Diego Gómez had plenty to take home from a thumping 5-0 win over Crystal Palace, but one moment will travel further than the result. The Paraguayan midfielder struck from distance in the seventh minute, catching Walter Benítez well off his line with a finish of rare nerve and precision.
It was already his side’s second goal of the afternoon, yet it was the one that stopped the game in its tracks. A Palace mistake in midfield opened the door, and Gómez did not wait around for a second invitation.
Quick facts
- Gómez scored in the seventh minute of the 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace.
- The goal was his team’s second of the match.
- It followed a turnover in the centre of the pitch after Palace lost possession.
- Walter Benítez had moved away from his goal when Gómez spotted the chance.
- Gómez used an assured first touch before sending a long-range effort into the net.
After collecting the loose ball, Gómez shaped his control forward and looked up. Benítez’s advanced position offered a tempting target, and the midfielder sent an ambitious strike over the goalkeeper and into the goal.
There is a long campaign still to be played, with plenty of room for spectacular finishes to come. Even so, Gómez’s effort has put down an early marker in the conversation for goal of the season.
For Palace, it was another painful moment in a heavy defeat. For Gómez, it was the sort of goal that turns a comfortable victory into an afternoon supporters will remember.
