Pre-season friendlies carry an often unwarranted tag of being meaningless and boring. This match between Dundee United and Sunderland at Tannadice certainly gave those in attendance a moment of sheer comedy. It came in the 64th minute.
With the hosts already trailing to a Trai Hume header – courtesy of a bit of slapstick goalkeeping from the flappy Carljohan Eriksson – Charlie Mulgrew decided to raise the stakes.
Some 40 yards out on the right-hand side, the defender turned and fired the ball back to the Finn without looking. Had he even momentarily glanced up, he would have seen Eriksson, who plays as a sweeper keeper, was out of his goal.
The ball scooted past the stunned goalie and while he hurtled back to try and stop it crossing the goal-line, his efforts were to no avail.