Seattle destroyed Cal FC last night, and although we all got caught up in the drama of an Eric Wynalda-led amateur side collecting the other guy’s Magic cards, that story will fade into the U.S. Open Cup annals, relegated to a dust-bearing wing just within reach of the echoing clamor that celebrates the event’s winners.
Goals, however, are singular, uncomplicated, and survive beyond context. They need only be cool, and Osvaldo Alonso’s second goal last night was freakin’ cool:
I’ll admit that one of my first reactions to seeing that goal was “Dude, you’re up 4-0. Do you really need to do that?” But I don’t think there’s much in that. I can’t put myself in Alonso’s mind and see him thinking “Now it’s time to rub it in.”
It’s an amazing piece of skill from a player who’s known more from his steel than technique. It was his second goal of the night (having scored from the spot to open Seattle’s account), and for those who follow Seattle and Alonso closely, it’s a strike that’s unlikely to be forgotten.