It is a moment that will be talked about by West Ham United supporters for generations to come.
Three goals down at Tottenham Hotspur with eight minutes of the 90 left to play on this day in 2020, West Ham looked dead and buried. But Fabián Balbuena’s header and a Davinson Sánchez own-goal gave the visitors hope.
It was hope that Manuel Lanzini cashed in on with a quite magnificent leveller in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Aaron Cresswell’s wide free-kick was headed out to Lanzini, who paid no attention to Harry Winks closing in, fading an unstoppable first time 25-yard shot beyond Hugo Lloris’ reach and into the top corner via the underside of the crossbar, sparking wild celebrations on the pitch and in the Hammers' technical area and dugout.
“I didn’t think anything, I just shot, and man it was so good!” he smiled.
It will be remembered as a fine individual strike, but Lanzini was quick to point out the role Angelo Ogbonna played in disrupting Harry Winks’ attempts to block his path to goal.
“Angelo did a good job because he gave me the time to shoot and put the ball there,” he said. “Maybe Winks could block without that.”
The Tottenham man could not get there, though, with an unforgettable result, and Lanzini rates the goal as the finest he has ever netted: “It was a difficult shot, the first goal I’ve scored like that in my career. We were 3-0 down and had nothing to lose. It’s probably the best goal I’ve ever scored!”
