The intrastory of England’s perfect round without Kane: Pickford’s bottle, Toney’s hypnotic gaze…
England seems to have left behind its ‘black legend’ in penalty shootouts: They lost the five they played between the semi-finals of Euro 1996 and the quarter-finals of the 2012 World Cup.
Now, however, they have won three of the last four: against Colombia in the round of 16 of the 1998 World Cup, in the Nations League against Switzerland… and to advance to the semi-finals of Euro 2024, again against Switzerland. He lost the most painful, in the Euro 2020 final, against Italy, at Wembley.
England beat Switzerland in the penalty shootout (5-3)
The ‘three lions’ had a perfect round. All five pitchers scored: Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka , Ivan Toney y Trent Alexander-Arnold. This time, Gareth Southgateunlike the 2020 final, He didn’t ask for volunteers, he chose them.
“It takes a lot of practice. When the coach told me he was going to take a penalty I didn’t get nervous. On the contrary, I enjoyed it. “I knew how to throw it,” he says. Alexander-Arnold.
The intrastory of the round is curious, starting with the fact that England’s usual pitcher did not throw. Harry Kane, touched, gave way to Ivan Toney a few minutes before. “We trust those who are on the field. We had already won another penalty shootout against Switzerland with me on the wing. Could be a good luck charm“, joked the English captain.
Pickford’s bottle
The biggest role, however, went to Jordan Pickford and the chop he had hidden in the water bottle. On it you could read: ‘Akanji, go left.’ That’s what he did… and that’s how he stopped the first penalty. “I thought I hid it well, but obviously I didn’t,” pointed out the Everton goalkeeper.
I thought I had hidden the bottle well, but obviously I didn’t.
The ‘number 1’ of the ‘three lions’ He is a specialist from 11 meters: has stopped, according to ‘Opta’, four of the 14 penalties that have been taken against him with England in major tournaments, double that of the rest of the ‘three lions’ goalkeepers between 1990 and 2012.
Pickford, accustomed to disconcerting pitchers with tricks of all kinds, ‘a la Drawing Martinez’, saw his repertoire limited by Daniele Orsato. He had to settle for distracting the shooters by making faces under sticks:“The referee stopped me from doing what I usually do and, even so, I managed to stop one. “He was going to reprimand me if I didn’t get back in line.”
The referee stopped me from doing what I usually do and, even so, I managed to stop one
The referee stopped me from doing what I usually do and, even so, I managed to stop one
“Pickford is very good and has a lot of experience in these situations,” admitted Jude Bellinghamwho didn’t fail either: “It’s something I practice and I have my own mechanics. We showed character again. Having the substitutes come in and shoot, with the pressure there is, is special.”
Toney’s look and Saka’s redemption
The Eurocup owed one to Bukayo Saka and yesterday he returned it. The Arsenal winger, like Rashford and Sancho, received racial insults after missing one of the penalties that condemned England in the Euro 2020 final.
“I have faith in God. Recovering from something like this is really difficult and I have taken advantage of the opportunity,” Saka acknowledged. “He has shown character after what he went through, becoming the usual pitcher at Arsenal,” underlines Pickford.
I have faith in god. Recovering from something like this is really difficult and I have taken the opportunity
The other image of the batch was formed Ivan Toneywho, although many people do not know it, is one of the best pitchers in the Premier. Between October 2018 and April 2023 he transformed the 24 he launched consecutively, without failure.
Brentford’s ‘9’, faithful to his mechanics, put his hypnotic gaze on Sommer’s goal: “I never look at the ball. It’s my routine, it’s what I always do. Some people may think it’s crazy, but it works for me and I hope it stays that way.”
I never look at the ball. It’s my routine. Some people may think it’s crazy, but it works for me
Little things that make a difference. England is in the semi-finals thanks to penalties. Lottery, nothing.
