When the ball bounced out to Norwich City midfielder Gabriel Sara, nobody would have expected what was to come next.
It was a moment befitting Sara's quality. A volley that left many inside Carrow Road open-mouthed in disbelief.
Anybody who has ever kicked a football can appreciate the difficulty of the strike that Sara managed to look effortless.
In the split second that Sara had to adjust when Viktor Johansson saved Josh Sargent's effort into his path, he managed to position himself and had absolute clarity in what he was going to attempt.
The Brazilian managed to shape his body correctly, raise his foot to meet the ball and then execute a strike that contained enough backspin to help it rise into the top corner in a controlled fashion. It is a wonderful piece of technique, maybe one that only Sara had the quality on the pitch to deliver in that moment.
To punch through the ball with that accuracy and control was sublime. It was an exquisite finish - the reactions of Ashley Barnes and Sam McCallum displayed the approval he had from his peers.
It will take something particularly spectacular to surpass that strike in City's goal of-the-season competition. In terms of technique, Sara has set an extremely high bar.
He is a player with a high ceiling, and that goal was a reminder, if necessary, of the quality he possesses. It was instinctive. It was pure ability. It was pure Sara.
That is why Sara will be one of several Norwich players in demand come the summer. That innate technical quality and ability to produce moments will make an attractive proposition for Premier League and European clubs.
Like James Maddison and Emi Buendia in recent times, Sara is very much in 'enjoy him whilst you have him' terrority. With every passing week he is resembling a player operating a level below his real capabilities.
If this is to be his farewell tour at Carrow Road, then Sara is rolling out his greatest hits. That volley was one for the ages - a true City classic.
Sara was deployed in a different role for City's 5-0 thumping over Rotherham. With Jon Rowe and Onel Hernandez sidelined and a need for freshness, Wagner opted for a creative solution by starting City's number 17 on the right wing.
In reality, he was rarely seen on the flank—Sara was inverted, and City's positional map shows that he held a more central position for much of the encounter.
Jack Stacey's aggressive positioning and attacking intent allowed Sara to drift inside and affect the game in more central areas.
That was evidenced by the game's opening goal when Stacey provided the width and dragged two Rotherham men out wide with him. His deflected cross was met by Sara, who found himself in a ludicrous amount of space to nod home from close range.
There will be frustration that was unable to score more. Prior to the opening goal, he flicked over Stacey's header, then flashed a shot wide from Borja Sainz's cutback after 17 minutes.
His corner that Jacob Sorensen flicked in ensured he ended the day with 20 goal contributions in 39 Championship matches. Only three players, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Georginio Rutter and Leif Davis, have recorded more assists than Sara.
Only Sorensen had more touches of the ball than Sara's 104 - no City player made more passes into the final third or moved the ball more progressively than the Brazilian.
It was a star-studded display from an A-grade Championship performer who has become vital to City's pursuit of the play-offs.
Only Sara and Kenny McLean have started in every league game for the Canaries, and his ability to affect matches in more advanced areas has enabled Wagner to embed Marcelino Nunez into his midfield picture.
The opposition may not have been the best barometer, given their lack of cohesion, quality, and solidity, but Sara, like many of his teammates, was utterly ruthless in dispatching them at Carrow Road.
Norwich will need the replication of this level of performance more consistently in the final nine games. When in this form, Sara is a match winner.
VERDICT: The Brazilian midfielder embraced a new role and was at his devastating best against poor opposition. He was integral to City's attacking waves and wowed Carrow Road with a stunning volley to cap off a fine afternoon.
RATING: 9 out of 10
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