Championship star places in early bid for Puskas Award with an ‘absolute rocket’

Burnley star Zian Flemming entered his name into consideration for the Puskas Award with an outrageous long-range strike for the Clarets against Norwich City

Burnley’s Zian Flemming scored a potential Puskas award contender as the Clarets came from behind to claim a 2-1 win over Norwich City.

While the 2024 nominees for the prestigious award, given to the individual who scores the best goal in world football, has already closed, Flemming’s sensational strike will almost certainly be a contender for the 2025 iteration.

After just two minutes at Carrow Road, Burnley found themselves 1-0 down to the Canaries, who took the lead through Jose Cordoba. And it wasn’t until the 68th the Clarets managed to get themselves back into the game through Flemming.

Standing over a free-kick way out from the Norwich goal, Flemming and teammate Josh Cullen looked to be discussing just what they should do.

However, it was very clear just what Flemming had in his mind seconds later. Taking the free-kick, Cullen got the ball rolling for Flemming, with the 26-year-old taking a touch to set himself before unleashing the most outrageous of long-range efforts that flew into the Norwich net past Angus Gunn.

It was a stunning strike that rendered everyone inside Carrow Road bar the away supporters into silence.

And it also served as the catalyst for Burnley’s comeback, with Scott Parker’s side going on to claim all three points on 76 minutes through midfielder Josh Brownhill to move up to third in the Championship.

“OH MY WORD!!! [ROCKET EMOJIS] WHAT A GOAL BY ZIAN FLEMMING!” wrote one fan on X. A second added: “This week, I will be mostly watching Zian Flemming’s thundergoal on repeat.”

A third commented: “Zian Flemming with an ABSOLUTE ROCKET.” And a fourth said: “Some goal that from Zian Flemming! Probably close the Goal of the Season contest now!”

Speaking after the game, Parker said: “We started the game poorly. First 45 minutes we were second best to a lot of things, didn’t get going and conceded a really early goal. Second half, nothing but real praise for the team. We edged our way back into it, great strike from Flem and then we got our noses in front.

“There were big contrasts between the first and second half. The second half is a team that we need to be consistently in a division that is pretty relentless. That second half will put us in good stead. It’s still early in the season really. We’re nudging away and we need to keep improving.”