And that's why it's called "The Beautiful Game."
On the very first matchday of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League calendar, the Lazio vs. Atletico Madrid Group E game delivered a sensational finish.
With Lazio trailing 1-0 at home after Pablo Barrios' 29th-minute opener for Atletico, the Serie A side had one last gasp with a corner past the fourth minute of added time in the second half.
Midfielder Luis Alberto whipped in a cross into the box from the left edge of the box, and goalkeeper Ivan Provedel connected to head past Jan Oblak.
The miracle occurred on the very last touch of the game as the referee blew the final whistle shortly after, and Provedel became just the second keeper in Champions League history to score a non-penalty.
And the funny part of the goal happening right after the 94th minute? Provedel also wears the number 94.
Soccer
In the end, it was a fair result given the largely even battle between the Serie A and La Liga clubs. Lazio recorded 19 shots (seven on target) with Atletico logging nine (four on target). The expected goals came out to 1.22 for Lazio and 0.88 for Atletico, via FotMob.
The 29-year-old Provedel's header accounted for 0.47 xG on its own. He also tallied three saves, six recoveries and prevented 0.37 xG on a day he'll never forget.
