Joelle Wedemeyer defies physics and blows our collective minds

This was deemed as VfL Wolfsburg Frauen’s comeback after being dismantled by FC Bayern Munich Frauen one week ago. Wolfsburg did what they had to do, winning by three goals against Eintracht Frankfurt Frauen on Friday night but we’re not here to talk about Woflsburg as a whole. We’re here to talk about the opening goal of the match scored by Joelle Wedemeyer in the ninth minute.

Wedemeyer came on as a substitute in that horrible game against Bayern but was given the start this time by Stephan Lerch and boy did she repay that faith by the bucket load.

In the early minutes of this Frauen-Bundesliga encounter, the first of the weekend, Wedemeyer scored a goal that defied physics and astounded anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing it. The 24-year old received the ball out wide, cut inside on her right foot before unleashing an effort from at least 20 yards out that had everyone, even the goalkeeper, completely befuddled.

The way she cut inside showed her intention from the start and despite runs being made by her teammates, it seemed obvious that she was going to go for goal. After three touches to first settle the pass and then create space for herself, Wedemeyer swung her right boot at the ball and delivered a sensational opener for Wolfsburg.

The goal itself, from start to finish, was something you’ll remember for a long, long time. Her first touch, with her weaker left foot, settled the pass, and then she took a few more touches to find the space for her effort. It seemed as though the ball was going to go over the bar when it first left her foot but right at the last minute, something the Frankfurt goalkeeper realised much too late, it dipped into the upper right corner like a fantastic three-point effort from the NBA’s best and brightest.

That was the type of goal that can suck the life out of the opposition. Frankfurt may have come there looking to take advantage of what the defeat to Bayern may have done to Woflsburg but instead, could only watch as Wedemeyer produced a moment of magic out of thin air. I have watched this goal more than 10 times and I still am in disbelief at the curve and power Wedemeyer got behind that shot. Imagine if you were a Frankfurt player watching that in real time, any hope they had of catching a demoralised Wolfsburg would’ve disappeared at that exact moment.

Wedemeyer usually doesn’t start for Wolfsburg regularly but if she continues to produce moments like this, Lurch may have no choice but to include her more and more in his first eleven. Most times, managers would prefer a player, especially a defender to pass during a phase like that in the match but Wedemeyer took the more difficult, less analytically efficient route, and scored an absolute worldie.

I am a big proponent of defenders, especially full backs, getting forward and scoring goals. We don’t see it as often enough anymore in football. If we can keep getting moments like what Wedemeyer did yesterday, I hope more managers encourage their defenders to “have a go” from a long way out. You can’t win if you don’t gamble and Wedemeyer clearly showed that she was unafraid to gamble at that moment.