Excuse me … what? Did that really just happen?
No, your eyes don’t deceive you – Slovakia goalie Martin Dubravka really did let in that own goal, one of the worst blunders you’ll ever see in a soccer game.
During the first half of Slovakia’s Euro 2020 group stage match against Spain, Spanish midfielder Pablo Sarabia launched a shot from deep that hit off the crossbar and launched directly into the air. Dubravka, in an apparent attempt to clear the ball over the net, punched the ball as it was returning to the ground.
The problem – and it was a big one – was that he smacked the ball directly into his own goal.
Not ideal.
It was just six minutes after Dubravka managed to save a penalty kick from Spain’s Alvaro Morata, a fairly impressive save despite a less-than-inspired strike from Morata.
His roller-coaster of a half ended in stoppage time, when he allowed a late goal to Aymeric Laporte. Spain leads 2-0 at the half, and Slovakia will be sent home if the result stands.
Dubravka’s mind-numbing mishap came a week after Haiti goalkeeper Josue Duverger had an embarrassing own goal of his own that cost his country a chance at qualifying for the World Cup.
