Close to goal - end is excited! (9)
I believe the answer is:
alongside
'close to' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'goal end is excited' is the wordplay.
'excited' indicates anagramming the letters.
'goal'+'end'+'is'='goalendis'
'goalendis' anagrammed gives 'ALONGSIDE'.
(Other definitions for alongside that I've seen before include "Parallel to" , "Juxtaposed" , "Age-old sin (anag.)" , "Bordering" , "Aligned so as to be next to, as ship moored to pier" .)