Sheffield Wednesday manager Carlos Carvalhal lauded Keiren Westwood as the hero following his side's 2-1 win at Nottingham Forest in the Championship on Saturday.
The Portuguese boss saw Westwood produce a couple of crucial saves, while also giving away a penalty only to go and save that as well.
The Irish international is in fine form for his club at the moment - so much so that his goalkeeping coach at Wednesday recently told the Sheffield Star that he felt Ireland needed to reevaluate their goalkeeping pecking order.
You can watch his penalty save from Ross McCormack below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46ION7OOZCg
Saving a penalty that you've conceded must be the ultimate goalkeeping moment.
In case you're wondering, the reason Westwood wasn't sent off for his challenge on Ben Brereton was due to the 'double jeopardy' rule introduced in the summer, whereby if a penalty is awarded for a last-man foul, the perpetrator receives a yellow card instead of a red.
Speaking to the Yorkshire Post after the game, Owls manager Carvalhal was quick to praise the impact of Westwood on the game's outcome:
I have said in the past a good goalkeeper is not one who has to make 20 saves in a game - because our opponents do not create many chances against us.
A good keeper is one who makes saves when he has to; when the team needs him to.
Keiren is a fantastic goalkeeper and when the team needs him, he is there. It is important to have a good keeper and he is one.
Carvalhal's goalkeeping coach, Andy Rhodes, recently told the Sheffield Star:
I’m surprised Keiren hasn’t featured more internationally. He has done really well for us.
Darren Randolph played in the summer and is a terrific goalkeeper. He is a very talented boy. Is he better than Keiren? That’s up for debate. I have got my own opinions on that.
I have known Keiren since he was 14 and worked with him at Manchester City. He’s fantastic. In terms of his decision-making, game play and match tempo, he is probably heading into his peak and where he wants to be.
It's unlikely Westwood will force his way into Ireland's starting lineup in March, but Darren Randolph at least faces stiff competition for his role as Irish no.1 - which hasn't always been the case for our national team goalkeepers.
