Lorient ahead Armand Lauriente netted a bona fide Puskas Award contender because the 22-year-old star scored a physics-defying free-kick in his staff’s conflict with Nantes on Sunday.
Along with his staff 1-Zero down contained in the final 5 minutes of a vital assembly on the fallacious finish of Ligue 1, Lauriente stepped up for a free-kick with the ball a full 40 yards from aim.
Regardless of his teammates and opposition defenders being lined up for a possible cross into the field, Lauriente proceeded to hammer a viciously dipping free-kick past the attain of despairing Nantes ‘keeper Alban Lafont and into the web.
Wtf… Is that this actual?! ?
That is an unbelievable 87th-min free-kick through Lorient’s 22yo ahead Armand Lauriente.#FCNFCL #Ligue1
pic.twitter.com/CM7I6aE0Cq
— Sacha Pisani (@Sachk0) March 21, 2021
The unbelievable effort earned Lorient a significant level to maintain them outdoors the Ligue 1 drop zone – and despatched social media right into a spin.
“Wtf… Is that this actual?!” tweeted one soccer author, sharing the outstanding strike.
? Le résumé vidéo du #FCNFCL (1-1)
? https://t.co/AV9XQljbHG pic.twitter.com/LGu4DNLurR— FC LORIENT ? (@FCLorient) March 22, 2021
“Give the Puskas Award to Lorient’s Armand Lauriente,” wrote a fan.
Equally astounded, soccer presenter Nico Cantor added: “That is the epitome of a GOLAZO…and even so, I believe ‘GOLAZO’ is just too weak of a qualitative time period to affiliate with this strike.”
That is the epitome of a GOLAZO…and even so, I believe ‘GOLAZO’ is just too weak of a qualitative time period to affiliate with this strike.
Armand Laurienté, monsieur, you could have shattered the bar for Golazo expectations ? ?? pic.twitter.com/XTzJZ53rBW
— Nico Cantor (@Nicocantor1) March 21, 2021
“Armand Lauriente’s aim as we speak towards Nantes is by far and away the best aim I’ve ever watched reside. Unbelievable participant,” crowed one other observer.
Extremely, some followers laid the blame on the foot of Nantes ‘keeper Lafont for not doing higher with the strike.
“What is the keeper doing there?” requested one fan, whereas one other wrote: “The ball was within the air for about 10 minutes. The goalkeeper had time to make a cup of tea, shuffle his ft throughout and make a easy catch.”
What? The ball was within the air for about 10 minutes. The goalkeeper had time to make a cup of tea, shuffle his ft throughout and make a easy catch.
— Glyn Sexton (@glynster61) March 21, 2021
Nevertheless, many noticed shades of Brazilian free-kick maestros Roberto Carlos and Juninho Pernambucano – the latter of whom is claimed to have scored an astonishing 77 free-kicks throughout his two-decade profession.
It’s Juninho Pernambucano’s birthday, so right here he’s nonchalantly pinging free-kicks like he’s scratching his arse on a Sunday afternoon.pic.twitter.com/SwmAWor1cX
— A Humorous Outdated Sport (@sid_lambert) January 30, 2021
The highly-rated Lauriente joined Lorient completely from Rennes final yr, having had a spell on mortgage on the membership.
Primarily deployed for granted winger, he’s managed three strikes in 22 league appearances so far this marketing campaign, and shall be essential to his staff’s probabilities of avoiding relegation.
In October, FC Lorient President @LoicFery advised Get French Soccer Information that Armand Laurienté (22) was doubtless going to be among the best gamers that the membership had had beneath his possession… he’s been emphatic within the final four video games, ranges vs Nantes in key relegation battle conflict.
— Get French Soccer Information (@GFFN) March 21, 2021
Final week, Lauriente was known as as much as the French Below-21s squad for the upcoming European Championship group stage video games.