Daisuke Matsui’s Scorpion Pass

This is from the April 26th Ligue 1 game between Le Mans and Lens. The lofted ball to Le Mans midfielder Daisuke Matsui looks like it’s going out for a throw, but the Japanese international lets the ball drop over his shoulder and then uses his heel to play the ball in the air, straight to a teammate. And that, boys and girls, is how Daisuke Matsui invented the scorpion pass.

My favourite thing about this nifty little move is that it’s not just showing off. Remember Colombian goalkeeper/mentalist Rene Higuita’s scoropion kick save in a friendly against England in 1995? Sure it was entertaining, but it was just for show. Apparently Higuita was practicing it in the warm up, and Jamie Redknapp’s slow chipped shot was a suspiciously ideal setup for Higuita’s trick.

But Matsui’s pass came in a real game situation, with points at stake, and it went straight to a teammate. So good work sir. You can’t beat a good mix of flair and effectiveness. Even better, Le Mans won the game 3-2 with Matsui getting two goals. Including this opener:

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Category: French Ligue 1