Darren Bent recalls ‘freak’ Sunderland incident 15 years ago
Darren Bent has spoken about the famous beach ball Sunderland goal against Liverpool that still gets tongues wagging.
The incident occurred 15 years ago today (17 October) when a fifth-minute shot from Bent deflected off an inflatable and beyond a helpless Pepe Reina in the Liverpool goal.
To make matters worse (or better from a Sunderland perspective…), it proved to be the winning goal and it was later discovered to have been a Liverpool supporter who threw the ball onto the pitch.
Speaking on TalkSport, in quotes reported by the Sun, Bent recalled: “I speak about it all the time because the moment was a complete freak situation. Seriously, when have you ever previously seen a beachball thrown onto a pitch before the start of a football match? Balloons, toilet rolls . . . but a beachball?
“The moment I struck it and saw the ball deflect and go in, I ran off celebrating. I knew it hit something, my first instinct was it came off Liverpool defender Glen Johnson’s leg.
“The most frustrating part is I could and should have scored two or three more goals that day. We absolutely battered Liverpool but it just so happened it ended up being the winning goal.”
Would that Sunderland goal stand today?
Quite frankly, not a chance would that goal stand if it was to happen in the current game. Primarily down to VAR.
Mike Jones, the referee of the encounter between Sunderland and Liverpool that day, said that he believed the shot had deflected off of Johnson’s leg as opposed to the ball. Hence why the goal was confirmed. Of course, back in 2009, VAR wasn’t a thing so it was purely what officials saw at the time of it happening.
Jones was actually demoted down to the Championship the following week after the decision in a perhaps harsh move.
While you can certainly argue against VAR’s inclusion in modern-day football, it is fair to say many Liverpool fans will have been hoping it was operational on that day.
The incident obviously gained recognition across the country and actually ended up as a topic for a question on the gameshow ‘The Chase’ in which a contestant decided that it was actually an ice cream van that caused the shot to deflect past Reina…
In other Sunderland news, Sunderland’s most recent recruit Aaron Connolly has hit the ground running with three goals in two Under-21s appearances as he edges closer to match fitness.
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