Classic Goals | Faustino Asprilla 1993
Relieve a classic from 28 years ago versus the AC Milan Invincibles
The 1992/93 season was the first campaign that Serie A was on Channel 4, giving audiences in the UK a glimpse of some of Italian football’s truly great players. The sheer brilliance of some stars – names like Roberto Baggio and Gabriel Batistuta – would leave indelible memories on those who watched them, but so too did a raft of cult icons.
Like this year, March 21 also fell on a Sunday in 1993, and that afternoon at San Siro exactly 28 years ago would see one of those names make his mark. Parma were given little hope of victory as they went up against the vaunted Rossoneri defence of Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Billy Costacurta and Mauro Tassotti.
Milan had not lost in a staggering 58 league games, a run that began in early 1991. It lasted the rest of that season, over the entire 91/92 campaign where they won the title and it seemed the team dubbed “The Invincibles” (long before that name was given to Arsenal) might never lose again.
For almost an hour, their legendary defence kept the visitors at bay, but a free kick on the left hand side of the box would provide Nevio Scala’s side with a perfect opportunity to take the lead.
Up stepped Tino Asprilla to curl the ball beyond Sebatiano Rossi. The goalkeeper never moved, watching helplessly as the Colombian scored, then flipped and somersaulted his way down the touchline, his team-mates going wild in jubilation at the truly stunning strike.
Parma held on to record their first ever victory at San Siro, and across the UK thousands of viewers instantly fell in love with the goal scorer, sparking an interest in Asprilla that only grew when he joined Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle in 1996.
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