Deportivo Táchira became the first Venezuelan team to win a game in Bolivia for Copa Libertadores after beating Independiente Petrolero 2-1 on Tuesday night, in Sucre, at 9,219 feet above the sea level. Of course, all of Táchira's players need to be credited for the feat but especially the goalkeeper Christopher Varela who scored the first goal of the match from his own box.
Goalkeeper scores from his own box in Copa Libertadores
It is true: CONMEBOL's official report gives the goal to striker Anthony Uribe, a greedy teammate of Varela. However, after watching the replay several times, I firmly believe the goal needs to be added to Varela's account.
In the sequence, we all can see Varela's long ball and how badly Independiente Petrolero's defenders screwed this one up, but then it is extremely hard to determine if the ball entered because of Varela's shot or if Uribe rapaciously touched it before crossing the goal line to steal his teammate's glory.
Please, be the judge:
¡Un gol increíble de arco a arco para @DvoTachira!
⚽️ Tras un saque en largo del arquero Cristopher Varela, Anthony Uribe aprovechó el error defensivo de @IndePetrolero para empujar la pelota en la línea.#GloriaEterna pic.twitter.com/FD8eS1969i— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) April 27, 2022
And here is a screenshot:
Es gol de arco a arco de Christopher Varela, @DvoTachira lo hace de nuevo en copa Libertadores deberían corregir. Fue gol del arquero pic.twitter.com/nyENWnOghl
— José Zambrano (@JoseZks) April 27, 2022
It's obviously a Varela goal, am I right?
I accept there is a chance that between the pixeled images, the fact of how tight the play is and the anger I feel towards Uribe for trying to ruin a box-to-box GK's goal that I could be wrong.
And if that is the case, I keep choosing to be wrong.