Joe Gomez has finally found the net for Liverpool after more than a decade at Anfield – and he chose one hell of a moment to do it!
The Liverpool defender has given everything to this club since arriving from Charlton Athletic in 2015, but one thing had always been missing from his Anfield career: a goal.
That wait finally came to an end against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, although there is one small detail to clear up. Gomez’s historic strike came in the penalty shootout rather than during the match itself.
279 Appearances and Finally a Goal!
Gomez has made 279 appearances for Liverpool without scoring a goal in normal play. For a player who has spent so long at the club, that is quite an extraordinary statistic.
He has experienced the highest highs and some difficult injury setbacks along the way, but he has remained a committed servant of Liverpool Football Club.
On Wednesday night, with the pressure mounting in the shootout against Chelsea, Gomez stepped up and smashed his penalty into the roof of the net.
It was a brilliant finish, and it proved decisive as Liverpool won the shootout 6-5 to book their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Chelsea’s Wesley Fofana then blazed his penalty over the crossbar, leaving Anfield celebrating another cup victory.
Does It Count, Joe?
Gomez himself saw the funny side of the moment, joking on social media: “Does that count?”
Well, Joe, officially it won’t go down as a goal in his competitive playing statistics because penalty shootout strikes are recorded separately.
But as far as Liverpool supporters are concerned, we are more than happy to give him this one!
After more than 10 years waiting for that moment, he deserves his name in the headlines. And if you are going to score your first goal in a Liverpool shirt, doing it in front of the Kop to help send your team through in a penalty shootout is not a bad way to do it.
A Proper Liverpool Servant
Gomez has often had to play second fiddle to other defenders, cover different positions and battle his way back from injuries. He has never had the goalscoring reputation of a centre-forward, but his value to Liverpool has never depended on finding the net.
He has helped the club through some memorable years and has been part of a team that has won major honours. His versatility and willingness to do a job wherever required have made him a useful member of the squad.
Now he has another memorable Anfield moment to add to his Liverpool story.
My verdict: Joe Gomez might have taken more than a decade to get his first Liverpool goal, but he certainly made it count when the pressure was on.
It wasn’t a goal during the 90 minutes, but it was a penalty that helped win the shootout and send Liverpool into the next round. I’ll happily celebrate that with him!
Congratulations, Joe. You’ve earned it.
Jamie – (The Kopite View)
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