Why do British tabloid newspapers exist? Because sometimes hyperbole is justified, and few institutions on the planet have fun with hyperbole like the British tabloid press.
Take, for example, the occasion of young New York Red Bulls' player scoring a goal for the second team against Richmond Kickers. It was a goal scored in front of fewer than 3,000 people on a field in Virginia for a side that was being well beaten by its hosts. It was goal destined to be ignored - until the Daily Mirror stepped in and noticed it was a goal worth talking about.
"Watch incredible Lionel Messi-esque goal scored by New York Red Bulls starlet", blared the Mirror, throwing in the words "stunning" and "brilliant" to the main text of the article for good measure.
And the Mirror was not wrong, not about the goal's magnificence. The Mirror was wrong about Derrick Etienne playing for the USA in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship. He played for Haiti in that tournament, Daily Mirror - make a note, you're probably going to be talking about this kid again.
Etienne is no longer RBNY's best-kept secret. The Australian website of Eurosport, an international sports network, called his strike against Richmond "stupendous". The Red Bulls haven't had this sort of coverage since Thierry Henry left town. And if he carries on producing this sort work, Etienne will be leaving shortly too.
But for now, Etienne has gifted us this goal.
And you - at least those of you able to summon the courage for the admittedly daunting task of submitting a vote to OaM's Goal of the Month competition - have gifted Etienne this month's RBNY Goal of the Month.
Congratulations, Derrick! From Once A Metro and (we'll go ahead and assume) all our readers: keep it up, sir; we're having a lot of fun watching you.
Etienne is the third-ever winner of this prestigious accolade, the second NYRB II player to claim the prize, and the first amateur to make the honor roll (he's not a pro...yet).
