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A second look at Wolyniec’s equalizer

WolyniecPetke (ISIphotos.com) 

                                                                              Photo by ISIphotos.com

The New York Red Bulls looked destined for a loss as the final minutes ticked off the clock on Saturday night. The Houston Dynamo held a 1-0 lead, a man advantage and was riding a shutout streak that was nearing 500 minutes when Dane Richards kicked a ball into the Red Bulls penalty area for John Wolyniec to work his magic with.

In one move, Wolyniec chested the ball down, turned and slid a low shot past Pat Onstad in the 89th minute to help give the Red Bulls a 1-1 tie. If you missed the goal, here it is:

What did you think of Wolyniec's goal? Shocked? Have flashbacks to some of his other clutch goals? Disappointed he didn't do the Thriller Dance?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I coach a U8 boys travel team on Staten Island and I took my kids to the game, they had a blast. The best part, Woly is an alumni of our club (Silver Lake Soccer) and he was scheduled to train my team tonight (Monday) so they were thrilled to see him score the equalizer. At our training session tonight they were all over him telling him how great his goal was. Really fun stuff.

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  2. Wozza! He’s our own little Ole Gunnar Solskjaer! He’s awkward, he’s slow, he’ll never be in the starting 11, but he’s our own super-sub if ever we had one. I just hope he survives the next couple of drafts, because I think he’s always going to be on the waiver list, unfortunately, no matter who the boss is. But how I love him so.

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  3. Wolyniec is probably the most underrated player in MLS…His a true professional amd does his fair share of work on the field…His goal yesterday was just class…Made me jump off my seat and go crazy…He would’ve gave me a heart attack if his second shot went in though lol…I’ll put this goal in my top 3 Woly goals, but not even this goal will beat the one he scored against the Crew in 05

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  4. Ugliest dude I have ever seen in my life

    Posted by: Anthony

    Anthony, you haven’t seen Popeye Jones or DJ Mbenga? I’m black but those two are up there for Ugly dudes.

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  5. The Houston team..they were too busy trying to stomp people & not busy enough playing football. Good for Johnny. That’s the way I used to score them in the 1970s & Lauren Hutton would say, ” Oh, give me more, yes, just like that, Giorgio.”

    If I were that Holden guy, I wouldn’t sit with my back to the window and trust me, I know, I was a close personal friend of Frank Sinatra.

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  6. Actually, I think you can default the defending a little. At least one guy who was ball watching probably stops that goal by stepping in earlier, and there was no one behind him to mark.

    But even saying that seems curmudgeonly, because it really is a great bit of work from Wolyniec. Credit to him for that.

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  7. Wolyniec is a guy with limited skills and physical tools to always gives everything he’s got and maxes out what he does have. I bet he’s a great teammate and someone that over the course of a season, teammates respect.

    As for the goal, just superb work by Wolyniec. Lousy clearance by Houston (I was always taught to clear to the sidelines or take it downfield–that ball Richards took was a short one in the center of the field) was what made it possible. I don’t think you can otherwise fault Houston’s defending–from the point that hospital ball goes into the middle, after that’s it’s all Wolyniec.

    As for GOTW, Wolyniec has got some good competition this week, including a late tying goal by Quaranta on the road against Chivas.

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  8. Woly certainly isnt a beautiful striker, but I doubt there are many strikers as smart as him in the league. I wonder what his shots/goals per minute played ratio is.

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  9. For such an awkward dude, Woly has an impressive highlight reel over the course of his career. Seriously, when has such a dorky guy scored such spectacular goals?

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  10. Woly’s scoring rate is pretty solid when he gets minutes. I definitely wouldn’t peg him as an infrequent finisher.

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  11. There is no doubt that Wolyniec is a huge nuisance up front. He might not be the hulk or Danny Dichio, but he causes major problems with his physicality. I think he needs to see at least 30 minutes in games this year.

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  12. I like this site, but the questions at the end of each post kind of annoy me.

    Anyone think Ives should stop asking so many questions? Wonder if Ives is afraid people will not comment? Do you think the questions spark debate?

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  13. No doubt that was a superb goal.

    If you Metro fans want to make him a starter and captain, I think the rest of the league will be fine with that. Then, Woly might actually score two more goals this year.

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  14. I was actually relieved there was no thriller dance. And second that Matt. There is no bigger joy than seeing Onstad picking a ball out of his net.

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  15. Nice to see Mr. Happy – Pat Onstad – digging it out of the back of his net. :-))

    Hats off to Woly. Could have won it a moment later.

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  16. Ehh, even Chad Barrett scores a good goal once in a while. Doesn’t mean he’s a good goal scorer generally.

    Woly seems to put in the occasional dramatic goal, but they’re infrequent. Look at Josh Wolff’s goals last night – neither was very pretty, but there were two of them and KC didn’t tie, they won.

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  17. Woly still has one of the best goals ever scored in MLS history, where he one timed a 60 yard bomb out of the air off a midfield free kick into the far upper 90 to win the game in over time.

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  18. yes wasup with that woly!! no thriller dance!?!?!? such a let down.. nevermind..dont start woly!!! dont make him captian!!!no more 10-0-1!! lets go back to osorio wtf formations!

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  19. Bench angel!! Start woly!!!! Woly for captain!!!! Woly for coach!! Woly as a 1 man team!!! New formation!! 10-0-1!!!!

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  20. amazing composure and touches. definitely a Goal of the Week candidate. thank you, Woly! few can pull it off in the clutch like that.

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