In Day 7 of the 2011 Goal of the Year Tournament, #1 Jalil Anibaba’s “improbable, impossible” long-range effort on March 30 vs. Colorado easily downed #4 Dominic Oduro’s consummate team game-winning goal on September 17 vs. Chivas USA. The result moves Anibaba to the final of the Armas Bracket where he’ll take on #2 Sebastian Grazzini’s Capital Comeback equalizer from October 15 next Monday, November 14.
2011 FIRE GOTY - Day 8 - Which goal was better?
TODAY’S MATCHUP:
The final first-round matchup of the tournament features #1 Sebastian Grazzini’s late curler from October 12 vs. FC Dallas going up against #4 Diego Chaves’ stunning Capital Comeback winner from October 15 at DC United. The winner will advance to next Tuesday’s Kubik Bracket final where they’ll face Marco Pappa’s individual effort from March 26 vs. Sporting KC.
In what was one of the more forgettable matches of the season, Sebastian Grazzini’s late consolation goal made a nice reprieve. Trailing 2-0 in the 53rd minute and lacking much rhythm, things got worse 11 minutes from time when midfielder Pavel Pardo was sent off for a hard challenge on Ricardo Villar. Playing a man down, the Grazzini found a goal when in the 86th minute his free kick from the left pinged around the box before falling to Orr Barouch at the top of the area. The Israeli youth international squared a ball back to Grazzini who cut into the box before curling a right footed effort from the left around Dallas keeper Kevin Hartman and inside the opposite side post.
Another one of those late “team goals”, this one will be memorable no matter what the result of today’s matchup comes to be. Having conceded a penalty to United minutes before, defender Gonzalo Segares assisted on Grazzini’s 92nd minute equalizer. The Costa Rican international contributed again as he played a combination with Barouch at midfield before the on-loan striker chipped a ball back into his run. Segares met the lobbed pass at the end line, crossing in desperation as he found a streaking Diego Chaves who outpaced United defender Marc Burch to finish into an empty net and bring the Fire’s postseason hopes back from the brink.
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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