A Brief Story on Tim Howard’s Wind-Assisted Goal That I Should Have Posted Two Weeks Ago

Wow, wind can do crazy things… like push a kick from a goalkeeper into the opposing team’s net from about 100 yards away.

That’s what happened Wednesday night, Jan. 4, when Everton keeper Tim Howard booted the yellow ball from just inside his penalty area. The ball soared across the pitch, bounced about 30 feet from the Bolton goal and then took wind-assisted flight over outreaching Wanderers goalkeeper Adam Bogdan and into the goal during the game’s 63rd minute.

“I think the wind is the hardest condition to play in,” Howard, an American, told BBC Radio.  “Snow, rain, sun doesn’t matter, but the wind really does play tricks on you.”

It was only the fourth goal by a keeper in the Premier League’s history, which dates back to only 1992.

Those inside Goodison Park joyfully cheered the rare achievement – Howard remained subdued, explaining later he felt bad for Bogdan – but Everton supporters’ glee was short lived as Bolton soon scored two goals and held on for a 2-1 victory.

Bogdan, speaking to reporters, said he would learn from the experience.

"It could have happened to anybody because of the conditions,” the keeper said. “It was extremely hard to get in the right positions.”