Nottingham Forest’s Eric Lichaj has spent the vast majority of his career in the second tier of English soccer and the fringes of the USMNT. But in the first half of his team’s FA Cup match against Arsenal, Lichaj looked like a savior. The 29-year-old American defender scored both of his team’s goals to put Forest out in front 2-1 at the break, in a performance that was no less impressive for it coming against a half-strength Gunner lineup.
His first one was scrappy, with Lichaj getting a tap-in header with his body practically already in the net.
But the second was a beauty, possibly the best of the entire weekend, and it came out of nowhere. Lichaj’s career high for a whole season is two goals, so how he so calmly found the back of the net with his right foot is a total mystery.
Alexi Lalas said it best back in 2016: