{"id":329635,"date":"2025-12-04T08:22:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T08:22:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/329635\/"},"modified":"2025-12-04T08:22:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T08:22:08","slug":"harder-to-miss-calvert-lewin-scores-sixth-easiest-xg-goal-ever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/329635\/","title":{"rendered":"Harder to miss: Calvert-Lewin scores sixth-easiest xG goal ever"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/espn_generic_m.jpg&#038;h=80&#038;w=80&#038;scale=crop.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Mike WiseDec 4, 2025, 12:30 AM ET<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"icon-font-after icon-close-solid-after\" href=\"#\">Close<\/a>Mike Wise is the general editor for ESPN FC Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n<p><a data-player-guid=\"c1ab7cf3-7971-f55e-018a-7d8eff11dafd\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/197717\/dominic-calvert-lewin\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Dominic Calvert-Lewin<\/a>&#8216;s goal for <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"231a0077-e0f5-f148-974b-82b9ec5f304e\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/team?id=357\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Leeds United<\/a> on Wednesday not only broke <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"c43a00b9-2826-72b3-77a0-62730abc936e\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/team?id=363\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Chelsea<\/a> hearts, but joined an elite group of <a data-league-guid=\"6949f3af-300c-35f1-beab-b95669eedd38\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/league\/_\/name\/ENG.1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Premier League<\/a> strikes.<\/p>\n<p>In the 72nd minute, after some fine pressing from <a data-player-guid=\"70782ac0-5394-d12d-7ae5-b52ec9945fca\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/270641\/noah-okafor\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Noah Okafor<\/a>, the ball squirmed under Chelsea keeper <a data-player-guid=\"0e0f3d6b-8e88-dc88-650c-b4592e9cc766\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/108662\/robert-sanchez\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Robert S\u00e1nchez<\/a> and fell at the feet of Calvert-Lewin. The former <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"c531d4dd-ea53-c1fc-9c91-c7f8f31b5a40\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/team?id=368\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Everton<\/a> striker couldn&#8217;t believe his luck and, from all of one yard out from the goal-line, was able to poke home and seal the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/report\/_\/gameId\/740732\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">3-1<\/a> upset win for Daniel Farke&#8217;s side.<\/p>\n<p>Clocking in at an astonishingly high 0.9913 xG, Calvert-Lewin&#8217;s tap-in was so uncomplicated that it has entered the top 10 easiest goals in Premier League history &#8212; well, since 2008-09 at least, when xG was first recorded.<\/p>\n<p>So forget golazos, top bins, and Puskas contenders &#8212; sit back and join us on a journey through the top 10 statically easiest goals that have ever been scored in the Premier League.<\/p>\n<p>10. Emmanuel Adebayor | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/team\/_\/id\/367\/tottenham-hotspur\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Tottenham<\/a> | Nov. 21, 2011 | 0.9879 xG<\/p>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/OnThisDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">#OnThisDay<\/a> 21st November 2011. PL.<br \/>Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Aston Villa.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/E_Adebayor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@E_Adebayor<\/a> (14,40)<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Z06eTCoUKq\" rel=\"nofollow\">pic.twitter.com\/Z06eTCoUKq<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 HotspurMemories (@HotspurMemories) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HotspurMemories\/status\/1991813696650400050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">November 21, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Adebayor &#8216;s opening goal against <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"610557ff-e870-ea0e-a3b2-8244df325d22\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/team?id=362\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Aston Villa<\/a> in November 2011 was a sumptuous bicycle kick.<\/p>\n<p>His second? Well, it was a little less brilliant.<\/p>\n<p>Caught in no-man&#8217;s land trying to deal with a <a data-player-guid=\"0c4ed4c3-9613-471d-579c-1b10f157bbce\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/77653\/gareth-bale\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Gareth Bale<\/a> cross, Villa keeper Shay Given was distracted by the leg of center back James Collins and flapped at the ball &#8212; turning it into the path of Adebayor and leaving the Spurs striker with the simplest of finishes.<\/p>\n<p>9. <a data-player-guid=\"aaa04eca-fd65-7f80-608e-8008adc53f1d\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/224809\/leon-bailey\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Leon Bailey<\/a> | Aston Villa | April 21, 2024 | 0.9888 xG<\/p>\n<p><a data-player-guid=\"44385bb0-5afb-b30c-42da-dad8cdd18ff1\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/198825\/ollie-watkins\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ollie Watkins<\/a> must have been a chef in another life, because the Aston Villa striker appears twice on this list &#8212; not scoring, but by serving up goals for his teammates on a platter.<\/p>\n<p>This goal from April 2024 will go down in history as a tally for Bailey but, really, with Watkins first picking up the ball in midfield before spinning past a defender, to dancing past the keeper before laying on the assist &#8212; this is all Waktins.<\/p>\n<p>The top 10&#8217;s most recent entry before Calvert-Lewin&#8217;s strike on Wednesday was just a month ago, with Walker-Peters turning in West Ham&#8217;s third in what was a crucial win over <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"0e306f49-0f1d-27a2-4259-0643dce9c676\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/team?id=379\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Burnley<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The fullback fired home after <a data-player-guid=\"8aea9fdf-cae2-5059-5a40-f9c73d40a589\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/230666\/tomas-soucek\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tom\u00e1s Soucek<\/a>&#8216;s drive was parried by keeper <a data-player-guid=\"bbca924c-cf5c-e416-ceef-f890073a4b04\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/126703\/martin-dubravka\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Martin D\u00fabravka<\/a> &#8212; stealing ahead of fellow Hammer <a data-player-guid=\"fa212727-43a1-a0cf-6c57-a65c6923ef6e\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/201089\/jarrod-bowen\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jarrod Bowen<\/a> to nab the goal for himself.<\/p>\n<p>7. <a data-player-guid=\"72de2b32-02aa-faf6-8b3c-cca76d2a698d\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/162843\/john-mcginn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">John McGinn<\/a> | Aston Villa | Feb. 3, 2024 | 0.9892 xG<\/p>\n<p>McGinn joins the list with a smart piece of quick-thinking. Once again, it&#8217;s that man Watkins, who appeared to have opened the scoring for Villa against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/team\/_\/id\/398\/sheffield-united\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Sheffield United<\/a>, only for his delicate chip to rebound off the post.<\/p>\n<p>With the goalkeeper left stranded &#8212; a familiar tale in all 10 of these goals &#8212; it was McGinn that acted fastest and sent the hosts on their way to an easy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/match\/_\/gameId\/671255\/aston-villa-sheffield-united\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">5-0<\/a> win.<\/p>\n<p>6. Dominic Calvert-Lewin | Leeds United | Dec. 3, 2025 | 0.9913 xG<\/p>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">DISASTER FOR CHELSEA. Leeds have a THIRD goal at Elland Road! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/SHuAmDDoJp\" rel=\"nofollow\">pic.twitter.com\/SHuAmDDoJp<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NBCSportsSoccer\/status\/1996340736904548517?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">December 3, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>It was a case of right place, right time for Calvert-Lewin on Wednesday. The 28-year-old&#8217;s goal was his first at Elland Road as a Leeds player and, crucially, helped <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com.au\/soccer\/standings\/_\/league\/eng.1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">lift Farke&#8217;s side out of the relegation zone<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>5. <a data-player-guid=\"afc809b6-0ec0-f48a-39ec-3238d2824d6f\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/237224\/hwang-hee-chan\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Hwang Hee-Chan<\/a> | Wolves | Dec. 27, 2023 | 0.9914 xG<\/p>\n<p>Look away <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"0446e7fd-7655-f17a-d282-8c401b808d1f\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/team?id=337\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Brentford<\/a> fans, because this goal is not pretty from a defensive perspective. Ever heard of scoring from a kick-off? Well, how about somehow contriving to concede from your own restart?<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s what Brentford did here with defender <a data-player-guid=\"653bcd57-5d6a-da88-70dd-385d0005d9e8\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/279780\/nathan-collins\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Nathan Collins<\/a> selling keeper <a data-player-guid=\"70e83619-a84a-b444-b311-19c6f1fd71ae\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/177821\/mark-flekken\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Mark Flekken<\/a> well short and allowing Hwang to stroll in for an easy finish.<\/p>\n<p>4. Dirk Kuyt | <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"a47fbcec-c948-cf4c-9e41-3dfa37588c9c\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/team?id=364\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Liverpool<\/a> | March 6, 2011 | 0.9927 xG<\/p>\n<p>Yes, this is a list of some of the easiest goals in Premier League history, but there&#8217;s nothing simple about the build-up to this tally from Liverpool fan favorite Kuyt.<\/p>\n<p>You see <a data-player-guid=\"26b70748-4173-44e0-1f83-01954be4777d\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/272722\/luis-suarez\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Luis Su\u00e1rez<\/a> was pretty much at the peak of his Liverpool powers in 2011 and miraculously danced past no less than SIX <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"6ebc2fd0-35d3-733b-5666-b75035a3bce9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/team?id=360\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Manchester United<\/a> players before laying the ball on a plate for Kuyt. It was chalked up as 0.9927 xG, but will still be one of the most memorable goals you&#8217;ll ever see.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s easy to see why this goal ranks so high on the all-time list. Down 3-2 and chasing the game, Aston Villa goalkeeper <a data-player-guid=\"05b9e5be-d9e9-9ebc-6e33-77215c3c16f4\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/158626\/emiliano-martinez\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Emiliano Mart\u00ednez<\/a> went forward in an attempt to help score a last-gasp equalizer for the hosts.<\/p>\n<p>The result? A runaway tap-in for Gunners speedster Martinelli, completed with a cheeky pre-goal celebration before tapping-in.<\/p>\n<p>G\u00fcndo\u011fan&#8217;s goals helped propel Man City to the 2021-22 title and this one against <a data-clubhouse-guid=\"78c91a3f-9e5e-c8fe-8fca-778e97cb021a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/team?id=331\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Brighton &amp; Hove Albion<\/a> was &#8230; nowhere near the most memorable.<\/p>\n<p>But hey, they all count, and this strike opened the scoring in what was an easy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/match\/_\/gameId\/605953\/manchester-city-brighton-hove-albion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">4-1<\/a> win for Pep Guardiola&#8217;s side.<\/p>\n<p>To be fair to Ogbene, while this strike does hold the mantle as the easiest goal in Premier League history, the extremely high xG shouldn&#8217;t discount the effort that the Luton Town flyer put in to get the ball to the goal-line in the first place.<\/p>\n<p>Latching on to a through-ball from <a data-player-guid=\"6f6be880-9dff-6809-d264-3f2bd849782c\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/268239\/albert-sambi-lokonga\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Albert Sambi Lokonga<\/a>, Ogbene got the ball well ahead of the on-rushing Brighton keeper <a data-player-guid=\"99d79100-d7fe-254e-07a9-c4b82ce1abef\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.com\/soccer\/player\/_\/id\/111114\/jason-steele\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jason Steele<\/a> and simply dribbled the ball into an empty net. Superb.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mike WiseDec 4, 2025, 12:30 AM ET CloseMike Wise is the general editor for ESPN FC Australia and&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":329636,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[403,99],"class_list":{"0":"post-329635","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-soccer","8":"tag-soccer","9":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329635","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=329635"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329635\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/329636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=329635"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=329635"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=329635"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}