He saw the keeper off his line, didn’t take a touch, and launched one from inside the opposition half, now a Dublin man’s outrageous strike is in the running for the People’s Puskas Award.
Kane Harris, from the inner-city but now living in Sydney, Australia, has made the competition’s top 100 after scoring a spectacular effort for Phoenix FC against Glebe Wanderers.
The shortlist is now being narrowed down to a final eight by public vote, with supporters able to cast up to three votes per day for separate goals.
The competition website also offers a “supervote” option for users who create an account.
If Kane can hold his position or climb the rankings in the coming days, he will reach the final eight and remain in contention for the overall prize.
The People’s Puskas is an annual award launched by sports camera company Veo, celebrating the best goals scored in amateur and grassroots football. It highlights strikes often missed by mainstream coverage and gives recognition to players outside the professional game.
And Kane’s’ effort is exactly the kind of goal the award was made for.
With Phoenix pressing high after taking an early lead, Kane and a teammate forced Glebe Wanderers deeper and deeper toward their own penalty area following a throw-in. Under pressure, a loose pass rolled straight into his path.
Kane glanced up, saw the goalkeeper off his line, and didn’t hesitate.
From just inside the opposition half, around ten metres beyond the halfway line, he struck the ball first time with the inside of his right foot.
It rose and curled toward goal as the keeper desperately scrambled back, but there was never any real chance of stopping it.
Phoenix were 2-0 up inside 20 minutes. Kane Harris had scored twice, and his second was the kind of strike that makes people stop scrolling.
“It was the first 20 minutes of the game and I just scored 10 minutes previously to make it 1-0 but the opposing team were putting a lot of pressure on us right after,” Kane said.
“As we pressed them from the throw-in, one of the opposing players misplaced a pass right into my path.”
That moment only arrived because Phoenix refused to sit off. The pressure forced the mistake, the defender rushed his decision, and suddenly Kane was running onto the ball with space and time to think.
Most players would take a touch. Many would look for a safer option. Kane looked up once, saw the chance, and backed himself.
“As I pushed towards the ball I glanced up to see where the keeper was and saw him slightly off his line so decided to shoot and as soon as the ball left my foot I knew it was going in,” he said.
Readers can watch Kane’s worldie by clicking on the following link
Back home, Kane’s mother Nikki (pictured below with Kane and her grandson Leo, Kane’s nephew) is hoping Dubliners will now get behind her son and help him across the line.
“I’m an exhausted Dublin Ma who is fighting for her son over 10,000 miles away in the Queensland heat,” Nikki told Northside People.
“Kane is currently holding his ground for the final 8 for the People’s Puskas award.
“I haven’t slept much in the last 48 hours.
“I’ve been up all night rallying the Irish in Australia to keep a local lad in the World Top 8.
“I am exhausted trying to exhaust all avenues.
“Like many other Irish/Dublin mammies, I haven’t held my son in nearly two years.
“My hearts broke he’s not here and I need him to know he might be out of sight but time and distance can’t and won’t stop me taking on the world for him.
Kane playing football in Dublin a few years ago
“Some of these top contenders are from big football academies, have massive PR campaigns.
“All I have is a love, determination.
“Nothing comes between a mama and her son.
“He’s a Dublin lad, living in Australia nearly 2 years.
“We are at 9,215 votes, we just need the city to give us that final push.”
Dubliners can vote up to three times a day to help push him into the final eight.
To vote, please click on this link