By RYAN TOLMICH
To qualify as a contender for Goal of the Year, a finish has to have a certain sense of style, ambitiousness and degree of difficulty.
Erick ‘Cubo” Torres’ June volley against Real Salt Lake boasted all three.
The Chivas USA forward’s measured strike of a superb Tony Lochhead long-ball led his team to a surprise 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake, while also earning Torres recognition for scoring the SBI MLS Goal of the Year.
Torres’ finish displayed the Mexican forward’s remarkable sense of timing and technique, as the 21-year-old forward showed the patience to wait out Lochhead’s deep cross before using his right foot to smash the ball past to the far post and into the back of the net.
Check out Torres’ finish below, as well as the rest of the SBI top five goals of the year after the jump:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-sYPzfP1Lo]
2. WILL JOHNSON, Portland Timbers (vs. Vancouver Whitecaps)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVmay4iDUsw]
3. JOSE MARI, Colorado Rapids (vs. Vancouver Whitecaps)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32KgDHyTPYo]
4. DAX MCCARTY, New York Red Bulls (vs. New England Revolution)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY2Z3aKFO_0]
5. DIEGO VALERI, Portland Timbers (vs. Vancouver Whitecaps)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urywiPe5VXs]
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What do you think of Torres’ goal? Which finish do you believe is Goal of the Year?
Share your thoughts below.
Okay, I’m going to complain about everything here, because my life is miserable, because I have a horrible attitude, because of reasons I’ll never care to explore…
1. Eric Torres really Julian Greened it! Am I right, people who like neither Green nor Torres? How can this be number one, when he didn’t even connect with his instep??
2. Keeper should’ve had that!
3. 40 should have stepped up there! And Mari loses points with me if that’s in fact a matador celebration, after all, I’m a former vegan!
4. Okay, this bit is a downer, and making me tired. I can’t find anything to even jokingly be negative about here.
5. Never mind. I can think of like two MLS goals from this year that better deserve this SBI MLS Goal Of The Year number 5 spot!
Ah, you know I’m playing.
Really, I’m just happy to find more soccer videos on SBI, and to read some good comments.
It says a lot about the quality of MLS goals this year that MLS’ own goal of the year didn’t even crack the top five here. (Martins chip vs San Jose). Gotta love that as a fan of the league
chuch.
I really like the last replay (beginning at 43 sec) of goal #3. A great perspective on the flight of the ball.
It impressed me too. The great soccer shot, had a great video shot. I like when those two come together.
I think you could argue Torres had the two best goals of the season. This goal was very impressive (and featured an incredible pass), but his bicycle kick goal was just as good. He showed incredible reflexes, scoring instincts, and athleticism. Either way, he definitely deserves goal of the year, and the voting for this award over on MLS was truly appalling.
Torres against Montreal? That was pretty cool as well. I’ll most definitely have to check out how this played out on the MLS website, although I feel this is a very subjective and debatable topic, so I doubt I’ll be shocked or disgusted.
The Mari and Valeri goals is just appallingly bad defense so Jon should be ashamed.
Where is Ives going to get his party on with the SBI team is what I want to know?
Are you sure? 🙂
Three of five against my Whitecaps. Not sure if I should be ashamed that they give up so many nice goals, or proud that it takes something spectacular to score against them…
Haha! Just go with the latter, Jon. It’s seems just as logical as the first emotion, and doesn’t degrade your team spirit… which is like one of the top ten most powerful spirits in humans.
a beauty of a goal nevertheless…