The Greatest Substitute Appearances
Evening all, with the current global pandemic affecting as all around the globe, the lockdown situation we all find ourselves in is unprecedented and has left us with a lot of time at home that we wouldn’t usually have. We find ourselves doing odd jobs around the house, binge watching Netflix and constantly refreshing social media.
I am trying to use this time to do some writing, mainly for a little bit of a release but also it gives people something to read and hopefully lightens people’s day for a short time. This short blog is going to be on some of the greatest substitute appearances we have seen in football. I am inevitably going to miss some and id love for people to comment or contact me with the ones I have missed or wasn’t even aware about. Onto our first…
Mario Gotze 2014 World Cup
Picture the scene World Cup final in Rio and you are sat on the bench, 88th minute and your dream of playing in a world cup final is edging ever closer to ending. Then you get the nod! This is what Mario Gotze experienced, Low substitute Klose at this point and told Gotze ‘Show the world you are better than Messi and can decide a World Cup final’. This is exactly what he did, in the 113th minute of added time Gotze scored the only goal of the game, controlling an Andre Schurlle cross on his chest and volleying into the back of the net earning Germany the win and the World Cuo. Gotze was named Man of the Match and was the youngest player to score in a world cup final since fellow countryman Wolfgan Weber in 1966.
Sheringham and Solskjaer 1999
Champions League Final
Bayern Munich took an early lead on the 6 minute mark of the final and kept that lead for close to the entirety of the match. This most go down as one of the greatest comebacks in a final purely because of the tiny amount of time left in the game. Bayern were so close to winning the game officials had already put their colour ribbons on the trophy but to no avail. Two substitutes mid-way through the second half for Manchester United proved to be the difference in the game. 1-0 down in the 91st minute of the game David Beckham floats a corner into the box, a couple of failed clearances and a Giggs snapshot the ball falls to Sheringham in the box to sweep home an equaliser. 1-1! Less than 30 seconds after the kick off United manage to force another corner. Another Beckham corner floats in, a glancing header by Sheringham and Solskjaer is the fastest to react at the back post, poking the ball into the roof of the net. An unbelievable ending to what was an unbelievable treble winning season by THAT Manchester United team.
Robert Earnshaw vs Charlton 2005
This appearance makes in onto the blog for a few reasons, firstly any substitute hat trick is extremely impressive, secondly it kick started West Broms survival in an extremely tight relegation battle and thirdly it became one of the greatest pub quiz questions ever.
With the scores level at 1-1 and Charlton down to 10 men in the 64th minute Earnshaw was introduced. He hit the ground running and scored a hat trick in 20 minutes earning West Brom the win and eventually survival in the Premier League by a solitary point.
In scoring that hat trick Earnshaw became the first player to score a hattrick in the top for divisions of English football, the FA Cup, the League Cup and international level. And was born one of the greatest football trivia questions to date.
It wouldn’t be fair to talk about substitute appearances without mentioning the legend that is Peter Crouch. Coming on against Brighton Crouch made his 143rd substitute appearance overtaking Defoe. Crouch has scored 23 goals from the bench some being extremely critical to the outcome of the game. This blog came about after listen to That Peter Crouch podcast, the substitute episode and I wanted to do some research on some of the best sub appearances. I know Crouch wasn’t to pleased with the record but I think he should embrace it! Shows that people think he will change the game!
Please contact me with any other wonderful sub appearances, from any level of football, I want to here everything from Sunday League to Premier League. If you enjoyed this please share this to friends, family and anyone who loves football.
HalfTime Oranges 