s slim-pickings this week.

Goals 1, 5 and 6 showed off some tidy finishing in-and-around the box, while a lazy Paolo Wanchope-esque goal can be seen in position 3. Staying with the old Premier League legends theme, goal 2 is an ode to Eric Cantona.

That leaves just two - a belter from distance at goal 7 and, although its a little sneaky to include this goal in the list, absolutely nothing can top goal 4 for pure technical brilliance.

As always, all we ask is that you sit back and enjoy!

1. Sandro Wagner (England U21 v Germany U21, June 29, 2009)

2. Erik Huseklepp (Stabaek v Brann, June 29, 2009)

3. Fabio Sciacca (Italy U20 v Greece U20, June 29, 2009)

4. Falcao (Brazil v Romania, July 3, 2009)

5. Diego Buonanotte (River Plate v Estudiantes, July 4, 2009) (0.55 minutes into the video)

6. Naohiro Ishikawa (Vissel Kobe v FC Tokyo, July 4, 2009) (0.50 minutes into the video)

7. David Fleurival (Panama v Guadeloupe, July 5, 2009) (pictured)