David Healy admits he could barely believe Kirk Millar's nerve at chipping Bodo Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Haikin to earn Linfield a famous win in Europe. Millar delivered his sublime heroics with just seven minutes remaining in Tuesday's crunch Champions League clash.
After robbing defender Marius Hoibratan, the Blues winger bared down on goal before coolly lobbing Haikin from an acute angle. The goal sent Windsor Park into raptures, and left former Northern Ireland striker Healy in disbelief.
"I was thinking 'what the hell is he doing?'," Healy joked afterwards. "The angle I was at, the goalkeeper looked as if he over-compensated for his near post, and maybe Kirk could have slotted it in with the outside of his boot.
Read more: Linfield 1 Bodo Glimt 0: Kirk Millar stunner earns Blues famous win in Champions League
"But he went for the dink and it went in.
"Funny enough it was only last week I was talking about Kirk's last goals in Europe. He scored two goals and an exceptional lob against Sutjeska of Montenegro.
"So there was no more fitting man to score tonight."
Healy hailed the performance of Millar, a player the Linfield boss believes deserves more credit than he gets. He also says the 30-year-old is a player he can always rely on.
"I have always said it, Kirk doesn't get the plaudits or appreciation he deserves but his work ethic and all-round dressing room personna makes him popular. And I love him to bits.
"Maybe some people don't see that. But Kirk has played and will continue to play a lot of games for me because I know what I get from him.
"There will be games where he isn't at his best, but he never lets me down. And there was no more fitting player to score the goal tonight."
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