The misfortune of Meikayla Moore

It is not often that women’s football grabs the attention of the global media but just a few days back it did, but for all the wrong reasons.

The New Zealand women’s team defender Meikayla Moore scored a hattrick of own goals within the first 30 min in a match against the United States women’s team.

Life played a cruel joke on Meikayla Moore as the hattrick of own goals she scored was a perfect hattrick – left foot, right foot, and a header!

After only five minutes into the match, Meikayla Moore turned a cross from US winger Sophia Smith past New Zealand goalkeeper Erin Nayler.

Moore had scarcely recovered when lightning struck again just 82 seconds later, this time from the opposite wing when Margaret Purce headed a cross from right-back, Sofia Huerta, into Moore’s face and it deflected into the goal.

Moore’s completed her hattrick 30 minutes later when she slid another Purce cross past her long-suffering goalkeeper.

In a true sense, it really was a hattrick of misfortune!

This day has to be one of the darkest days in Meikayla Moore’s career and one can’t possibly comprehend what she must have felt!

Moore sank to her knees at her misfortune and it was not long before her coach Jitka Klimková intervened, replacing the defender after 40 minutes.

Klimková comments after the game were sympathetic.

“Each player who has played [football] and it doesn’t matter what level, has great games and tough games, and Mouse [Moore’s nickname] had a tough day at the office.

“Obviously she’s sad and disappointed, but she has us. We know who she is, we know what a great player she is, and we are going to support her as much as possible and we will be behind her.

“I said to her we all know what a great player she is, and there is no doubt about it, she is a solid center-back, defensively she’s tough to beat, great in the air, a great passer… that’s who she is, and that’s what she needs to keep in her mind, and that’s something I’m going have to repeat many times to her.”

The head coach was not the only one who was sympathetic about the incident, many others involved in football came to the support of Meikayla Moore.

“You never like to see this in football. It’s tough as a player and I can only feel for Meikayla,” was the view of New Zealand midfielder Annalie Longo, who was on punditry duties for the game back home.

“I’m so proud of the USWNT, 3-0 at half vs NZ, but I do have to say my heart goes out to Moore, this beautiful game can be cruel sometimes and today doesn’t define her! I can’t imagine the pressure she feels atm and I hope she’s okay.”

Former US defender Ali Krieger tweeted this during the game.

Scoring 3 own goals for your team can be the most disheartening thing that can happen to a player.

Nobody and I mean nobody scores an own goal on purpose and our hearts go out to Meikayla Moore, who probably had the worst day in her life.

Humans make mistakes and Meikayla is only human.

We hope that the gods have written only a good script for her future because she has managed to use up a lifetime of bad luck in a single day!