Since Salut! Sunderland has always been a champion of women’s football, it seems fitting to post the clip of Stephanie Roche’s wonder goal for Peamont United, the Irish club for which she then played, against Wexford Youths.
The control, skill and timing of Steph’s volleyed strike, thanks to amateur footage taken at the match in the inexplicable absence of SKY, earned her a place on the Fifa shortlist for goal of the year. Special Word Cup goals by Colombia’s James Rodriguez and Robin van Persie of the Netherlands are also included; Rodriguez and RVP should be flattered by the company of the young Irishwoman.
And Steph is now playing professionally in France, for ASPTT Albi, north of Toulouse.
I believe you can vote for your favourite at Fifa.com and francefootball.fr. If Steph succeeds, she will be the first female winner of the Puskas award, in Zurich on January 12.
Add up all the clips of the goal of YouTube and it has now been seen more than three millions time, plus fabulous exposure on news bulletins. There’s been some predictable dismissive comment – “only women’s football”, “look at the standard of defending” – but, overwhelmingly, heaps of praise, led by Matt Le Tissier, not a bad striker of the ball himself.
And the Irish Examiner wrote: “Her sensational goal in the 6-1 win at Wexford Youths came when she controlled a right-wing cross, twice flicked the ball over her marker before unleashing a 30-yard cracker into the top corner. Seldom are games in the Bus Éireann Women’s National League recorded but, luckily, a camera was there to capture one of Irish football’s magic moments of the year.”
If it were April 1, I’d say she’s on the bench for Sunderland tonight. But then she’s a Man Utd fan.
Brave Steph: Merde à la puissance treize en France (good luck being the polite translation).
FINALISTAS PREMIO PUSKÁS FIFA 2014 Nominados: Stephane ROCHE JAMES Rodríguez Robin VAN PERSIE pic.twitter.com/HpKwGl1Lxd
— EL FÚTBOL DE FOFUX? (@FofuxoFutbolero) December 1, 2014
