The 91st is an OrlandoCitySC.com blog that aims to approach the worlds game with a laid-back and relaxed approach. We’ll cover a range of topics, including today's look at goalkeepers by Augie Corner. Would you like to submit a post idea or contribute yourself? Email us here.
Your keeper is your last line of defense. The player between the sticks. The one with the gloves. Catching and parrying and punching shots and crosses that enter the box. Eliminating danger when threats arise. An elite keeper can mitigate a broken down defense. Get a fingertip to a goal-bound strike. Stop a penalty kick. Collect a whipped in cross. Keepers decide matches.
A common denominator with all championship-winning teams: solid goalkeeping.
But go ask a youth soccer player who their favorite player or idol is. If they say a goalkeeper (highly doubtful) I would love to meet them! 99.9% of kids would say Messi, Ronaldo, Zlatan, Neymar, or another player with flair and a history of goals. People like goals; they like offense and stats and game-winners. This is why goalkeepers are a rare breed.
Just watch the disgust on any goalkeeper’s face when the ball hits the back of their net. You won’t be a successful keeper unless you hate seeing that ball cross the goal line. Keepers take goals against them personally. They have to. There is nothing more rewarding for a goalkeeper than a clean sheet (except maybe a penalty save, which would triumph).
But, as we know, goals happen. We wouldn’t love the sport if every game ended 0-0. Even keepers want their teams to score on the opposition! Oh yeah, don’t put it past a keeper to score a goal for themselves. Legendary Brazilian GK Rogerio Ceni has 131 career goals to his name. Ceni was considered a dead-ball specialist and was the official taker of penalties and free kicks for his entire career at Sao Paolo. That’s more goals than many strikers will ever tally during their careers.
Orlando City has a phenomenal history of top-quality goalkeeping.
Miguel Gallardo was a fan favorite when he played for the Lions back in their USL days from 2011-2014. Gallardo played a pivotal role in Orlando City’s multiple USL crowns in the 2011 and 2013 seasons. He is now a member of the Orlando City broadcast team.
Next up: Tally Hall. Hall was the Lions starter for their inaugural MLS season in 2015 and was beloved by OCSC fans and players alike. Hall retired from professional soccer last summer, but returned to Orlando and now serves the community as a police officer. First he protected the Orlando City goal, now he safeguards the city as a member of the police force.
And now, of course, we have Joe Bendik and Ashlyn Harris standing tall in goal. Bendik started every single game for the Lions of the 2016 campaign in his first season with the team. He won many accolades with the team in 2016: 11 “MLS Save of the Week” awards, the “MLS Save of the Year” award, and was voted by Orlando City fans as Player of the Year. Bendik and Orlando Pride goalkeeper Ashlynn Harris are having fine 2017 seasons and have both started every game thus far. Harris was named 2016 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year award, earned nine NWSL Save of the Week honors and was also named Fan Player of the Year.
The value of a keeper to a team is in a sense unmeasurable. Yes, you can count the saves and shutouts (and…goals scored? Thanks, Ceni). What can’t be put on the stat sheet is the confidence injected into the team when the keeper makes a match defining save. Or claims a lofted corner kick with authority. Players can play with assurance and dial in on their role within the team when their keeper is performing at an elite level.
Every team needs a foundation. Or, as I like to call it, a ‘spine’. The spine starts with the goalkeeper and moves up through the center backs, midfielders, and center forward. Without a strong goalkeeper, there is no spine. Without a spine, there is no team.
