The ball curled in a wide arc from the left side of the pitch and flew towards the center of the penalty box, where the players of the two teams were waiting.
Timing his jump, Sergio Ramos leaped above everyone and caught the ball with his head, directing it toward the bottom right of the goal.
Buffon stood rooted to the spot because of the unexpected angle of the ball, but Mckennie who happened to be standing in the ball's path, quickly reacted and jumped up to catch the ball just slightly on his head, deflecting it upwards and sending it flying against the crossbar instead of into the back of the net.
The ball bounced powerfully off the bar and back into play and Cuadrado was the lucky man who got his head to the ball next, heading it forward slightly and bringing it under control, his eyes darting across the field as he looked for who to send the ball to.
This was a clear counterattacking chance and he was not going to let the chance slip by without attempting anything.
