Olivier Giroud has started the new year with a flick that turned into a bang.
The Arsenal striker scored a stunning goal Sunday in the first half of his team’s Premier League game against Crystal Palace. Giroud struck on an Alexis Sanchez-led counter-attack, beating goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey with a scorpion kick.
GOAL OF 2017 Already?!! Olivier Giroud scores an outerworldly goal to put Arsenal ahead of Crystal Palace! pic.twitter.com/xFeBrjoEyB
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) January 1, 2017
Giroud’s scorpion-kick goal arguably was better than the one Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored for Manchester United against Sunderland on Monday. Mkhitaryan appeared to be offside and converted from 7 yards out, whereas Giroud was definitely onside and flicked Sanchez’s cross home from around 10 yards.
Giroud spent the early part of the season on the bench but the Frenchman is on fire, having returned to the starting lineup.
6 – Olivier Giroud has scored six times in his last four Premier League starts. Spectacular.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 1, 2017
It was only a matter of time before Giroud scored a goal of this quality, and he’s off and running in 2017.
Thumbnail photo via YouTube/NBC Sports
