Has anyone scored with their very first touch, which is the only way to better young Spencer’s achievement?” We covered a variation of this question back in 2021, with answers on players scoring with their first touch on debut for their new clubs. This week, though, goes a step further, covering players that score with the first touches of their professional careers, although there are a few answers from that 2021 piece that work here, too: Jack Aitchison for Celtic in 2016, Matt Hatch for Central Coast Mariners in 2021, England one-cap wonder Michael Ricketts for Walsall against Brighton in 1996, Maheta Molango (now the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association) for Brighton against Reading in August 2004, and Yan Dhanda for Swansea City at Sheffield United in 2018. Two minutes later, he scored an absolutely stunning half-volley with his first touch in professional football.” What a strike!
Quite the feat, especially as it was in the Uefa Cup, and especially as it was a bicycle kick! Sekajja netted an 88th-minute equaliser to help Palace retain their Championship status. Andy Brook and Robert Heath both correctly identify Alan Smith’s first touch as a professional footballer resulting in a goal for Leeds at Anfield.
With Leeds 1-0 down, Smith came off the bench and equalised with his first touch in front of the Kop two minutes later, before Leeds went on to win a controversial match 3-1 (the state of that tackle from Nigel Martyn on Karl-Heinz Riedle!) – Gérard Houllier’s first game in sole charge of Liverpool. Last week’s lead question regarding football stadiums with high or low Google ratings proved very popular but the answers were just based upon English clubs (and four Welsh ones). Luckily, Mykola Kozlenko has since been in touch with a few more continental options: “Great question about stadia with low rankings!” writes Mykola.
This was rebuilt two years ago but it is proving to be unpopular because: amateur athletes are unhappy because they can’t train here any more locals are unhappy because the stands are literally 20 metres away from the nearest residential complex (ironically named Family Comfort). fans are unhappy because it’s a small soulless stadium with an artificial pitch instead of the old 24,000-seat Central City Stadium. 2) Avanhard Stadium, Rivne, Ukraine, 3.4*, 142 reviewsHome stadium of top-tier NK Veres Rivne. The stadium was dilapidated for years, renovation has started but not completed yet, although two out of four stands are ready. 3) Dens Park, Dundee, Scotland, 3.7*, 804 reviewsThis (probably) makes the home stadium of Dundee the lowest-rated top-tier stadium in the UK. 4) Almondvale, Livingston, Scotland, 3.7*, 432 reviewsThe home stadium of Livingston does not seem to have a great reputation despite being relatively new. 5) Kampi Nacional Hajvali, Pristina, Kosovo, 3.7*, 7 reviewsThis stadium somehow hosted Conference League qualifiers this year despite being half built. 6) The Oval, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 3.8*, 490 reviewsThe home stadium of Glentoran is particularly dilapidated, especially its away end. 7) Stade Jos Nosbaum, Dudelange, Luxembourg, 3.8*, 135 reviewsThis stadium has hosted Conference League and Europa League qualifiers and is the home of top-tier F91 Dudelange. Parking and payments are picked out as particular gripes of this pretty old stadium.” “Brian Brobbey scored a hat-trick against Manchester City and ended up on the losing side.
How often has that happened in the Premier League, and who has scored the most goals in a game their team lost?” asks Alejandro Solis. We’ve covered the second part of your question in the past – click here for tales of futile netbusting – so let’s proceed straight to the players who have scored Premier League hat-tricks in vain. Brobbey’s was the sixth example and the first in almost 20 years.
The last man to achieve this dubious feat was Blackburn’s Roque Santa Cruz in December 2007. He single-handedly dragged Blackburn back into the game from 3-0 down, only for Wigan’s Marcus Bent to score two more goals and complete his own hat-trick. The first two were scored by Matt Le Tissier, on the final day of the inaugural season and the opening day of the 1995-96 season.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
