Liverpool - Arabstoday
Tim Howard refused to celebrate despite becoming only the fourth goalkeeper to score in the history of the English Premier League with a freak goal from inside his own area in Everton\'s home match against Bolton on Wednesday. The United States international\'s first-time clearance from a back pass bounced about 30 metres from the Bolton goal and was blown by the wind over visiting keeper Adam Bogdan, who was stood on the edge of his own six-metre line. Howard, who was making his 250th appearance for Everton, didn\'t react out of consideration for Bogdan and was walking back to his own goal when he was mobbed by teammates. \"It\'s not a nice place to be,\" Howard said. \"I\'ve been there before — a long, long time ago — and that was why I didn\'t celebrate.\" The only other goalkeepers to score in the Premier League\'s 20 years are Peter Schmeichel (2001), Howard\'s fellow American Brad Friedel (2004) and Paul Robinson (2011). It ended up being a bittersweet night for Howard, who put his team ahead with his goal in the 63rd minute but conceded two goals in the next 15 minutes as Bolton rallied for a 2-1 victory. \"I was delighted that we were in the lead and would hopefully go on to get three points, but it\'s not a nice feeling for a keeper, it\'s really awful actually,\" Howard said. Vicious wind Howard\'s clearance only ended up in Bogdan\'s net because of a vicious wind that played havoc throughout the match at Goodison Park, with both teams misplacing passes and making mistakes. \"You could see everybody was mistiming balls. Defenders were missing clearances that normally they would put up the field,\" Howard said. \"I think the wind is the hardest condition to play in. Snow, rain, sun doesn\'t matter, but the wind really does play tricks on you.\" Howard\'s goal meant he upstaged compatriot Landon Donovan, who was returning to Everton to start a two-month loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer.