Football’s Greatest Goals No.2
Dennis Bergkamp completes his hat-trick vs Leicester City, August 1997
Dennis Bergkamp was easily the winner of the Man of the Match in this game at Filbert Street in August 1997. Although he scored a hat-trick with three lovely goals, his Arsenal side were unable to get the three points.
In a game that finished 3-3, Bergkamp fired in two great goals in his hat-trick and those along with a fine individual effort against Southampton meant that he would be the first player to score the top three Goals of the Month on Match of the Day.
The first goal was after the Dutchman received the ball at the edge of the box from a short corner. A quick look up was all he needed and he placed the ball high into the top corner of the net. The ball crashed against the stanchion in the top corner of the net and bounced back out, leaving Leicester goalkeeper Kasey Keller standing motionless, unable to react in time.
Leicester then took the lead before Bergkamp struck his and Arsenal’s second of the game. Then a few minutes into stoppage time, Bergkamp scored one of his best goals in his time in England.
David Platt had the ball in the centre circle and was looking up, waiting for a team mate to make a move. When Bergkamp made a forward run, Platt lofted a perfect ball over the Leicester defence and straight into Bergkamp’s path.
Bergkamp controlled the ball as it dropped from the night sky with his right foot. As Leicester’s strong centre-back Matt Elliott came running in and went past Bergkamp, the Dutchman took a second touch, this time with his left foot to move the opposite way to Elliott and freed enough space to take a shot at goal. He caressed the ball with the inside of his boot across Keller into the far corner of the net.
Filbert Street was stunned into silence except for several thousand Arsenal fans at the far end of the ground, who were jumping around and cheering. Their joy was short lived as there was one last twist in the tale as Leicester grabbed a very late equaliser with the last kick of the game.
The game was forever remembered for Bergkamp’s hat-trick, especially the final goal.
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