Feniks-Mariupol goalkeeper scores 91st-minute header to rescue draw
Goalkeeper Vitaliy Zhupanskyi scored a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer for Feniks-Mariupol against Prykarpattia.
Віталій Жупанський, ФК Фенікс-Маріуполь
A dramatic finish unfolded in the 15th round of the First League as Feniks-Mariupol and Prykarpattia faced off. With the home side on the verge of defeat, goalkeeper Vitaliy Zhupanskyi stepped up to become the unlikely hero.
In the 90+1st minute, Feniks-Mariupol earned a corner kick. Zhupanskyi abandoned his goal to join the attack, looking for a way to aid his teammates. He successfully positioned himself and headed the ball into the net, sealing a 1-1 draw.
This moment was a highlight of the round. While a goalkeeper's primary duty is to protect the net, such contributions in the final moments of a game are always among the most memorable instances of a football season.
This is not the first time such a scene has occurred in Ukrainian football this season. Back in early September, Obolon goalkeeper Fedorivskyi also joined an attack in the final minutes to score a header, saving his team from defeat against Chornomorets.