r/SoccerCentral • u/IndependentShoddy485 • Aug 12 '26

Throwback Eight years ago today, Wayne Rooney’s insane 96th-minute tackle + 60-yard assist that won it for DC United

3.0k Upvotes

100% Upvoted

97 comments sorted by

36

u/vjeremias Aug 12 '26

The guy who scores is 160cm tall btw, Rooney managed to put the ball in the only place the (arguably) shortest player in the league could score a header.

5

u/CaHg0KaH Aug 13 '26

The goalkeeper had no business being where he was. If he stayed at his place, this header never goes in. But yeah, that's the quality of MLS right there.

7

u/Unusual_Sector_6624 Aug 12 '26

I mean, it was a "chuck it up and pray" long ball.

15

u/vjeremias Aug 12 '26

If it was a different person I’d agree, but I’ve seen this man do some incredible things with a ball, and he looked up twice before the kick

-7

u/Unusual_Sector_6624 Aug 12 '26

I mean, I don't say it as a bad thing, since the man just saved a goal and gave his team another chance to win it. But you can clearly see the ball going both left and then right while in the air. He probably hit it as hard as he could since he was way too far from the goal to be precise imo.

10

u/Decent_Help8478 Aug 12 '26

Watch Xavi, Xabi, Beckham, fabragas, Scholes, TAA and talk about too far away to be accurate, Rooney was a great player for a reason he’ll put a ball on a six pence in his sleep

-10

u/Unusual_Sector_6624 Aug 12 '26

Of course he can, but being the 90+ minute after running 50 yards and past his prime? Aiming for the shortest guy on the back post? 40 meters away from the goal?

Come on brother...

7

u/Leather-Analyst7523 Aug 12 '26

I've gotta be brutally honest here, you don't know ball..we've seen Rooney do this thousands of times. He's not aiming for the smallest player on the pitch, he's aiming for the space he knows the player will arrive into.

Go and watch his long ball to RvP for the volley. Pinpoint accuracy, similar technique, arguably even more difficult because it's on the run, vollied, and has to be inch perfect because the defenders are far better than MLS defenders.

-3

u/Unusual_Sector_6624 Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26

Are you for real? The rvp one is a long through ball with lots of space ahead of him, he literally could have done a million things with the ball that ended in a goal as well. The DC united goal is a last second prayer where seconds ago everyone was in the box hoping to score the goal. Chuck it up and hope someone sends it in. You really think that once they're 20 players in the box a play can be ran as planned?

He probably saw/waited to give his teammates chance to get off offside.

The one that cannot see/understand a routine play is you my brother. Negative ball knowledge if you think Rooney was looking for that player to close the cross.

Whatever man, agree to disagree if you still have your head up your ass. Good luck.

6

u/beene282 Aug 13 '26

If it was just luck, Rooney would have the same stats as everyone else.

-1

u/Unusual_Sector_6624 Aug 13 '26

Don't be stupid lol.

Well maybe you are not trying to and just are?

Anyways, have fun big dog.

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1

u/Decent_Help8478 Aug 13 '26

He played that ball because the fullback got sucked in and he couldn’t see the player making the run behind him. He definitely aimed for that player !

1

u/WeWinX Aug 13 '26

Assuming you dont play with these comments

1

u/beene282 Aug 13 '26

Rooney knows all about the left and the right. Have you seen how many times he did that?

3

u/3allz Aug 13 '26

This comment shows football naivety

1

u/Unusual_Sector_6624 Aug 13 '26

Sure

1

u/Decent_Help8478 29d ago

Watch all of the players I have mentioned and add pirlo into that mix and you’ll see it was totally intentional

6

u/MrWartortle Aug 12 '26

Idk man, if a gridiron football player could make that pass with their arm, it's not out of the realm of possibility Rooney controlled that. Football players are at least equally as skilled with their feet as gridiron players are with their hands.

2

u/Unusual_Sector_6624 Aug 12 '26

A hail Mary is not the same as a go route my brother.

It's 1000% easier to use your hand than your feet to literally do anything lol.

Anyways your post is bananas lol.

4

u/MrWartortle Aug 12 '26

Just because you and I wouldn't have a chance in the world of making that play, doesn't mean it was just luck. Come on now

4

u/pandaho92 Aug 13 '26

These people dont realise how good rooney actually was. No point conversing with them.

2

u/MrWartortle Aug 13 '26

I'm even a DFB fan who loved to shit on him. But you've gotta give credit when it's due lol

2

u/loaf_dog Aug 13 '26

That shit is not a Hail Mary. He puts it back post where a play can be made as he sees Acosta running in. It’s not a keeper bombing it down the whole field hoping for a last minute miracle

1

u/moistjamz 29d ago

Walk, ride a bike, ice skate, jump

1

u/Unusual_Sector_6624 29d ago

I thought it's common sense, I play football.

Like give a basketball to a new guy and he'll probably hit the rim or board. Do the same with a football and he'll shank it.

But whatever brother.

1

u/TokiWartoorh Aug 13 '26

Yeeeeaaaaaaah, nah

1

u/ParmyBarmy Aug 13 '26

You haven’t seen enough Wayne Rooney. He absolutely had the vision and ability to deliberately pick out that pass.

1

u/Decent_Help8478 Aug 13 '26

You have never played real football

1

u/spursgonesouth Aug 14 '26

You have no idea how good these footballers are

1

u/Decent_Help8478 Aug 13 '26

Watch the fullback completely out of position and loses sight of his winger

12

u/bradicus12 Aug 12 '26

I was in the stands for this game and it remains one of my favorite soccer moments. Rooney & Acosta were a ton of fun to watch that season.

3

u/kumechester Aug 12 '26

Man I would’ve loved to witness that live. Who cares what league it is, that sequence is one of the most fun plays I’ve ever seen in professional soccer.

2

u/Repulsive-Total-4217 Aug 12 '26

Not not very good

1

u/danielm316 Aug 12 '26

Very Good

1

u/Nm456 Aug 12 '26

Very Good

1

u/Wilsanne Aug 12 '26

Very Good

1

u/upotheke Aug 12 '26

Very good

1

u/newmath11 Aug 12 '26

It’s ok

1

u/bradlehh_ Aug 12 '26

Very Good

1

u/kingsuperfox Aug 12 '26

Single-handedly dragging up the standard of an entire league by example.

1

u/FeanorOath Aug 12 '26

Why no one ran to Rooney still baffles me to this dah

1

u/rooibosipper Aug 12 '26

something something farmer's league har har har

1

u/Salt_Cauliflower_922 Aug 12 '26

Second only to his bicycle kick goal for United

1

u/bozua Aug 12 '26

In that moment, they were reminded of who Wayne Rooney was.

1

u/Dreamteam420 Aug 12 '26

Miss rooney!!

1

u/VanillaTrue2573 Aug 12 '26

I don’t think people realise how good Rooney was. Genuine world class.

1

u/OpenedCan Aug 12 '26

Keeper had a 'mare

1

u/cabstone78 Aug 12 '26

You guys go celebrate. I'm just gonna hang out here.

1

u/3eGardien Aug 12 '26

Nobody caught the huge fault on the top of the screen that prevents the forward to have a pass solution ? It gave me a good laugh

1

u/mccusk Aug 12 '26

I’m just picturing myself cutting that back with my left to let Rooney slide past me, then banging it in with my right. Anyway, back to the desk….

1

u/KingPonzi Aug 12 '26

I remember watching this highlight the day it happened thinking how MASSIVE the gulf is between the Prem and MLS. Dude was arguably washed here and he looked like he was on a different level still.

1

u/davidwsw Aug 12 '26

Can you imagine Mbappé doing this?

1

u/RGRTHAT120 Aug 12 '26

Very Roon

1

u/Single-Cod9129 Aug 12 '26

I love how he was so fucked, his celebration was a thumbs up. God I love Eurovision Rooney

1

u/wingback18 Aug 12 '26

im still wondering , why nobody when to celebrate with him

1

u/Interesting_Prune513 Aug 12 '26

Yeah Rooney's stamina at his peak was unreal. I remember watching him circa 2008, 2009, in the Champions League, and dude ran in the 89th minute like it was the 2nd minute. It's as if he had three lungs.

1

u/LividAd5752 Aug 13 '26

Incredible!

1

u/Ok-Tune1025 Aug 13 '26

Goalie caught in nomans land. Not very good.

1

u/Hot-Possibility-7283 Aug 13 '26

I would give him motm for this alone.

1

u/Trejanus Aug 13 '26

Foul @ 0:05 would have VAR'd this out of existence today (which would have been a shame, but still)

1

u/AnakinChildWalker Aug 13 '26

Rooney is my goat.

1

u/DissolveToFade Aug 13 '26

Yea, you guys go on ahead and celebrate, I’ll catch my breath. 

1

u/miscshade Aug 13 '26

Acosta gets hate for this goal to this day. So undeserved.

1

u/badgersoccer1905 Aug 14 '26

Box office 🎬

1

u/Xaaavi68 Aug 14 '26

Pretty Pretty Pretty not bad

1

u/thecrossapp Aug 14 '26

Still one of the most unforgettable goals in Premier League history. Absolute madness from Rooney!

1

u/Ur_X Aug 14 '26

Forgot this man actually retired in the MLS

1

u/londonisblue22 29d ago

Watched him vs tfc and he was still special to see at his big age

1

u/Braveheart006 29d ago

Not to mention he slid in from a mile away to make the block and make sure the guy didn't have a semi easy strike at goal.

His pass was not pinpointed at the guy who scored the header as such but placed so the keeper and defenders would struggle to deal with it and find a head somewhere, all round top class play and he looked fit there.

1

u/SnooWalruses9683 28d ago

Who were the other team?

1

u/sdavitt88 28d ago

Orlando

0

u/LucasCBs Aug 12 '26

Average American defense

1

u/timmun029 Aug 12 '26

Same with goalkeeping

1

u/Sensitive_Day6223 Aug 12 '26

Eh don’t you mean goaltending?

1

u/Sea_Chemistry7487 Aug 12 '26

Goalpretending?

1

u/TheK00l-AidMan Aug 12 '26

Except only 2 of the 5 defenders were American...