Cleiton Xavier scores incredible goal from restart

Metalist Kharkiv’s Cleiton Xavier had the guts to try the improbable, and it turns out it paid off in a big way.

As the ref was about to whistle for play to begin, the Brazilian free kick specialist noticed that the Chornomorets keeper was off his line and acted quickly. After yelling to his teammates to get out of the way, he struck the ball perfectly from the center circle and ended up tying the game.

After the match, a 3-1 Metalist victory, Ukraine national team coach Myron Markevich told him “You made history. This was the goal that Pele was never able to do.”

Some quick-thinking and precise execution made for this incredible moment that Xavier and those in attendance won’t forgot.

Mar

There are bad tackles, and then there is this.

Ukrainian player Taras Stepanenko nearly karate-kicked a Moldovan defender’s head off with one of the most dangerous plays we’ve ever seen. Stepanenko was very rightfully given a straight red card for this horrific challenge, and we have a feeling this won’t be the last we hear about it.

Nov

Wednesday’s Ukrainian Cup match turned PPV Boxing as Tavriya goalkeeper Serhiy Pohorilyi delivered a vicious left-hook to Vorskla’s Artem Hromov’s face.

We must commend Hromov’s iron chin. Given soccer player’s propensity to stop, drop and roll, Hromov earns a star in our book.

Sep

Straight out of Odessa: a crazed fan attacks the ref all Homer Simpson-style after the Chernomorets - Metalist game. (For the record, the two-handed choke is only funny if the people involved are two-dimensional and yellow in hue.) Seven cops and stewards were required to get the guy off the pitch; Ukrainian soccer authorities were not amused.