ENGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Marcio Sanchez has been a staff photographer for The Associated Press since 2002. He started working in San Francisco and then moved to Los Angeles. Sanchez currently serves as the U.S. News Photo Assignment Manager.
Why this photo?
The AP Tribune’s position at the World Cup is designed to capture scoring plays from the perspective of attackers, goalkeepers and defenders with minimal disruption. All eyes were on American national team forward Christian Pulisic, who played in his first game after being sidelined with an injury. I expected him to be involved in scoring opportunities, and he was.
How this photo was made
Based on pre-tournament discussions with my editor, I used a 400mm lens to show the complete structure of the play. When Pulisic entered the attacking zone, I followed him closely, keeping the goalkeeper on target. The goalkeeper dove, timed the moment the ball hit the post, and took a series of shots.
Why is it effective?
This image captures the tension and momentary drama of a key scoring chance, highlighting one of the recurring stories of the World Cup: exceptional goalkeeping. The Turkish goalkeeper made several important saves, including two against Pulisic, contributing to the 3-2 victory.
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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
