NWSL's Lo’eau LaBonta Changes The Game With Fake-Injury-Turned-Twerk Celebration
Lo’eau LaBonta is a midfielder for the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League. After LaBonta scored in a Friday night game, she unveiled a celebration for the ages.
LaBonta stepped into a penalty kick in the 82nd minute and drilled it into the back of the net. When it was time to celebrate, she reached for her hamstring while grimacing in pain.
But all was not what it seemed...
That's right, we had a fake-pulled-hammy into a twerk celly in the NWSL.
Good stuff.
LaBonta was asked about her theatrics after the game. She said she thinks it's about time women's soccer players started having more fun with their celebrations.
So, it came to her via Twitter? Well, whoever pitched it deserves an assist whenever LaBonta wins the leagues Celebration of the Year award (if they have that).
No matter how LaBonta got the idea, she took Kansas City Current fans on an emotional roller coaster most feature films could only wish.
The suspense of a penalty kick broken by the excitement of the ball finding twine, only to strike terror into fans' hearts with the fake hammy-pull. Then when she had the entire stadium in the palm of her hand, the 29-year-old out of Rancho Cucamonga relieved the tension with a quick twerk.
It was like a Hitchcock film boiled down to a soccer celly.
After that display, Kansas City — more specifically LaBonta herself — just got an influx of new fans.
LaBonta's goal was an important one. It knotted the game at 1-1 and helped Kansas City play Angel City FC to a draw. This extended the team's current unbeaten streak to 11 games.
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