Everton Star Thierno Barry Nets Crucial Goal vs Man City, Pulls Off Kakalika Celebration
- Thierno Barry brought a touch of Ghanaian flair after celebrating his goal against Man City with the viral Kakalika dance
- The French forward pulled off the popular move after drawing Everton level in their Premier League clash on May 4
- Barry joins a growing list of football stars embracing the dance challenge popularised by Ghana's DopeNation
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Everton forward Thierno Barry added a Ghanaian touch to a dramatic Premier League clash on May 4 after celebrating his goal against Manchester City with the viral Kakalika dance.
The 23-year-old came off the bench and made an immediate impact at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, helping Everton fight back in an entertaining 3-3 draw that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
Source: Getty Images
Barry needed only four minutes to announce himself.
The French striker capitalised on a poor backpass from Marc Guehi, timing his run perfectly before calmly slotting the ball beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma.
There was immediate tension inside the stadium as Manchester City players appealed for offside.
Watch Barry's goal, as shared on X:
However, after a VAR review, Barry was judged to have not interfered in play despite being in a seemingly offside position, according to Diario AS.
The equaliser cancelled out Jeremy Doku’s sterling first-half opener and breathed new life into Everton’s performance.
Barry pulls off Kakalika dance vs City
After the goal was confirmed, Barry turned to the crowd and pulled off the now-famous Kakalika dance celebration, sending Toffees fans into a frenzy.
In videos circulating on social media and sighted by YEN.com.gh, the forward showed off the dance moves before teammate Iliman Ndiaye joined him in celebration.
Watch Barry's Kakalika dance, as shared on X:
Barry has now joined a growing list of footballers embracing the Ghanaian-inspired dance craze.
Newcastle United striker William Osula previously performed the celebration after scoring against Bournemouth, while Ghana winger Abdul Fatawu Issahaku also pulled it off after netting against Germany in a pre-World Cup friendly.
Below is Osula's dance celebration, as shared on X:
Interestingly, both Barry and Osula saw their goals checked by VAR before eventually celebrating.
The atmosphere lifted Everton even further as Jake O’Brien soon completed the turnaround with a second goal for the hosts.
Source: Getty Images
Barry’s brace not enough as City draw
Barry was not done yet, grabbing his second goal in the 81st minute to restore his side’s advantage after Erling Haaland had briefly brought City back into the contest.
However, the drama was far from over.
Marc Guehi, who had earlier made the costly error, redeemed himself in stoppage time by setting up Doku for a late equaliser to rescue a point for the Sky Blues, The Athletic reports.
Watch Doku's last-gasp equaliser, as shared on X:
The draw leaves City five points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, although Pep Guardiola’s side still have a game in hand ahead of their next fixture against Brentford on May 9.
From a Ghanaian perspective, the growing global popularity of the Kakalika dance continues to gather momentum.
However, it was a quieter outing for Antoine Semenyo, whose recent dip in form continued after he failed to convert a number of chances before being substituted in the 74th minute.
Arsenal W stars show off Kakalika moves
YEN.com.gh previously reported that Chloe Kelly and Olivia Smith showed off the viral Kakalika dance following their goals for Arsenal Women against London City Lionesses.
The celebration by the female Gunners stars sparked huge reactions online, especially among Ghanaian fans, with many sharing their views on the trending dance challenge.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
