Adam Armstrong scored the objective that fired Southampton again into the Premier League in Could – however he feared changing into a meme for an incident shortly earlier than the ultimate whistle.
After 101 minutes of motion within the play-off last towards Leeds , referee John Brooks blew his whistle, and Armstrong eliminated his shirt, twirling it above his head as he charged off to have a good time with the Southampton followers.
There was one downside, although: Brooks had truly blown for a foul to Leeds, not for full time. Armstrong sheepishly regarded round, put his shirt again on and moved again into place.
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“I went too early, didn’t I?” the striker laughs as he talks to FourFourTwo . “I’d regarded on the scoreboard, we have been previous the period of time the ref stated he was going to play, then he blew his whistle. I used to be praying they wouldn’t rating from that free kick. I might have been a meme for years…”
The incident went viral anyway, however Armstrong didn’t care by then. Leeds didn’t rating from that free kick – inside seconds, the 27-year-old may certainly have a good time promotion, and the objective that made the headlines.
“I’ve by no means had a sense like that in soccer,” he stated of victory, having slotted dwelling the one objective of the sport after simply 24 minutes. “Will Smallbone slipped me by means of – I wasn’t certain if I used to be offside or not, as a result of there was VAR within the last. I simply thought I’d hit it as laborious as I may throughout the objective, and hope it went in.”
(Picture credit score: Puma)
With 85,000 within the stands, and an entire season at stake, his calmness made the distinction. “They’re strain moments – earlier than the sport, the environment gave me goosebumps,” Armstrong explains.
“However all the things goes out of the window in the course of the 90 minutes, you consider what you’ve bought to do. To attain the winner at Wembley, it’s what children dream of. It’s laborious to place into phrases the emotions we went by means of that day. Perhaps nothing will prime that.”
Lallana, Harwood-Bellis and Armstrong (Picture credit score: Puma)
Armstrong was talking to FFT at a St Mary’s occasion to mannequin the membership’s new equipment – Southampton have linked up with PUMA on a four-year deal, with bespoke kits for all groups on the membership, from the boys’s and girls’s first groups by means of to the academy.
“The equipment is beautiful, very good, good colors, good texture,” stated Armstrong, who’s additionally a PUMA ambassador and wears their boots.
“The primary purpose this season is to remain up. This can be a Premier League membership for my part, and we’ve bought to point out that on the pitch. If we stick collectively, and we preserve sticking to what we all know, I’m certain we’ll be superb.”
For extra particulars on PUMA’s newest choices, go to uk.puma.com/uk/en/sports activities/soccer
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