Photo credit: Pat Radigan / Footy at 5280
Not long before his $6 million move to Commerce City, the 20-year-old forward played goalkeeper in a pinch
Note: this piece originally appeared in inboxes on Sunday, Sept. 20. Sign up for Nourse’s Notes here to get first access to newsletter stories.
In a pinch, Sayed Abu Farkhi can strap up the gloves and get between the pipes. If you asked him, probably best you don’t find yourself in that pinch.
Farkhi was transferred to the Colorado Rapids just a few weeks ago on a reported $6 million fee from Maccabi Tel Aviv. This week, he earned his second call-up to the Israeli national team after getting his senior international debut back in June.
I have to wonder if a forward getting the chance to play goalkeeper is similar to a big man picking up an American football with nothing but open field and a chance. Or a non-shooting center chucking a 50-foot shot at the buzzer in the NBA. Or a pitcher not named Shohei Ohtani crushing one to the left-field stands.
In professional soccer, it’s got to be extraordinarily rare in comparison to any of those situations. Farkhi got that once-in-a-lifetime chance in one of his final games for Maccabi Tel Aviv.
In an Israeli Premier League game against Hapoel Jerusalem FC on August 23, MTA keeper Ofek Melika got a red card just a couple minutes after MTA made its fifth and final sub of the game. That meant a field player, Farkhi in this case, had to suit up wearing Melika’s kit.
Farkhi was one of MTA’s subs in the 64th minute. He scored MTA’s fourth goal of the night just four minutes later. Another 10 minutes passed and he went into goal for Melika. He recorded a save just before the match ended, but not before conceding a free kick in stoppage time. Maccabi won, 5-2.
How many people can say they’ve scored a goal and conceded a goal in the same outing?
“I take 100% responsibility (for his numerous roles on the team that night), and I also bring it with me here,” Farkhi said through a translator. “Whatever (the team) needs from me, I’m there. I’m taking 100% responsibility for everything.”
The price tag and market competition for the young forward — he also was pursued by multiple MLS clubs, as well as Italian and French clubs — promises an important role for the U-22 Initiative signing. He’ll have competition with Darren Yapi for the first-choice striker spot with Rafael Navarro off to St. Louis CITY.
He’s appeared three times for Colorado now, and has improved in each sighting. He nearly notched an assist in Saturday’s 3-all draw to the Seattle Sounders.
