Diogo Jota of Liverpool is rapidly gaining a reputation for being absolutely brilliant in the air, despite not being the biggest.
And the Portugal international proved as much again tonight in helping his country beat Turkey 3-1.
Jota, a £45 million signing by Liverpool in 2020 [Telegraph], made it 2-0 during the first half.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s excellent flick made it out wide, before Otavio swung in a teasing cross for the unmarked Jota.
And the Liverpool attacker powered a downward header into the net by the near post.
For somebody who’s barely 5’10 in height, Jota generated a lot of power and precision with the header.
Here’s what Don Goodman said during Sky Sports commentary: “I can’t tell you how good a header this is. He’s given the goalkeeper the eyes. The power and accuracy that he’s generated – and he’s not the biggest – but my word, he’s scored some stunning headed goals.”
Courtesy of the Liverpool player and his teammates, the Portuguese are one step closer to sealing their passage to the World Cup in Qatar later this year.
Fernando Santos’s outfit will play Macedonia in the playoff final and no doubt that the former Wolverhampton Wanderers star will be up for that one, too.
Remember, Jota sealed his status as a massive player for Liverpool in January when, with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah absent at Africa Cup of Nations, he stepped up and scored some big goals for Jurgen Klopp’s troops.
Goals like his header tonight are a reminder that he can score from nothing and he’ll be determined to do the same next week.
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