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Tag: Penalty Shootout

  • Avram Grant a Bigger Loser Than Ivory Coast When it Comes to Penalties

    Avram Grant a Bigger Loser Than Ivory Coast When it Comes to Penalties

    It was a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations that ended with great drama, as Ghana tasted defeat at the end of a penalty shootout, with the Ivory Coast finally claiming the continental title after a very long wait. It wasn’t that surprising considering Avram Grant was managing the losing side.

  • Andrea Pirlo Misses Penalty Kick, John Stones Scores Panenka

    Andrea Pirlo Misses Penalty Kick, John Stones Scores Panenka

    The unofficial king of the Panenka penalty kick is Andrea Pirlo, but after missing a penalty kick in the friendly match between Juventus and Everton, a young John Stones stepped up to win the penalty shootout, using the specialty kick that Pirlo performs so well most of the time, stunning the fans and Juve’s goalkeeper, Marco Storari, as well.

  • First Title of the New French Season (Lyon vs Montpellier)

    The French Super Cup, Trophée des champions, has been played away from France for the last four years, this time using Red Bull Arena in New Jersey as its home. French Cup holders Lyon with a mostly French lineup came back twice against the Champions Montpellier before claiming their eighth trophy by winning through a penalty shootout.

  • Cristiano Ronaldo Shouldn’t Be Blamed for Portugal’s Exit

    At some point in his career, someone decided that Cristiano Ronaldo should be blamed for everything when his team doesn’t win a match, a title, and so on. Again that tendency appeared after Portugal lost to Spain in the Euro 2012 semifinals, with Ronaldo not taking one of the penalties after 120 minutes.

  • Euro 2012 – Spain vs Portugal Summary

    Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to be the fifth kicker for Portugal, the hero. Instead, he didn’t even get a chance to shoot, as Cesc Fabregas scored Spain’s fifth penalty and sent them to their second consecutive Euro final after a rather dull 0-0 Semifinal.

  • Euro 2012 – England vs Italy Summary

    Before the quarterfinals, this matches was labeled as the one that could be the first in Euro 2012 to end in a 0-0 and give us the dreaded penalty kicks. Italy tried to avoid them, England tried to avoid conceding, and in the end justice prevailed as Italy came through in the penalty shootout.

  • Didier Drogba, Finally a Winner (Bayern vs Chelsea)

    Didier Drogba was always somewhat of a loser when it came to the big finals. Africa, Champions League. No more, not for him and not for Chelsea, putting the Moscow demons behind them and beating Bayern Munich in a penalty shootout after a dramatic 1-1 draw following the 120 minutes.

  • Aftermath of the Real Madrid – Bayern Munich Semi Final

    Cristiano Ronaldo was the hero for 14 minutes. The best player in the world again. But Bayern Munich were the better team through the 90 minutes, deserving more than just one goal for how they cancelled Real Madrid at home in their second leg. Justice? A Penalty shootout isn’t exactly justice. Ronaldo, only human, failed like Messi.

  • Zambia Celebrate Another Drogba Africa Cup of Nations Failure

    Zambia weren’t the best team before the tournament, and they certainly didn’t play the best football during the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. During the final it was more of the same, but a cool head, good defending and a little bit of lady luck helped a team, still dipped in tragedy of that 1993 plane crash, win its first continental title.