There was a sense of deja vu this weekend for those watching Arsenal forward Beth Mead as she produced an almost perfect recreation of her winning goal for England against Brazil from earlier this year.
Receiving the ball on the right wing, the 23-year-old scored with a looping effort from a tight angle to put the Gunners 3-0 up against Liverpool in the FA Women’s Super League (WSL).
You know when @bmeado9 is in this position, the ball is only ending up in one place 🎯
Watch LIVE on @BTSport 📺#FAWSL pic.twitter.com/9RQv2w4Tn4
— The FA Women's Super League (@FAWSL) March 24, 2019
The goal is strikingly similar to the winner Mead scored for England in the SheBelieves Cup in February.
That strike helped secure a 2-1 victory for the Lionesses, who were quick to note the similarities between the two goals on social media.
Ah, yes…..now it all makes sense. We see you, @bmeado9…#CROT pic.twitter.com/HSLFbqCvk0 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) March 24, 2019
“I was aware I had scored the same one straight away, that’s why I was laughing to my team mates,” Mead told the Press Association.
“It’s a great feeling to score a goal from anywhere. I always get an amazing buzz when I score.”
Another one? @bmeado9 👀👀🤣 — Rachel Daly (@RachelDaly3) March 25, 2019
Despite the repeat heroics, Mead was honest in her post-match interview in saying her latest effort was not intentional.
“I seem to be becoming a regular scoring those goals, so everyone thinks they are shots, but I can’t claim that,” she told the FA.
“My one against Brazil was a shot, but that today was definitely a cross!”
On social media, Mead jokingly referred to the goal as a ‘crot’, a combination of a cross and a shot.
Getting used to the #CROT 🙈😂 https://t.co/tlPFK4xtan — Beth Mead (@bmeado9) March 24, 2019
And while some footballers might be keen to keep their specialist moves for themselves, Mead encouraged others to give the ‘crot’ a try.
“I think that it really catches keepers off their guard,” she said. “They aren’t expecting it so it becomes very difficult for them to save. I would 100 per cent recommend that players give it a try.”
Arsenal’s away victory over Liverpool keeps the Gunners at the top of the WSL table, while the Reds are in eighth, just three places from the bottom.