Hitz: There was no going back
Goalscoring hero Marwin Hitz admitted there was no going back when he went up from his goal for a corner in the dying stages of Augsburg's 2-2 draw with Bayer Leverkusen. Hitz became only the third goalkeeper in the history of the German Bundesliga after Frank Rost and Jens Lehmann to score a goal from open play when he converted in injury time.
Yet he did not know he was even going to play until shortly before kick-off. A serious knee injury had kept him sidelined since November but coach Markus Weinzierl chose him over Alex Manninger, saying afterwards: "I didn't realise I'd put our goalscorer in goal."
It was Weinzierl who sent Hitz forward in the 94th minute at the Augsburg Arena, and Hitz explained the rest to reporters.
I used to always prefer to take shots on goal rather than be stood in goal during training. Maybe that's paid off.
Marwin Hitz, Augsburg's goalscoring goalkeeper.
"He waved me forward and I stood near the back post because I was sure nobody would spot me there," he said. "I then ran into the middle, but the corner was too short and it was cleared. We kept possession and I thought I may as well stay up because it was too far to go all the way back, and there I was in the right place.
"I've always been a goalkeeper but when I was younger, I used to always prefer to take shots on goal rather than be stood in goal during training. Maybe that's paid off."
Once the ball did hit the back of the net, he did not want to wait around and leave his own goal gaping as his natural goalkeeper instincts set in.
"I just wanted to celebrate quickly and then run back, but my team-mates swamped me so I just had to celebrate a bit more with them," he said. "But I was already concerned about the kick-off again. I'm not the sort to celebrate like crazy when we score goals, which is why I wanted to get back into my goal as quickly as possible and follow the game."
The goal and consequent draw ensured Augsburg kept their place above Leverkusen in the standings.