Rookie goalkeeper Ruslan Neshcheret made a sensational save from a pinpoint Lionel Messi free-kick on his Champions League debut.
After both of Dynamo Kyiv’s first-team goalkeepers tested positive for COVID-19, the 18-year-old was called up from the club’s B team and started the game at the Nou Camp.
He was beaten by a first half Messi penalty and a header from Gerard Pique in the second but gave a brilliant account of himself on the big stage.
The save to deny Messi’s goal-bound set-piece was the highlight. The six-time Ballon d’Or winner, arguably the most precise free-kick taker in world football, curled one in from distance and it looked like the ball was nestling for the top corner.
So many goalkeepers have fell victim to Messi’s set-piece prowess, including the likes of Alisson Becker and Thibaut Courtois but Neshcheret sprawled across to the right and pulled off an outstanding one-handed stop to tip the ball over the bar.
https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/1324132072546537473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1324132072546537473%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-19435854801857635160.ampproject.net%2F2010132225003%2Fframe.html
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The angle from behind Messi really does it justice and captures what a stunning piece of goalkeeping it was from the teenager.
Ridiculously, the young Ukrainian made a total of 12 saves against the Blaugrana – the joint-third most by a goalkeeper in a Champions League fixture.
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Eight of those came from shots inside the box, with Neshcheret receiving a 9.05 rating from WhoScored after a sensational showing.
Check out some of the saves he produced in the following compilation:
https://twitter.com/InterpretSpace/status/1324134794284933120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1324134794284933120%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-19435854801857635160.ampproject.net%2F2010132225003%2Fframe.html
We hope he got Messi’s shirt after the game because he deserved it.
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