Goalkeeper Santiago Ramírez scored an absurd long-range goal to cap off a wild semifinal between his Atlético Morelia team and Celaya in Mexico’s Liga de Expansión.
Trailing 2-1 in the second leg and 3-2 on aggregate, Celaya threw everything forward in a desperate attempt to find an equalizer in stoppage time.
That included goalkeeper Allison Revuelta, who for a brief moment looked as though he had made himself the hero by getting on the end of a cross with his head.
However, he ended up inadvertently assisting Ramírez for his near length-of-the-pitch goal as his soft headed effort dropped kindly into his opposite number’s hands.
With Revuelta and the rest of his teammates attempting to run back to their unguarded goal, Ramírez let fly with a booming kick out of his hands that sent the ball into the opposition net, bouncing just twice in the penalty area on the way.
The goal sparked wild scenes in the away end and in the dugout, as it secured Morelia’s place in the final of the Clausura – the tournament in the second half of the league season – with a 4-2 aggregate victory.
It was a fitting end to a chaotic game that featured five red cards – two for Celaya and three for Morelia – and four goals.
Morelia will play the first leg of the final against CD Tapatío on Wednesday, with the winner going on to play Atlante – the winner of the season-opening Apertura tournament – in the Champion of Champions final.
