PALIN MITENK BLOG

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Heely good: United Arab Emirates star Awana Diab back heels the ball past the goalkeeper in what fans are calling the 'best penalty ever'


This is one 'heel' remember for a while.

Arab footballer Awana Diab amazed fans by tucking away 'the best penalty ever' with a nifty back heel.

The 21-year-old ran up like any other spot-kick but moments before he was about to make contact he quickly spun and round took the penalty backwards.


Tricky: Diab calms his nerves moments before the penalty, and right, an angle from behind the goal shows how the keeper guessed the wrong way and was wrong-footed


Diab's unorthodox shot wrong-footed the goalkeeper who could only look on as the ball rolled into the net.

But Diab's celebrations were cut short when he was booked for showboating and substituted by his manager - who had only brought him on three minutes earlier - for showing a 'lack of respect'.


Back heel to basics: Awana quickly spun round moments before kicking the ball to put his side 6-2 up against Lebanon in the international friendly


The impressive show of nerve and skill has become an internet sensation after the international friendly between the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

UAE were leading 5-2 when Diab stepped up to take the penalty. His successful conversion put his side 6-2 in front.


Run up: The showboating sub, who had only been on the field for three minutes, runs up to the spot-kick


But manager UAE coach Srecko Katanec was so incensed that he substituted hauled him off the field to give him a dressing down.

Katanec said: ‘This penalty, I didn’t like it. We must respect players from other teams. In future, you don’t know what football will give you back.

'This is not respect. He’s a young guy and he knows he made a mistake immediately.

I just want him to show respect, not just on the field but off it as well.’

But the opposition manager did not have a problem with the spot-kick.
'I didn’t feel it was an insult,' Lebanon’s coach Emile Rustom said.


Is he mad? The other players look on in disbelief as the 21-year-old goes for the back heel


'This is a personal decision the player made and it has nothing to do with the way the UAE plays its football.'

The bizarre goal has become an internet hit - with legions of football fans heralding it as the 'best penalty ever'.

One internet user wrote: 'What a classic goal. He was pretty brave to attempt such an extravagant penalty.'

Another added: 'This was a courageous trick and the goalkeeper froze completely. Respect to the player.'

One said: 'How many times had he practised this one in training?'


Back of the net: The wrong-footed goalkeeper is left standing as the ball rolls over the line in the 7-2 drumming on Sunday




source: dailymail