Redeem now - Kansas City Current midfielder Lo'eau LaBonta converted a late-game penalty kick vs Angel City FC.
- After she scored, the 29-year-old grabbed at her hamstring and winced in apparent pain.
- LaBonta then stopped and twerked, making it clear that she faked an injury for the celebration.
Lo'eau LaBonta — a star midfielder in the National Women's Soccer League — converted a crucial late-game penalty kick during the Kansas City Current's Friday night matchup against Angel City FC.
And she celebrated in spectacular fashion.
After launching a rocket into the top right corner of the net, the 29-year-old ran towards the six-yard box and appeared ready to celebrate the goal with her teammates. But then she began hopping up and down, grabbing at her right hamstring, and wincing in apparent pain.
"Uh oh," one TV commentator said under her breath.
But just as Kansas City fans' hearts began to drop, LaBonta allayed their fears by stopping near the end line, resting her hands above her knees, and twerking with a smile plastered across her face.
Crisis averted.
—National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 20, 2022After the game — which ended in a 1-1 draw — LaBonta told reporters that someone suggested the goal celebration idea on Twitter. She thought it might be a fun way to switch things up from more traditional NWSL celebrations.
"Female soccer players tend to just all go to each other and Kumbaya [on celebrations] and we love that," LaBonta said in the post-game press conference, per The Athletic's Steph Yang. "But I think we really want to start making it a little more fun and having individual celebration.
"So that was sent to me on Twitter and I said bet," she added.
LaBonta is tied for first in the entire league with four assists on the season. And with five goals to boot — tied for most on her team — she's been instrumental to the Current's impressive 7-4-5 record, which puts them just two points behind the NWSL's first-place team, the Portland Thorns, with just five games left in the regular season.
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