It’s been almost a week since Mariana Larroquette scored that goal in the final minutes of Kansas City’s tie at NJ/NY Gotham, and it’s still the talk of the town around the National Women’s Soccer League.
The Kansas City forward’s sensational strike from 28-yards out at Red Bull Arena last Friday was the type of audacious effort that had KC head coach Huw Williams thinking to himself “No, no … yes, yes!”’ as the ball sailed through the air.
Trailing behind Larroquette’s run, the shot had teammate Lo LaBonta already celebrating before the ball had even hit the back of the net.
The goal earned so much attention that it found its way to SportsCenter’s Top 10, coming in at No. 5 on Saturday.
“All she saw was net,” LaBonta laughed Thursday morning.
It’s the most explosive goal Kansas City has scored since it rejoined the NWSL this season. It’s a goal of the year candidate and will rightfully be in the conversation come the end of the year.
It all began with the high-pressing midfield on Kansas City in the final minutes of the game.
LaBonta and substitute Jaycie Johnson pushed Gotham from the KC defensive third all the way back into Gotham’s half by hounding the Gotham midfield.
The ball eventually fell to Gotham left back Imani Dorsey, whose weak back pass was intercepted by Larroquette.
“I love playing with Larro because I think we play very similarly, in terms of we’re there to press immediately,” LaBonta said. “So she saw that Jaycie and I were pressing, and she went to that next player and the press worked, she got a touch.”
Larroquette dinked the ball past Gotham centerback Estelle Johnson, but what she did next no one expected.
“I saw the player come behind, chasing me,” Larroquette said, referencing Dorsey who was trying to track back and recover the ball.
The Argentinian forward took a quick glance up the field, taking in her surroundings as she sprinted toward her touch down the right side of the field.
“I saw that the other winger on our team was really far and knew that the goalkeeper was stepping up in the space there, and so I made the decision to strike,” she said.
The shot seemed to go in slow motion. Up and up and up, raising over the outstretched arms of Gotham goalkeeper Amanda McGlynn.
“She knew exactly what she was doing,” Williams said. “Whether she was going to be able to execute it … I was not as confident as she was.”
Just in time, the ball quickly dipped under the crossbar and into the top left corner to tie the game 1-1.
“When she ripped that ball I knew it was going in, and I knew she knew it was going in,” LaBonta said. “When I saw her wind up, I was already getting ready for it, whether it was prematurely or not.”
Larroquette said she’s scored a couple of other wonder goals in her lifetime. LaBonta said she sees Larroquette do “crazy stuff” in practice all the time. But for the precision, timing, and importance to the game, Larroquette thinks this goal is the best of her career.
Larroquette has also never been asked about a single goal as much as she has been about this one in the past week.
“No, never before,” Larroquette laughed. “I’m really happy about this, but this also makes me want to play harder and be better every day.”