AFC Bournemouth midfielder Philip Billing etched his name in Premier League history during the Cherries visit to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The 26-year-old Danish-Nigerian scored the opener after just nine seconds against league leaders Arsenal in the lunchtime fixture, making it the second-fastest goal ever scored in the English top flight.
The Gary O’Neil-led side looked determined from the kick-off as they broke down the right side and caught the Gunners’ unalert. They stunned the Arsenal faithful with the simplest of finishes from Billing off a sublime cross from Burkina Faso forward Dango Ouattara.
9.11 – Phillip Billing's goal for Bournemouth against Arsenal was scored in 9 seconds, 11 milliseconds – the second-fastest goal scored in @premierleague history, after Shane Long for Southampton v Watford in April 2019 (7:69). Blocks. pic.twitter.com/ha22xb7Qev
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 4, 2023
However, according to Opta, the Premier League’s official data handler, the goal was scored at 9.11 seconds, just over a second slower than the actual record owned by Shane Long. The Irish forward, Long, scored for Southampton within 7.69 seconds in a game against Watford on April 23, 2019.
Billing’s goal surpasses former Tottenham Hotspur captain and defender Ledley King by 0.72 milliseconds. King scored after 9.82 seconds for Spurs at Bradford City in the 2000/01 season.
The strike was Billing’s fifth goal in the Premier League this season for Bournemouth and his first since his effort away to Leeds United at Elland Road in November 2022.
