By Canadian Press

Anatomy of a goal: TFC’s Alejandro Pozuelo pulls the strings in 26-second beauty

Mar 30, 2019 | 10:04 AM

Toronto FC’s first goal against New York City FC took a header, eight passes and a clinical finish.

And Spanish debutante Alejandro Pozuelo was at the heart of it.

It started in the 29th minute Friday night when Toronto defender Chris Mavinga headed away a NYCFC cross sent into his penalty box. The ball went to the edge of the box where winger Nick DeLeon checked it back to Auro.

The Brazilian fullback found Michael Bradley in space and the captain turned to start the attack with a pass to Pozuelo who had dropped deep to get the ball. Pozuelo saw Jonathan Osorio to his left and hit a left-footed pass.

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Osorio headed north, then sent the ball back to Pozuelo at midfield. The Spaniard, seeing both Osorio and striker Jozy Altidore ahead of him between the NYCFC midfield and defence, found Osorio with a right-footed pass.

As the Canadian midfielder headed towards goal, two defenders started frantically backtracking. A third moved towards Altidore and then turned back, knowing the big man was going past him.

As one defender headed towards Osorio, Pozuelo streaked past and Osorio gave him the ball back. The Spaniard angled left into the penalty box, turning Swedish international defender Anton Tinnerholm into a pretzel.

At this stage, goalkeeper Sean Johnson and six NYCFC players in the vicinity were riveted on Pozuelo. One of them was Alexander Callens who had switched his focus away from Altidore. The Peruvian international defender squared up, his arms behind him to avoid handball, anticipating a Pozuelo shot.

On the other side of the box, a wide-open Altidore signalled for the ball. Pozuelo angled it over to him with his left foot, his mental protractor right on target, and Altidore deflected it in with one touch of his right foot.

It took 26 seconds.

There was plenty more Pozuelo to savour in the 4-0 victory. The 27-year-old playmaker scored via a Panenka (named after Czech player Antonín Panenka) from the penalty spot in the 58th minute, cheekily chipping the ball into the middle of the goal — a soccer change-up, if you will.

His goal celebration took him to the southeast corner of BMO Field under a sign that read “Lovely Day for a Victory.” He pulled back his right sleeve and kissed a tattoo in honour of his grandfather Manolo and then sank to his knees in prayer at the corner flag.

And there was another beauty in the 78th minute after Osorio found Pozuelo at the edge of the penalty box. The Spaniard paused, as if to review his options. There were seven NYCFC players including the ‘keeper in the box so he opted for a left-footed moonshot of a chip that sent the six-foot-three Johnson scrambling in vain to track it down.

As the ball sailed into the far top corner of the goal, Altidore put his hands on his head in disbelief.

A poor display by the New York City defence helped set the stage for Pozuelo’s heroics. But the former KRC Genk captain came as advertised.

The first goal played right into the TFC wheelhouse, one- or two-touch passing at pace. Players involved were hardly challenged because the ball moved so fast.

There were some bumps leading up to it, however. Pozuelo showed some minor frustration early on when he did not get the ball when he wanted it. He started coming back to get the ball and his teammates soon caught on.

The relationship between Pozuelo and Osorio is already bubbling nicely.

After the game, Pozuelo was happy and grateful — thanking his new teammates, coach, GM, president and the fans in the stands. 

“I never dreamed this night,” he said.

Off the field, the Spaniard is a modest package seemingly full of common sense.

Asked at his introductory news conference why he chose Toronto over a Saudi Arabian club, he said simply that he didn’t think his family would enjoy the lifestyle there and while the money was good, the football wasn’t very interesting.

Asked after Friday’s game if he had been nervous, he replied: “No, no, no. Because it’s football. In football you need to enjoy, to go on the pitch without nerves. Because nerves in the life is only when you have problems. So in the football, you need to enjoy, to relax and play.”

Interestingly. both coach Greg Vanney and Bradley — while praising Pozuelo — chose to frame Friday’s victory as a fine team effort. While true, it seemed to be a conscious effort to remind listeners that one man and one game do not make a team or season.

It also served as somewhat of a verdict on former TFC fan favourite Sebastian Giovinco, a mercurial Italian who had no problems taking his talents to Saudi Arabia.

Written between the lines is there is no more cult of personality at TFC.

Unlike Giovinco, Pozuelo does not seem likely to open the doors to his extensive sneaker collection to “Hallo! Canada.” The 27-year-old Spaniard appears to want to do his job without fanfare, be at one with his teammates and, in his words, enjoy his football.

The fans already are.

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@Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press