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People love to discuss and watch replays of dribbles, free kicks penalties and goals, leaving the great tackles and saves forgotten. German defender Jérôme Boateng just made a dramatic save that is worth the praise.
A close call
In the final ten minutes of the first half of Germany’s Euro 2016 opener against Ukraine, the German defender made a spectacular move to clear the ball from crossing the goal-line as the Ukrainians were about to score an equalizer. He extended every piece of his body to kick the ball away to safety before falling into the back of the net. Only a few defenders are able to clear their lines this way. Boateng’s talent and experience clearly made the difference here. When asked about his vital intervention, the defender said:
“I had also one [crucial clearance] in the World Cup final that I think was similar. But with this one I was lucky that I have long legs.”
Germany ultimately won 2-0 thanks to goals scored by Mustafi at the 19th minute and by Schweinsteiger shortly after he entered the pitch as a substitute during the second half. It is the midfielder’s first international goal in five years.
Boateng, whose father is from Ghana, was the victim of verbal attacks from right-wing German politician Alexander Gauland earlier this month. Gauland publicly stated that Germans would not want Boateng as a neighbour and that the German national team was no longer “German in the classical sense.”
Watch a replay of Boateng’s spectacular clearance:
https://youtu.be/9jbRCur2Lnk
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