Frank Christian
On this day back in 2009, one of the most talked-about goals in Premier League history was scored.
Liverpool faced Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, hoping to recover from recent defeats to Chelsea and Fiorentina in the UEFA Champions League, under manager Rafael Benitez.
Sunderland had been on a solid run, winning their last four home matches and earning a draw against Manchester United in their previous game. Striker Darren Bent, who made a £16.5 million move from Tottenham, was in remarkable form and eager to score.
BEACH BOY @DarrenBent scored @SAFCofficial‘s winner against Liverpool in October 2009 – via a beach ball #LIVSUN pic.twitter.com/je8OmEdZJ8
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 26, 2014
Bent succeeded, but not in a way that anyone anticipated.
This article revisits the astonishing “beach-ball goal” that secured Sunderland a win over Liverpool, highlighting the referee’s significant blunder and the aftermath of what became known as “the nightmare” scenario.
Darren Bent’s Beach-Ball Goal: The Incident
The pivotal goal occurred just five minutes into the match, with Sunderland starting energetically thanks to their recent performances.
After an early attempt from Andy Reid, he provided a cross for Bent. The cross, from near the penalty area and delivered with Reid’s weaker foot, was flicked by Steed Malbranque, landing perfectly for Bent. The striker took a shot that deflected off a Liverpool-branded beach ball lying next to defender Glen Johnson in the six-yard box, sending the ball past goalkeeper Pepe Reina. The footage of the goal is available to watch below.
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There have been some amazing Premier League goals over the years….and some very strange goals. From Tim Howard scoring from his own six yard box, to Darren Bent’s shot bouncing off a beach ball. Which goal do you think was the strangest?
Bent celebrated his eighth goal in nine Premier League games, while Reina expressed frustration, insisting the goal should have been invalidated. It stood, leading to Sunderland’s 1-0 win.
Reflecting on the goal, Bent shared with Sky Sports: “I didn’t hit it perfectly, but saw it heading for the goal… Then it hit the beach ball! I just thought it was a goal and celebrated.”
“Watching it replayed, the looks on everyone’s faces—Reina, Johnson, Carragher—everyone was bewildered!” Bent recalled.
What Justified the Goal’s Validity?
The officiating referee, Mike Jones, believed the ball had ricocheted off Johnson, allowing the goal to count. Had he recognized that it struck the beach ball, he would have had to disallow it, stop play, and restart with a drop-ball.
During live play, it was challenging to discern whether the shot impacted Johnson, the beach ball, or both. In the era before VAR, there was no video assistance to amend the decision, but the visible movement of the beach ball post-strike indicated a considerable oversight.
Former Premier League referee Jeff Winter voiced his astonishment at the lack of correct judgment by the officials present, telling The Telegraph: “I’m shocked that at least one official didn’t catch it.”
“Who gets the assist, you or the ball?”
Darren Bent reflecting on his infamous beach ball goal pic.twitter.com/MkcxxKjatM
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 12, 2024
Bent recounted that at halftime, the referee approached him in disbelief, asking if the ball really hit the beach ball. Upon confirmation, Jones seemed to grasp the magnitude of the blunder.
Bent also noted Reina’s immediate outrage, repeating, “It hit the beach ball!” after the goal.
Sunderland’s manager Bruce found humor in the situation, commenting, “I thought it was just a deflection off a player. It had Liverpool logos all over it—what a coincidence.”
‘I’m the cause… It’s my worst nightmare’
The person who will forever remember this incident is Callum Campbell, the Liverpool fan responsible for the beach ball’s presence on the pitch.
In a 2009 revelation to The Mirror, Campbell admitted to “taking a swing” and sending it toward the goal area without owning it.
“I’m truly sorry. This is my nightmare,” he expressed. “When I got home, I felt nauseous—before the internet threats came!”
“It was a moment of fun, something I’d change if I could. I should’ve thrown it into the crowd instead!”
“TV made it look like I threw it onto the pitch directly; however, at that moment, the game hadn’t started. The crowd was tossing the ball around when it landed in my reach. I merely nudged it towards the pitch, and the wind took it into the net.”
“I can’t believe it wasn’t removed sooner. A simple effort by someone could’ve cleared it, but instead, it rolled into play at the worst time.”
