Published on 12:00 AM, December 10, 2018

Saponara's crazy goal and crazier celebration

Sampdoria forward Riccadro Saponara scored an outrageous 99th-minute equaliser against Lazio, acrobatically flicking a long ball mid-air over the opposition goalkeeper. PHOTO: COLLECTED
Afp, Milan

Riccardo Saponara snatched a point for ten-man Sampdoria nine minutes into injury time in a thriller against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

Lazio had trailed for much of the game after veteran Fabio Quagliarella in the 21st minute before Francesco Acerbi restored parity in the 79th minute.

However, what followed was more outrageous as he took off his shirt, ran to the stands. PHOTO: COLLECTED

Sampdoria defender Bartosz Bereszynski was sent off in injury time with Ciro Immobile pulling a goal back from the spot four minutes later. But Saponara fired in a dramatic last-gasp equaliser nine minutes into stoppage time.

Saponara admitted his 99th-minute equaliser was “incredible. I ran to the Sampdoria fans and they tore all my clothes off!”

The creative midfielder came off the bench and Samp thought they had lost it when Ciro Immobile converted a 96th-minute penalty for 2-1.

Let the travelling fans strip him of the rest. PHOTO: COLLECTED

However, Saponara acrobatically flicked a long ball mid-air to lift it over Thomas Strakosha and his celebrations got a little out of hand.

“It was wonderful, as after the penalty we felt down, but on that last long ball, I just kept believing,” Saponara told DAZN.

“I saw the ball coming and closed my eyes on the lob, but when I opened them, I saw it had gone in. I ran to the fans behind the goal and they tore all my clothes off!"

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