Awer Mabil reveals meaning behind peculiar goal celebration

Getting sick of Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic? Here’s a rising young Aussie star with a mountain of class you can get behind.

Mabil has won the hearts of Australia.

Fresh Aussie winger Awer Mabil pulled off what Mark Bosnich described as “one of the goals of the tournament” in the first half against Syria last night, curling a brilliant left-footer around two defenders to put Australia on the board.

A litany of penalty bungles sent the match into chaos as the Socceroos narrowly advanced their campaign into the round of 16 with a late 3-2 win over their opponents.

But for Mabil, things more important than mere football were on his mind as he wowed for the green and gold.

The 23-year-old, who grew up in a Kenyan refugee camp, had a message for the world after slotting his stunning goal. In one of the more peculiar goal celebrations seen in recent times, Mabil placed two fingers to his mouth and then covered that hand with his other.

He later revealed his gesture was a message to people suffering from mental illness.

“I want them to know that people do care for them and it’s all in the mind, they need to find someone to talk to,” Mabil said.

“If I can create anything for them to be aware of and for people to see, that people do suffer from this, I’m the first toput my hand up and that’s why I created that.

“It’s to basically show awareness for those people who are suffering from it.”

The gesture came just hours after Sudanese-born AFL star Majak Daw posted an update following his heartbreaking bridge fall late last year.

Mabil has won the hearts of Australia.

Mabil, who earned his first run with the Socceroos late last year, has also received an award year for his philanthropic work.

He and his brother founded a charity called Barefoot to Boots which provides football boots to kids and also offers educationand healthcare outcomes for children in the camp where he was born after his parents fled from Sudan in 1994.

Mabil says his goal celebration message was a collaboration between himself and former FC Midtjylland teammate Pione Sistoin Denmark.

“He’s from Sudan also. We talk a lot and I was just sitting there and I was like, ‘I want to create something for people tobe aware of, to bring peace to the mind,’” Mabil said.

“I just came up with that. From then on, ever since I scored I just did it.” By his own admission Mabil struggled with lonelinessas he attempted to make his way as a professional footballer after moving to Denmark as a 19-year-old. That experience and those of others around him has taught him the importance of speaking up and sharing problems rather than leaving them in the dark. “It’s easy to be isolated, but there’s people out there who care for you,” he said.

“I have such a family-orientated club in Denmark, who helped me a lot, and I’ve seen a lot of people suffering from it.

“I’m there to offer myself to people if they need any kind of attention, I’ll be there to guide them through whatever they need.”

His explosive performance for Australia certainly turned a few heads in the footballing world as the Socceroos look to the future.

You know what else is super noticeable? Sorry but the moment Kruse came on and Mabil came off, huge pressure release off Syria. Kruse nowhere near the same level. Mabil is a dangerous weapon and his presence is immense for the Socceroos #AUSvSYR #AsianCup

— Melanie Dinjaski (@MelanieDinjaski) January 15, 2019

Mabil with a screamer. @Socceroos

— Jamie Soward (@sowwowofficial6) January 15, 2019

BAFFLING CALL ALMOST RUINS IT ALL

It was a call that baffled many, both at the ground in the UAE and in living rooms in Australia.

When Mexican referee Cesar Ramos awarded Syria a penalty in the 80th minute of a crucial Asian Cup clash against Australia, it was hard to see why. Star striker Omar Al Soma crumpled to the turf on Tuesday as Syria launched a harmless free kick into the arms of Socceroos’ goalkeeper Mat Ryan. After a moment’s thought, Ramos blew his whistle — a decision met with a mixture of disgust and bemusementby Australia’s players.

Replays showed it was one of Al Soma’s own teammates who had tripped the striker as he ran into Australia’s penalty area.

A penalty was actually just awarded for this at the Asian Cup...

👇 #AUSvSYR 😱pic.twitter.com/b40b2YKLDi

— Adriano Del Monte (@adriandelmonte) January 15, 2019

The Syrian stepped up and slotted the controversial penalty to level the match at 2-2 and send the Syrian players and fansinto frenzy.

“He didn’t give me much of an explanation when I asked,” Socceroos captain Mark Milligan said of the bizarre call.

“But I don’t have a whistle in my hand.

“It’s football, these things happen. Sometimes they go for you, sometimes they go against you. We can’t control that.” Despite a late onslaught, Australia secured their passage to the competition’s second round and eliminated Syria from the tournamentwhen Tom Rogic stroked home a 93rd-minute winner.

“I just thought it was a helter-skelter game at times because Syria played very direct and very long,” coach Graham Arnold said.

“It’s all about the second ball, and it’s all about the challenges, and it’s all about playing against the way we want to play because the ball’s in the air all the time and we want it on the ground.

“It was a good performance in that respect.”

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Originally published as Awer Mabil reveals meaning behind peculiar goal celebration