Dennis Bergkamp scores against Leicester City
GGM 21: Bergkamp scores Goal of the Season
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Greatest Moment - 21
1997, Bergkamp scores Goal of the Season
2 mins 13 seconds
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Dennis Bergkamp has a portfolio of classic goals to savour from his Arsenal career. But this was special, even by the Dutch master's soaring standards.
In the inauspicious surroundings of Filbert Street on a Wednesday night in late summer, Bergkamp was untouchable. He single-handedly put Leicester to the sword with a magnificent hat-trick but, incredibly, did not end up on the winning side.
Bergkamp curled a shot into the top corner after nine minutes and doubled Arsenal's lead just after the hour mark. The points seemed secure but Emile Heskey set up a grandstand finish and Matt Elliott grabbed an unlikely equaliser.
That seemed to be that but Bergkamp had other ideas. A darting run into the left-hand side of the penalty area was picked out by David Platt's perfect lofted pass but it was what happened next which will stick long in the memory.
Bergkamp killed the ball in an instant with a feather-like first touch and then flicked it back past Elliott with his left foot. While the Leicester defender floundered, Bergkamp placed the ball into the top corner past a helpless Kasey Keller. It was a moment of pure genius.
An even later header from Steve Walsh earned Leicester a 3-3 draw and denied Bergkamp the 'matchwinner' tag he so richly deserved. Nonetheless, the Dutchman still rates his third goal that night as his finest in an Arsenal shirt. Speaking before his testimonial in July 2006, Bergkamp explained why.
"My favourite would be the hat-trick goal against Leicester because when you play football you have certain things in your mind which you want to achieve, and this was like that," he said.
"In my mind I knew I wanted to do it like that and it worked exactly as I had planned it just two seconds before. With these sorts of goals there is a lot of skill involved and it has to come together."
[Thursday, August 16, 2007]
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