picture via whoateallthepies.tv
Just over seven years ago, on May 12th, 2013, the second leg of a Championship playoff game between Watford and Leicester City. The two sides were tied on aggregate going into the final minutes of the second leg. Then Leicester City’s Anthony Knockaert made a run into the Watford penalty box by defender Marco Cassetti. A hugely controversial call by Micheal Oliver saw him pointing to the spot, and Watford’s Championship final dreams flushed down the drain.
A surprisingly weary-looking Knockaert stepped up to take the penalty facing off against Watford goalkeeper Manuel Almunia. The first strike by Knockaert was struck low and down the middle catching the foot of Almunia as he dove to his left. The ball fell right back to the Frenchman, who promptly tried poking it back in, but there Almunia was again. With the ball now out of reach for both players, Watford’s Marco Cassetti cleared the downfield ball falling straight to midfielder Ikechi Anya who continues the counterattack downfield. With nowhere to go, Anya put the ball through to substitute Fernando Forestieri, who advanced to the byline. Forestieri crossed the ball into the box to a reasonably open Jonathan Hogg. Hogg seeing that a headed chance on goal would not be possible laid it off one more time to an arriving Troy Deeney who smashed to ball into the back of the net. As if the stadium was not already in complete pandemonium when that shot hit the back of the net, there was no keeping the home crowd off the field.
There are very few moments that give you chills as this one does even seven years later. Many say that these Championship playoff games are some of the most intense and passionate games in all of world football. What it means to these clubs to get one more shot to get promoted in the top flight can genuinely be seen after Troy Deeney scored that goal. Even though Watford would go on to lose in the final to Crystal Palace, this moment remains iconic in the history of English football, the Championship, and especially for Watford. I will include the full clip of the foul leading up to the penalty to the final kick of the game. I highly recommend watching and experiencing the goal for yourself. Thanks for reading