We experienced our first upset in Day 6 of the 2011 Goal of the Year Tournament as #3 Cory Gibbs diving header on May 28 vs. San Jose narrowly beat out #2 Jalil Anibaba’s looping header on October 22 vs. Columbus. The result moves Gibbs to the final of the Klopas Bracket where he’ll take on #1 Dominic Oduro’s winner on August 30 vs. Richmond on Friday, November 11.
2011 FIRE GOTY - Day 7 - Which goal was better?
TODAY’S MATCHUP:
Jalil Anibaba will look to redeem himself following yesterday’s narrow defeat as #1 long-range effort “through the guise of smoke” on March 30 vs. Colorado goes up against #4 Dominic Oduro’s late winner on September 17 vs. Chivas USA. The winner moves on to face #2 Sebastian Grazzini’s Capital Comeback equalizer on October 15 at DC United in the Armas Bracket Final to be played Monday, November 14.
The second of two entries to begin the tournament, rookie defender Jaill Anibaba wrote a special moment just three games into his professional career with this winner in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup qualifying match on March 30 vs. Colorado in Peoria, IL. Having given up an equalizer just after halftime, a mysterious fog started to waft over Bradley University’s Shea Stadium around the 55th minute of play. Perhaps recognizing the hazy view for Rapids goalkeeper Ian Joyce, Anibaba collected a square ball at midfield from Michael Videira and pushed up the right before unleashing his famous “improbable, impossible” 40-yard blast inside the near post right in front of the traveling support from Section 8 Chicago.
His last of four entries in the Goal of the Year Tournament, Dominic Oduro’s winner on September 17 vs. Chivas USA might have been the easiest of the 14 he scored in 2011. Having taken a 2-0 lead before Cory Gibbs’ sending off in the 37th minute, the Fire allowed Chivas two second half goals to equalize. In a great example of the consummate team goal, Gonzalo Segares forced a turnover at midfield before feeding Patrick Nyarko up the left. The Ghanaian took the ball in stride before playing a combination with second half substitute Diego Chaves that put him into the Chivas box. Having beaten the last defender, Nyarko slid a ball across the penalty area for the onrushing Oduro who tapped in an easy finish past Goats keeper Dan Kennedy to become the first Fire player to hit double-digit goals since Damani Ralph in 2004 and to give his side what seemed an unlikely 3-2 victory.
Vote for your favorite goal by 11:59pm CT tonight at the poll to the right.
Click hereto view the updated 2011 Chicago Fire Goal of the Year bracket ordownload as a PDF. Visit our 2011 Goal of the Year page here.
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