Soccer: A second-by-second look at awe-inspiring goal

Alphonso Davies was just shifted to the right wing when he scored the best goal Canada’s men national team has ever produced.

It was shortly after the 60th minute of Wednesday night’s World Cup qualifier against Panama at BMO Field. The teams were deadlocked 1-1. Panama had gone to its bench around the 52nd minute, and benefitted from those fresh legs.

Herdman made substitutions of his own a little more than 10 minutes later, which subtly shifted the Canadians from a 3-5-2 to a 4-4-2 formation. Davies moved to the right wing, where he could make the most of his speed.

A minute and 19 seconds later, Davies turned a long dash from inside his own half, a sprint clocked at 37.1 kilometres per hour, according to Canada Soccer, into a screamer of a game-winning goal.

Here’s a by-the-second look at the play, with insight from the man himself about what was going through his mind.

> 65:04: Panamanian attacker Alfredo Stephens receives a ball in the Canadian penalty box, his back to goal. Stephens’s first touch is wonky, and Canadian centre back Kamal Miller prevents a turn.

> 65:07: Stephens loses control of the ball and Canadian midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye latches on. As Kaye begins the counterattack, Davies changes direction as he jogs on the right wing.

> 65:09: A Kaye pass up the field finds teammate Jonathan David, near the midpoint of Canada’s half.

> 65:10: After taking a touch to his left, David switches the play with a long ball down the right wing. Davies is only yards ahead of David in the Canadian end when the ball is kicked. It looks destined to go out of bounds, past the midpoint of the Panamanian half.

> 65:12: Davies contemplates running to the ball or not, then sees some confusion in the Panamanian back line. The sprint is on. “After that I just committed to it,” Davies said.

> 65:15: It takes Davies three seconds to cover about a third of the field and catch up to Cummings, who is trying to shield the ball with his body near the sidelines. “I knew that he’s a bigger body than me so I knew he was going to come in with his body so I just tried to slow down to avoid the contact and just tried to keep the ball in,” Davies said.

> 65:16: Davies’ deft change in speed gives him just enough control to drag it back into play at the last second, with the top of his right foot. It happens at such a speed that you understand why Davies had been dubbed the Bayern Roadrunner by his Bayern Munich teammate, Thomas Muller. > 65:17: Davies needs just four touches to drive into Panama’s penalty box, where teammate Tajon Buchanan is already lurking near the penalty spot. “When I did that it was a two (versus) one and I tried to look for (Buchanan),” Davies said. The potential pass was not there.

> 65:21: So Davies comes face to face with Panama’s last man back, Fidel Escobar, just outside the corner of the six-yard box. Davies uses his right foot to cut across his body and in front of Escobar. “I beat him,” Davies said.

> 65:22: The move gives Davies the split second of space he needs to get a shot off with his left foot. “In my mind I was like, ‘Just shoot the ball.’ ”

> 65:23: The shot slices between Panamanian keeper Luis Mejia and the near post to give Canada a 2-1 lead. BMO Field erupts. Davies, later on, is more subdued. “I’m happy that it went in the net.”