Mor Diouf says ‘number one in the world’ wonder goal against Mamelodi Sundowns will never be matched

Mor Diouf believes his extraordinary goal for SuperSport United against Mamelodi Sundowns remains the greatest long-range strike ever scored in the PSL.

More than a decade after the moment that made him an international football talking point, the former SuperSport United defender has recalled how he decided to shoot from inside his own half during a Tshwane Derby encounter.

The match at Lucas Moripe Stadium in March 2013 appeared destined to finish goalless. But with two minutes of normal time remaining, Diouf intercepted a Mamelodi Sundowns attack, looked up and noticed goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands away from his goal.

He then produced a remarkable effort from distance that flew over Sandilands and into the net, securing a 1-0 victory and three points for SuperSport United.

“I intercepted the ball from a Sundowns attack and, as I pushed it forward, I saw the keeper going out,” explains Diouf, speaking to KickOff from M’bour in Senegal on Friday morning.

“I told myself I can do it, and I did it because I had tried to score a goal like that in previous games. In fact, I had scored a goal from long-range in Senegal, although not from that exact distance.”

Diouf said the goal was not entirely improvised, revealing that he had worked on shooting from long range during training. The opportunity against Mamelodi Sundowns gave him the chance to put that practice into action.

The strike attracted worldwide attention after it was scored. Publications in the United Kingdom rated it even more highly than David Beckham’s famous halfway-line goal for Manchester United against Wimbledon on the opening day of the 1996/97 Premier League season.

As the PSL marks 30 years, Diouf says the goal continues to follow him wherever he goes in Senegal. People still recognise him in the street, ask about the strike and send him footage of it.

“To this day, whenever I go out here in Senegal, people stop me in the street and want to talk about that goal. Every time, people are talking about it! They even send me the video of the goal.

The former defender believes the occasion made the achievement even more significant. The match was a derby between Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United, a fixture he remembers as particularly competitive and difficult.

“It was even more special that I scored it in a derby. You know [Mamelodi] Sundowns vs SuperSport was never easy. Even our coach, Gavin, Hunt was running all over the place [laughs], and everyone was happy,” he adds.

Asked whether he believes another goal of similar quality will ever be scored in the PSL, Diouf was unconvinced.

“I don’t think so hey. I think it’s number one in the world.”