Wind helps Stoke keeper shock Saints

04 November 2013 - 02:06 By Sapa-AFP
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Stoke City's Asmir Begovic became the fifth goalkeeper to score in a Premier League match when the Bosnian struck after just 13 seconds against Southampton on Saturday.

Begovic opened the scoring at the Britannia Stadium with a wind-assisted clearance from deep inside his own penalty area.

The 26-year-old's massive kick downfield was allowed to bounce by Southampton's defenders and it then looped up over Polish goalkeeper Artur Boruc, who had come too far off his line.

Begovic, who looked slightly embarrassed by his strike, joins Peter Schmeichel, Tim Howard, Brad Friedel and Paul Robinson as a goal-scoring 'keeper in the Premier League.

It was just Stoke's seventh goal in 10 Premier League games this season and, with one goal to his name, Begovic is now the joint leading scorer for Mark Hughes' shot-shy team in the top flight this season.

Begovic admitted he felt sorry for Boruc so didn't want to rub it in by going over the top with his goal celebrations.

"I feel bad for Boruc when that happens," he said. "It does not make a goalkeeper look good [to have a goal scored by another goalkeeper] and after it I did not want to celebrate against him.

"It's the worst conditions you can play in. The wet you can deal with, but the wind makes it difficult. You don't know where the ball is going to go.

"It's a good point for us. Hopefully we can keep the confidence going and I can get a couple more goals!"

Boruc said the wind made it impossible to deal with Begovic's kick, but he vowed that the embarrassment wouldn't affect him.

"I'm really sorry for my team-mates and our supporters but what can I say? What happens, happens and I need to bounce back. I promise to get those two points back," Boruc said.

"These kinds of things happen to goalkeepers. It has happened before and will happen again.

"That's the life of being a goalkeeper, it is not always beautiful. I look forward to the next game."

Begovic's remarkably quick effort was short of the fastest-ever Premier League strike, which was scored in 10 seconds by Tottenham defender Ledley King at Bradford City in December 2000.

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