Nazmi wins AFC Cup’s best goal award

JOHOR Darul Ta’zim midfielder Nazmi Faiz Mansor was announced as the winner of the 2017 AFC Cup Goal of the Tournament yesterday in a vote by the public.

National midfielder Nazmi won for a goal he scored against Cambodia’s Boeungket Angkor in a Group F match at the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh on April 19.

The goal came after an error by Angkor goalkeeper Sou Yaty allowed 23-year-old Nazmi to lob into an empty net from outside the penalty box.

The goal put 2015 AFC Cup champions JDT 2-0 up with Safawi Rasid and Gabriel Guerra also on the scoresheet in the 3-0 victory.

It was one of two goals Nazmi scored in the tournament, with the other also against Angkor in JDT’s opening Group F fixture at Larkin.

Nazmi, who started in Malaysia’s 4-1 defeat to North Korea in an Asian Cup qualifier in Buriram yesterday, won the award after receiving the most votes to beat three rivals in the final list for the best goal of the AFC Cup.

The other nominees included JSW Bengaluru striker Sunil Chhetri’s free-kick from 20 metres when his team met Maziya Sports and Recreation.

Al-Zawraa striker Mohanad Abdulraheem put himself on the final list after scoring straight from kick-off against Qatari said Al-Jaish.

The other goal nominated was scored by Ceres Negros midfielder Iain Ramsey who used the outside of his left foot to curl the ball into the Tampines Rovers goal. Syafiq Aznan