Category Sports News

It is not every day that you see a goalkeeper score.

Occasionally, though, the keeper throws the rule book out of the window.

Take Anatoliy Trubin. He booked Benfica’s place in the Champions League play-offs with a stunning 98th-minute goal against the mighty Real Madrid on Wednesday.

With the scores level in the fifth minute of added time in the Premier League game against West Brom, Liverpool’s Alisson went up for a corner.

He met Trent Alexander-Arnold’s delivery with a header to snatch a vital victory in Liverpool’s Champions League qualification bid.

Peter Schmeichel became the first keeper in Premier League history to score a goal, netting for Aston Villa in a 3-2 defeat by Everton.

He came up for a corner in the closing minutes, the ball rebounded towards him, and he smashed it into the top corner.

Paul Robinson scored the second goal of his professional career in Tottenham’s 3-1 Premier League win against Watford.

He took a hopeful punt upfield from a free-kick well within Spurs’ half.

Oscarine Masuluke scored a memorable goal against Orlando Pirates in the South African Premier League.

With Baroka FC trailing 1-0, a corner was only partially punched clear and Masuluke – moving away from the goal – scored a brilliant bicycle kick from near the edge of the penalty area.

Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic earned a place in the Guinness World Records for the “longest goal” in football.

From a distance of 97.5 yards, his clearance deceived Southampton keeper Artur Boruc to put Stoke 1-0 up after 13 seconds of the Premier League match.

Begovic said: “It’s a cool feeling but it was a fortunate incident. I feel a bit bad for Boruc.

“It is a long ball that got caught in the wind and it took a wicked bounce. It’s not nice to be on the receiving end of those things as a goalkeeper.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Hans-Jorg Butt scored a penalty in a Bundesliga match against Schalke.

In May 1999, Jimmy Glass scored an injury-time goal that kept Carlisle United in the Football League.

Sent forward for a corner, the Carlisle goalkeeper scored with virtually the last kick of the game to snatch victory and send Scarborough down.

In 2004 Blackburn Rovers’ Brad Friedel became only the second keeper in Premier League history to get on the scoresheet.

The American equalised in the 90th minute at Charlton, but then conceded a dramatic winner moments later.

Paraguayan Jose Luis Chilavert scored 67 goals in his career, including 14 free-kicks.

He became the first keeper to score a hat-trick during Velez Sarsfield’s 6-1 win against Ferro Carril Oeste in Argentina’s Argentine Primera Division in 1999.

But Chilavert’s goal tally is well short of Brazilian Rogerio Ceni, who spent 22 years with Sao Paulo and scored 129 goals in his career.

Brighton are set to reject a £20m offer from Nottingham Forest for midfielder Yasin Ayari.

Relegation-threatened Forest want to strengthen their squad before the transfer window closes on Monday and have made a bid for the Sweden international, but sources have told BBC Sport the offer will be turned down.

Ayari signed for Brighton from AIK Stockholm in 2023 and has made 66 appearances for the Seagulls since his £3.5m arrival, scoring six goals.

Since arriving in England, the 22-year-old has also had loan spells at Blackburn and Coventry.

Forest have already added a striker to their ranks during the winter window with Italy international Lorenzo Lucca joining on loan from Napoli.

Hibernian manager David Gray has said he is planning for Kieron Bowie to be part of the squad for Sunday’s Scottish Premiership match at home to Rangers.

The 23-year-old Scotland striker has attracted attention in this transfer window, with Serie A club Hellas Verona having a bid turned down earlier this week.

Hibs signed winger Owen Elding from League of Ireland Premier Division side Sligo Rovers for an undisclosed fee on Thursday and Gray says the club will be prepared for any developments with Bowie.

“While the window is open anything can happen. I’d be naive to comment otherwise,” Gray said.

“Clearly, there’s been interest, there’s been speculation, it’s something that Kieron’s had to deal with all season, because of his level of performance.

“He’s been very consistent in the way he trains, the way he goes about his business. That’s certainly not changed within this window.

“As it stands right now, he’s firmly in my plans to be involved at the weekend. He’s trained this morning and until that changes for whatever reason, that’ll be my mindset.

“Whether Kieron was to leave, I fully expect the backing of the ownership because they always want to improve the club – that’s not going to change. Our mindset is always to try and improve the group.”

Elding, who was voted the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland young player of the year for 2025, has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal.

The 19-year-old scored 16 goals and provided five assists in 38 matches for Sligo Rovers last season.

Hibs say he opted for Easter Road ahead of “significant interest from several other European clubs”, with Austrian side Sturm Graz reported to be keen on Elding.

Gray says the young forward, who was Sligo’s 2025 Player of the Year, has huge potential.

“He has done incredibly well for such a young age – he has a range of attributes and a strong physical presence up front,” he said.

“He has played a lot of men’s football already, has scored a variety of goals and I think he has got a really bright future.

“Certainly there is no pressure in terms of hitting the ground running and expecting big things. He is a young boy coming in and it is his first introduction to Scottish football, but he is certainly an exciting prospect.”

Crystal Palace have agreed a deal in principle worth in the region of £50m to sign Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen, as Nottingham Forest prepare an improved offer for Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Sources have told BBC Sport that Palace’s interest in the 25-year-old striker has intensified in the past 24 hours and a formal bid is now set to be submitted.

Palace broke their club record with a £35m move for Wales forward Brennan Johnson earlier this month but Strand Larsen’s arrival would surpass that deal.

Wolves are open to selling the Norway international this month provided they get a fee close to the £55m they rejected from Newcastle for the striker during the summer transfer window.

Leeds have already seen an offer of £40m rejected by Wolves, and as things stand the Elland Road club are reluctant to go much higher.

Juventus and AC Milan are among the clubs to have shown a concrete interest in the France international.

Mateta is understood to want to play Champions League football, but a move to Forest is understood to be a financially lucrative option for the 28-year-old and sources are indicating that Forest intend to accelerate their interest.

The two clubs face each other in the Premier League on Sunday and no agreement is expected before then.

Palace are also close to the loan signing of Aston Villa forward Evann Guessand.

The Eagles, who looked at signing the 24-year-old last summer, are set to take Guessand until the end of the season in a deal that will give them an option to buy.

Guessand has scored twice in 26 Villa appearances – both in the Europa League – having struggled to establish himself in his favoured central striker position.

The £18.25m arrival of Tammy Abraham from Besiktas this week also leaves him as likely third choice behind Abraham and Ollie Watkins.

And although the Ivory Coast international has been happy to fight for his place at Villa Park, he is expected to leave.

Crystal Palace have agreed a deal in principle worth in the region of £50m to sign Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen, as Nottingham Forest prepare an improved offer for Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Sources have told BBC Sport that Palace’s interest in the 25-year-old striker has intensified in the past 24 hours and a formal bid is now set to be submitted.

Palace broke their club record with a £35m move for Wales forward Brennan Johnson earlier this month but Strand Larsen’s arrival would surpass that deal.

Wolves are open to selling the Norway international this month provided they get a fee close to the £55m they rejected from Newcastle for the striker during the summer transfer window.

Leeds have already seen an offer of £40m rejected by Wolves, and as things stand the Elland Road club are reluctant to go much higher.

Juventus and AC Milan are among the clubs to have shown a concrete interest in the France international.

Mateta is understood to want to play Champions League football, but a move to Forest is understood to be a financially lucrative option for the 28-year-old and sources are indicating that Forest intend to accelerate their interest.

The two clubs face each other in the Premier League on Sunday and no agreement is expected before then.

Palace are also close to the loan signing of Aston Villa forward Evann Guessand.

The Eagles, who looked at signing the 24-year-old last summer, are set to take Guessand until the end of the season in a deal that will give them an option to buy.

Guessand has scored twice in 26 Villa appearances – both in the Europa League – having struggled to establish himself in his favoured central striker position.

The £18.25m arrival of Tammy Abraham from Besiktas this week also leaves him as likely third choice behind Abraham and Ollie Watkins.

And although the Ivory Coast international has been happy to fight for his place at Villa Park, he is expected to leave.

Going into the Australian Open, few people predicted anything other than Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner meeting again in the men’s final.

The pair have contested the past three Grand Slam title matches – Alcaraz winning the French Open and US Open, with Sinner claiming Wimbledon in between – as their rivalry continues to grow.

Now only Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic can prevent the dominant duo meeting in the Melbourne showpiece for the first time.

Spanish world number one Alcaraz plays German third seed Zverev in Friday’s first semi-final at 14:30 local time (03:30 GMT), followed by Italian second seed Sinner facing Serb fourth seed Djokovic.

It is only the fifth time in the Open era – and the first occasion since 2013 – that the top four men’s seeds have contested the semi-finals.

Two-time defending champion Sinner may not have looked completely convincing on his way to the last four but he is still the heavy favourite to beat Djokovic.

The 24-year-old was grateful when the Australian Open’s heat rule saved him against American opponent Eliot Spizzirri in a third-round match that he looked destined to quit because of cramping.

But he has since breezed past compatriot Luciano Darderi and American eighth seed Ben Shelton, despite looking unsteady on his feet in parts of both matches.

“Sinner’s movement now is absolutely phenomenal,” former British number one Tim Henman said on TNT Sports.

“When you think he should be on the defensive, he’s able to use that core strength and come back on the offensive.”

The physical state of 38-year-old Djokovic is where the bigger questions lie.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion, who will move clear of Margaret Court’s singles record if he wins in Melbourne, has barely played since Saturday after a fourth-round walkover and a quarter-final cut short by injury to Lorenzo Musetti.

While that might leave him fresher to push Sinner, the lack of action could leave him undercooked.

Djokovic lacked sharpness in his shots and movement against fifth seed Musetti, who led by two sets to love before quitting.

There are also concerns about the gruesome foot blisters that hampered Djokovic.

“Djokovic wasn’t tracking down a few balls that Musetti was hitting into the corners and didn’t look like he was attempting to run for them,” former British number one Annabel Croft said on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Australian Open daily podcast.

“That made sense after we saw the condition of his feet.

Alcaraz had never gone past the Melbourne quarter-finals before this year, but the 22-year-old looks well placed to win the title and become the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam.

Alcaraz replaced Sinner at the top of the world rankings with his US Open success in September, producing a level over the fortnight that most observers considered the best of his career.

The six-time major champion says his performances so far at Melbourne Park have been “pretty close” to that standard.

The manner in which he destroyed Australian sixth seed Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals – leaning into his greater explosive power and defter touch – was a brutal illustration of how far ahead Alcaraz and Sinner are.

It was also reminder of the emphasis which Alcaraz has put on improving his concentration during matches.

“Not having up and downs in matches has been one of the main goals for me,” he said.

“I’m just trying to play the same level and having the same concentration point after point after point.”

Zverev has proved an awkward match-up for Alcaraz, with the pair evenly splitting their 12 previous meetings.

The 28-year-old’s giant serve remains his biggest weapon and it has particularly excelled during his wins over Alcaraz.

It has also been key to Zverev’s progress in Melbourne – along with being fully fit – as he looks to reach the final for the second successive year.

Zverev has lost all three of his Grand Slam finals and has often been accused of being too passive in the biggest matches.

“I’ve worked on my aggressive game. I’ve worked on my first shots after the serve, my first forehand after the serve, maybe a bit more serve and volleying,” he said after beating Learner Tien in the quarter-finals.