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It is the simplest shot in football a stationery target and a set ball against a goalkeeper who is forced to decide which way the ball might travel, even before it has been touched. As much as the penalty has offered instant release for teams, it has also been the one that has sunk players and teams into unspeakable pain and grief.For all the abruptness and bravado, the penalty shootout as a decisive play is a relatively young measure, especially in the World Cup. Games were decided by extra time two halves of 15 minutes each and in the rare instance when that wasn't enough, knock out games were replayed.But the advent of television and the desire for a decisive outcome at the end of play hastened the arrival of the penalties only at 1978 World Cup. Incidentally though, they did not need to resort to penalties to decide any games in that edition.Penalties eventually took life and form in the semifinals of the 1982 World Cup between the erstwhile West Germany and France. In this feature, we look at some of the most painfully expensive misses from the modern history of the event. The feature does not intend to rank these misses, for each of them is as painful as the next one.
#5 France - Italy, Quarterfinals, World Cup 1998
Luigi Di Biagio - The match between France and Italy from the 1998 is significant for many reasons. France was yet to win a World Cup and they were playing under immense pressure at home. The French only managed a narrow victory over Paraguay in the round of 16, with a 113th minute goal, deep inside extra time.
In the quarterfinals neither team could get past the defenses of the other, despite playing engaging football for over 120 minutes. There was palpable tension around the Stade de France, as it fell to a penalty shootout to determine who might progress to the last four.
Bixente Lizarazu missed the second shot for the French. But there was to be no damage, as Dimetrio Albertini returned the favour to the French on the very next shot. Thierry Henry and Christian Vieri converted to keep the teams level at 3-3.
Laurent Blanc took the fifth shot for the French and ensured there was no slip, despite the mounting tension. Eventually, the sword hung on Luigi Di Biagio – he had to convert to force sudden death. The sight of Di Biagio collapsing in a heap soon as the ball struck the cross bar will remain etched in the memory of the Italians, as much as it might for the French.
It was a victory that gave the French their final dose of confidence as they coasted to the title – their very first and it came on their own soil. It is this bit of history that makes our other slide containing the 2006 final equally poignant.
#4 Italy - France, Finals, World Cup 2006
David Trezeguet - The stakes were high, as you would expect of a World Cup final. Italy hadn’t won the trophy in 24 years and a generation of Frenchmen were seeking to bid adieu on a high. The match was defined by Zinedine Zidane and Marco Materazzi in more ways than one.
Both teams had gotten on the score sheet inside the first twenty minutes of a fast paced game. The French won a penalty very early and Zidane took it with a high shot that brushed the underside of the crossbar to put the French ahead in the 7th minute. A little later, Materazzi converted the score when he was fed well by an Andrea Pirlo corner.
During extra time, drama broke out when Materazzi muttered enough to irk Zidane into headbutting the Italian in an off the ball incident. Zidane was sent off and the game ended 1-1, leaving the teams to decide the title on penalties. It was clear though that the French were affected by the incident and soon David Trezeguet missed the second shot when he struck the crossbar.
Watching the match, you could almost sense that the French would find it difficult.The Italians kept their sheet clean to take home the title. It was emotionally draining, but enthralling at the same time to watch this one play out.
#3 West Germany England, Semifinals, World Cup 1990
Chris Waddle - England’s tryst with penalty shootouts is legend now. But this is the story of how it all started for the English. It was a miserable night for the English, just to state the obvious. But the game was goalless, till Paul Parker deflected a ball from Andreas Brehme into his own post to offer the Germans a lead in the 60th minute. Gary Linekar, quite the star for the English produced an equalizer to keep the game alive. With no further goals scored, the game slipped into penalties.
The wall was yet to down at the time and the West Germans went about their business with customary efficiency. England was keeping up with their opponents till it was 3-3 in the shootout. Stuart Pearce missed their fourth penalty though and when Olaf Thon slotted into the net, it fell upon Chris Waddle to keep the English alive.
Unfortunately for the 30-year-old Winger, what followed was something that would almost define his life as a footballer in the cruelest manner possible. Chris Waddle fired his penalty over the bar past a diving Bodo Illgner. The history of the intense rivalry between the English and the Germans and the fact that this miss helped West Germany into a third straight final must have hurt deeply.
#2 Brazil Italy, Final, World Cup 1994
Roberto Baggio – With nearly a 100,000 people packed into the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, the Italians defended like possessed men to hold Brazil to a scoreless draw at the end of extra time. The ponytailed Baggio was the talisman of the Italians and his decisive late goal against Spain in the quarterfinals had underlined his stature as the man of the moment for the Azzuri.
Baggio paid in kind for the faith reposed in him by scoring both of the team’s goals in the semifinals to help Italy reach the final. The final was set to be decided on penalties after staying goalless through 120 minutes and a little more. Italy had first strike and both teams missed the first penalty. But the Brazilians took a 3-2 lead after Daniele Massaro failed to convert the fourth shot for the Italians.
Out came Baggio, needing to convert to keep the Brazilians from winning the world cup. But he shot high over the post and his crestfallen image – head bowed, hands on his knees – haunted both player and fans for many years to come.
#1 Uruguay Ghana, Quarterfinals, World Cup 2010
Asamaoh Gyan – for sheer context and cultural impact, there is perhaps no other single shot that matches this one. Also, this is a case of a penalty before the shootout for one lead to the other in this case.
Gyan had the last strike of an engaging contest between Uruguay and Ghana. It was moments after Louis Suarez had shocked the 84,000 people inside Soccer City by using his hands to block a certain goal in the final moments of extra time.
Gyan stepped up to the spot, with a chance to send Ghana into the semifinals. No African nation had reached that far in the history of the competition. As a continent waited with bated breath, Gyan struck the post dampening the spirits of his team and sinking many million hearts into a despairing silence.
The embattled man did step up again to convert his shot during penalties, but that was not enough to lift the flagging spirits of his team. It was no surprise then that the deflated Ghanaians lost the ensuing penalty shootout rather tamely to make a heart wrenching exit on their own continent.
