Xherdan Shaqiri produced the perfect response to being taunted by Minnesota United goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair in a Leagues Cup tie on Thursday night.
The former Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan star is now plying his trade across the pond with Chicago Fire, signing as a designated player and becoming the club's most expensive ever signing in February 2022.
His latest outing was a 3-2 win over Minnesota at the Allianz Field, where the Swiss international proved he has ice in his veins.
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Fire were losing 1-0 courtesy of Bongokuhle Hlongwane's first goal of the night when Shaqiri entered the fray in the 65th minute.
The visitors were awarded a penalty mere minutes after Brian Gutierrez was fouled inside the area. Shaqiri took the ball but had to contend with some serious mind games from St. Clair.
The 26-year-old could be seen mouthing “you have no balls" to the ex Stoke City man as he lined up to take the spot-kick, during his very best to get inside his head.
But the Emiliano Martinez-esque mind games did not do the trick as an unnerved Shaqiri promptly sent St. Clair the wrong way with a cool penalty.
The 31-year-old, who hails from Kosovo, then decided to laugh back at the goalkeeper. St.Clair fell completely silent as Shaqiri grabbed the ball and sprinted back to the halfway line.
Hlongwane struck his second of the night to put Minnesota back in the lead before Arnaud Souquet pulled Fire level for a second time in the 79th minute.
And then in the 83rd minute, veteran striker Kei Kamara, a man who has scored for 10 different teams in the MLS, popped up with the winner against his former side.
The 38-year-old then celebrated by taking a picture with an opposition supporter in the stands.
Fire play their second game of the Leagues Cup against Liga MX side Puebla on Tuesday 1 August.
Topics: Xherdan Shaqiri, MLS, Liverpool, Bayern Munich
Josh Lawless