semi-final against Arsenal has been voted by you
as the best Match of the Day goal of the last 50
years.
The Manchester United midfielder's winning strike
was chosen by BBC pundit Alan Shearer as the
goal of the 1990s and has now been chosen by
you as the best of the past five decades.
A BBC panel looked at every Match of the Day goal
of the season since it started back in 1970 and
chose five goals - one for each decade - for you to
vote on.
The vote opened during Football Focus on
Saturday and ran until full-time in the FA Cup final.
You will be able to vote on the BBC website.
Here are the goals chosen, listed in the order they
were voted in.
1: 1990s: Appetite, attitude and ability - 32%
Alan Shearer's goal of the 1990s: Ryan Giggs for
Manchester United against Arsenal in 1999.
With 11 minutes remaining in extra time of the
1999 FA Cup semi-final replay, Ryan Giggs took
on the entire Arsenal defence. He jinked past four
defenders and smashed the ball past a helpless
David Seaman to set up a final with Newcastle
United.
Shearer said: "The great players deliver at the vital
moments in the really big matches and this is one
of them. It stands out not just because of the
quality of the run, past four players, and Giggs's
outstanding finish, but because of what it meant in
that match and what it led to in Manchester
United's treble-winning season in 1998-99.
"This goal is not just a brilliant individual one, it
was massively important for that team. It won the
FA Cup semi-final replay in extra time against
United's main rivals at the time. Giggs's
celebration is also a memorable one and the whole
moment sums up his appetite, attitude and ability."
2: 2000s: An iconic Premier League moment
- 27%
Phil Neville's goal of the 2000s: Paolo Di Canio
for West Ham against Wimbledon in 2000.
Wimbledon lose the ball cheaply and Marc-Vivien
Foe recycles possession out to Trevor Sinclair on
the right wing. Sinclair has time to look up and
measure a deep cross to the back post. Driven
hard and flat, the ball arcs over the head of
Wimbledon centre-back Kenny Cunningham and
Paolo Di Canio attacks. The Italian meets the ball
on the full, both feet off the ground, connecting
with the outside of his right boot and blasting the
ball past Neil Sullivan and into the corner. Simple
really.
Neville said: "It's one of the best goals of all time.
It was a unique strike, the technique to hit the ball
across his body with both feet off the floor was
special. There have been great volleyers of the ball
like Mark Hughes or Marco van Basten but that
was a brilliant strike from a wonderful crossfield
ball.
"Di Canio had to watch the ball come 40 yards
through the air, time it right and then get a
sensational connection.
"The defenders and goalkeeper could do nothing
about that goal. I blame keepers for a lot of goals
but that was just a perfect goal. If it was scored
against me I would have been tempted to applaud
it.
"Didier Drogba scored against Everton with a
superb goal once, he took it on his chest and
smashed it in from 30 yards and I just had to
stand there and admire it. Sometimes you are on
the pitch for a moment like that and even if you
lose the game you think 'at least I can tell my
grandchildren that I played in that game'. That
must be how the Wimbledon and West Ham
players think about that Di Canio goal.
"It summed him up as a player. He was a man
who could produce moments of brilliance with
great individual technique. There are great goals
every season in the Premier League but the really
great goals are the ones which will be played for
years and years to come.
"That goal will be on the credits for Match of the
Day in 30 years' time. They do not come around
very often! It was a special goal, an iconic
moment."
3: 2010s: Spectacular acrobatics - 22%
Guy Mowbray's goal of the 2010s: Wayne Rooney
for Manchester United v Manchester City in 2011.
Wayne Rooney's spectacular late overhead kick in
2011 earned Manchester United a 2-1 win over
rivals Manchester City.
Mowbray said: "I love the 30-yard blasters. I stand
and applaud the 30-pass team efforts. The goals
that I can watch over and over again though, are
the ones that you very rarely see - the different
ones. That's why I've got to go for Wayne
Rooney's spectacular acrobatics that won the
Manchester derby in February 2011.
"It's not only the speed of thought and the
incredible technique that makes the goal extra
special - it's the timing of it, the context, the
importance, the lot. 1) Rooney's winner at Old
Trafford put Manchester United back on track for a
title they'd eventually win, one week after a shock
defeat at Wolves. 2) It was a key moment in the
player getting fully back onside with United fans,
after rumblings of wanting to leave earlier in the
season. 3) It secured a derby win that left City
struggling in the title race, and beaten in a game
they'd had much the better of.
"Above all though, it's just one of those once in a
career goals that only a few experience. Rooney
said immediately after the game that it was
"definitely the best goal" he'd scored. I'd be
amazed if he ever gets a better one. I'd be less
surprised if anyone was injured trying to copy it!"
4: 1970s: 'The crowd are invading the pitch'
- 10%
John Motson's goal of the 1970s: Ronnie Radford
for Hereford v Newcastle in 1972.
Ronnie Radford wrote his name into FA Cup
folklore. Non-league Hereford were the archetypal
underdogs as they took on the might of top-flight
Newcastle United in the third-round replay.
A tidy one-two with Brian Owen set up Radford to
unleash a 35-yard strike past Newcastle
goalkeeper Willie McFaul to take the tie into extra
time. Cue an excitable 26-year-old John Motson
on commentary: "Oh, what a goal! What a goal!
Radford the scorer... and the crowd are invading
the pitch." Ricky George's extra-time winner
ensured Hereford pulled off a famous win and
Newcastle went out.
Motson said: "It is an iconic goal and led to what
is probably the greatest all-time shock in the FA
Cup. It was my first commentary match for Match
of the Day as well. The match was meant to be a
formality, which is why I was given it, but it
changed into an unforgettable national occasion.
"Not only was it a great day for Hereford, it was
also a great day for me. That win against
Newcastle helped make my name as a
commentator and helped me get where I am today.
I feel like I owe a lot to Hereford for that giant
killing. I have dined out on them often over the
last 30 years. It was a strike from about 40 yards
in the mud."
5: 1980s: Sharp's derby drive - 8%
Mark Lawrenson's goal of the 1980s: Graeme
Sharp for Everton against Liverpool in 1984.
Everton, without a league title since 1970, were a
resurgent force under Howard Kendall. When
Graeme Sharp skipped away from Mark Lawrenson
and smashed a 30-yard drive beyond Bruce
Grobbelaar, Everton had a first win at Anfield in 14
years and sent a clear warning that they were
genuine title contenders. They went on to win the
First Division by 13 points from their city rivals.
Lawrenson said: "It came from a long ball forward
from Gary Stevens which came over my head. I
always swear that Graeme was offside but, even
though he had got the wrong side of me, I
remember thinking 'well if he goes to run with it I
will catch him easily' - in those days I was
supposedly quick.
"When he went to hit it, I thought 'that's alright,
Brucie will deal with that' but it was an absolute
wonder-strike. Sharpie was a great player, who
never got as much praise as he should have done,
but he never scored another goal like that either.
much it propelled Everton forwards. Before then,
they had not won at Anfield since they won the
title in 1970. That goal gave them massive belief
that they could go on and win it again - which
they did. We already knew they were the new team
challenging us, but we realised then that they
meant business, and just how good they were."
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