Miss of the century! Complacent Argentina star chips Costa Rica goalkeeper and waits to watch his shot cross the line… only to see it cleared by defender who dashed back

Argentine star Nicolás González will not want to see his part in Wednesday night’s 3-1 victory over Costa Rica anytime soon, after a terrible miss late in the game.

The Albiceleste ended up winning 3-1 in Los Angeles after goals from Ángel Di María, Alexis Mac Allister and Lautaro Martínez in the international friendly against Costa Rica.

It was a near surprise as the less imaginative Los Ticos took an early lead thanks to Spartak Moscow striker Manfred Ugarte in the 34th minute and the world champions were unable to respond before the break.

However, a very strong Argentine team, albeit without talisman Lionel Messi, looked to their stars and managed a 25-minute triple volley to seal the victory.

It was also almost four o’clock when González made a clearance down the left in the 90th minute, before making one of the mistakes of the season at the end.

HE missed the goal at the end of the match and managed to lift the ball over Keylor Navas’ head.

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Nicolás Tagliafico played a perfect ball over the head of Costa Rica defender Haxzel Quirós to send González into Keylor Navas’ goal as the clock approached full time.

The Real Madrid legend initially dropped back towards his line before shooting to close the gap on the Fiorentina striker, but was eventually left stranded when the ball went over his head.

Navas, dying, turns and sees González approaching the goal, but for some reason only he will know, the Argentine striker decides not to put the finishing touches on the ball as he crawls towards the line.

Unbeknownst to the Fiorentina star, Quirós had made a fantastic recovery, and with González already drifting towards the corner flag thinking he had sealed the fourth goal, the right-back rounded the outside and fired off the line.

It was a fantastic and determined defense from Quirós, but he should not have stood a chance with González hugely guilty, and the look on his face after the clearance suggests he is well aware of that fact.

Given the magnitude of the miss (González ran alongside the ball for eight to ten yards without touching the bottom), fans flocked to social media to express their opinions.

One wrote: ‘Nico González with the funniest lady I have ever seen in my life.’

A second believed they were witnessing a piece of history, adding: “It would have been 4-1, but thanks to Nico González for that miss of the century.”

Instead of putting the finishing touches on the shot, he seemed to celebrate too soon.

González did not notice that Haxzel Quirós was running back to clear the ball from the line.

The Fiorentina striker was left blushing for his mistake, but fortunately it did not influence the result.

Fans were quick to express their surprise at González’s ‘miss of the century’ on Wednesday.

Someone sympathized with Tagliafico for what would have been a sensational assist, writing: ‘Bro lost the ball badly. “It would hurt if I was the guy who made that pass.”

Quirós’ fantastic recovery work catches the attention of some, with one saying: “It’s a terrible play by Nicolás, but a great play by the defender.”

However, one viewer was infuriated by González’s complacency and asked: ‘Why don’t you introduce it? Guy started celebrating before he entered.

González has five goals so far in his 31 appearances for the world champions, but was ruled out of their 2022 triumph in Qatar with a hamstring injury.