Shane Long’s on fire! Your defence is terrified!
It’s been a long time since that Shane Long chant has been belted out non-ironically. In truth, it may never be sung in the same manner as it was after the Republic of Ireland beat World Cup champions Germany. However, on Tuesday night, the Tipperary man took a badly-needed step in the right direction.
He scored a bloody goal.
For the first time in 11 months or 325 days or 1320 minutes, Long put his name on the scoresheet for his club, Southampton. The Irish striker got one of the sweetest goals of his career during the Saints’ Premier League clash at home to Crystal Palace.
The move started with him on the 16-minute mark. He received a throw-in, played a quick one-two before playing it backwards. This created more space which allowed him to receive the ball again.
With more room to work with, he played a delightful through ball to the man who took the throw-in.
Acres of space now at his begging, the winger took off.
Unfortunately, his cross left a lot to be desired. It missed just about everyone in its path, including one Palace defender who tried to clear it with his head.
The ball went all the way to Jeremy Pied on the far channel. The French man had all the time in the world to jog towards the box and pick his man out.
The man who made the run was, of course, Shane Long.
Long started tracking back to meet the inviting low cross and began winding up that right boot of his.
He made zero mistake with the finish – a beautiful curled effort into the corner of the net.
If hunger really is the best sauce, that must have been one of the tastiest goals of Long’s career.
