Chelsea’s John Terry misses the deciding penalty in the penalty shootout of the 2008 Champions League final against Manchester United.ChPenalties – they have given joy and grief, in equal measure, to players, coaches and fans everywhere ever since they were first introduced in 1891 as a way to reduce fouls in the box. There are few things more heartbreaking than seeing your team lose out to a dubious penalty decision in the dying moments of the game, or losing a tournament final after the cruel lottery of a shootout. And yet all that doesn’t matter if you’re on the winning side.In any case, love it or hate it, the penalty kick is an established part of the game today. It is, in theory, one of the easiest ways to score. Twelve yards out, with only the goalkeeper between you and glory. The question is: can it get any easier? In practice though, the pressure and sheer magnitude of the occasion often gets the better of the penalty taker. And then he ‘chokes.’It is no great sin to miss a penalty; many greats of the game have all been there and done that. But the fact is; some misses are difficult to forgive and forget, especially when taking into account what happens after it. The loss, which is followed by the abuse, the jokes, the laughs and the tears. It is something that can haunt a player for a lifetime.Ranging from the hilarious to the unbelievable, here are 7 iconic penalty misses in club football.
#7 Charlie Adam: Liverpool vs Cardiff City - 2012 League Cup final
This is one of the internets most famous penalties. In the League Cup final of 2012, Cardiff City had scored late in extra time to drag Kenny Dalglishs Liverpool to a penalty shootout. The first two penalties were missed as both Steven Gerrard and CardiffsKenny Miller hit the post.
Next up was yet another miss but this was nothinglike the first two. Liverpools Charlie Adamblasted the ball over with his left foot; itflewhigh over the keeper and the post, into the Wembley stands.It was a kick that would have won a game in style in some other sport, but not in this one. Fact is,Adam is generally a decent penalty taker but somehow he managed to mess it all up horribly that night.
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In the end, themiss did not matter as Cardiff went on to miss two more penalties while Liverpool scored their next three. The Cup wouldgo to Merseysideand Charlie Adam could celebrate in relief.
However, as hard as he would try to forget it, folks on the Internetwould ensure that his spotkickwould remain famous. It spawned dozens of memes that do the rounds even today.
#6 Dennis Bergkamp: Arsenal vs Manchester United - 1999 FA Cup semi-final replay
This game was made famous in the second half of extra time,by a certain RyanGiggs who turned the famed Arsenal defence inside out, waltzing through themto score one of the most unforgettablegoals in FA Cup history.
However, all of that wouldnt have been possible if it wasnt for an Arsenal penalty miss in the last minute of normal time, with the score at 1-1. If Dennis Bergkamp, who had scored earlier in the match, had dispatched thatspotkick, it would have been goodbye to Manchester Uniteds treble hopes. But it somehow seemed that fortune would favourUnited that season, as Peter Schmeichel guessed right to save the penalty and take the game into extra time, setting the stage for Giggs wonder goal.
United would go on to win the Cup and thenthe Champions League to complete the historic Treble. It is an event that still rankles in the memories of the Gunners and their fans. It would have been great to deny their hated rivals their treble. If onlyBergkamp had scored!
Fast forward to 1:47 to watch the penalty miss.
#5 Sergio Ramos: Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich - 2011/12 Champions League semi-final
Real Madrid v Bayern Munich. The 2012 Champions League semi final. Unable to break the deadlock after 210 minutes over two legs, the teams had now entered the dreaded penalty shootout. A win here was all that separated Jose Mourinho from a clash with his former club Chelsea in the final. Real had La Decima in sight, while Bayern looked forward to a fifth triumph in afinalto be played in Munich.
After Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka had both missed, Iker Casillas stepped up to save from Toni Kroos and Philipp Lahm to draw Madrid level. But the Spanish custodians work was undone when Sergio Ramos sent his penalty high over the crossbar la Charlie Adam.If internet parodies are to be believed, the ball either hita space station or endedup in a Japanese cartoon.
That was just an example of the ridicule that surrounded Ramos after that horrendous mishit. It was compounded by Bastian Schweinsteiger who made no mistake in the next kick to send Bayern to the final.Ramos would gainredemption two years later with two goals over Bayern in another semi-final second leg, helping him banish the memories of this penalty miss.
#4 Robert Pires: Arsenal vs Manchester City - 2005/06 Premier League
This memorable incident has always followed Arsenal legends Thierry Henry and Robert Pires wherever theyve gone; time and again interviewers have asked the pair: What exactly happened that afternoon in Highbury? It is a question that elicits laughter now but back on that day in October of 2005, there was disbelief all around.
Arsenal were at home toManchester City and took the lead in the 61stminute through a Pires penalty. Ten minutes later, the Gunners were awarded another penalty after a foul on Dennis Bergkamp. Pires stepped up once again but this time, instead of slotting it in, he attempted to roll it on for Henry.
But it didnt materialise as he wished as his touch was a tad too weak. AsHenry ran past, the ball stood on the spot and Piresended up taking a second touch, resulting in an indirect free kick forCity.Arsenal had just bungled a penalty in the most unbelievable of fashions.
It turned out later that the French duo had tried to take a leaf out of Johan Cryuffs book. The Dutch maestro had tried a similar routine in 1982 while playing for Ajax but unlike Pires and Henry, he had successfully put the ball in the net with the aid of Jesper Olsen. No such luck for Arsenal though and despite getting a 1-0 win that afternoon, this penalty miss has become iconic.
#3 Andriy Shevchenko: AC Milan vs Liverpool - 2005 Champions League final
There are no more unused words that can describe the spectacle that this match offered to its viewers.
In one of the greatest matches that football has ever seen, AC Milan romped to a 3-0 lead at halftime. Liverpool, however, were not out of it yet. Pushed on and inspired by their captain Steven Gerrard, they pulled off an unbelievable comeback to level the score by the end of 90 minutes. That wasnt the end of the drama that night in Istanbul as deep into extra time, Liverpool keeper Jerzy Dudek made a stunning double save from Andriy Shevchenko. As the Ukranian strikerrued what might have been, the whistle went to signal penalties.
The DudekShevchenko duel took another interesting turn in theshootout when the AC Milan man lined up for his penalty with the weight of his team on his shoulders. If he missed, the title was Liverpools. AsShevchenko looked to make amends for his extra time miss, Dudek tried to distract him with a repeat of Bruce Grobelaars famous spaghetti legs.
Shevchenko struckthe ball straight down the middle; Dudek had dived to the right but managed to get his hand on it. He had denied Shevchenko yet again. Andmore importantly, he had completed a famouscomeback.
Fast forward to 2:13 to watch the penalty miss.
#2 Anthony Knockaert: Leicester City vs Watford - 2013 Championship Playoff semi-final
Watch the video and you may well agree that the beautiful gamecant get any more dramatic. Watford and Leicester City squared off in the second leg of their Championship play-off semifinal tie, withLeicester carryinga 1-0 lead from the first leg.
Watford took the lead through Matej Vydra only for David Nugent to equalise minutes later for Leicester. In the second halfVydra levelled the aggregate score once again and it seemed the tie would be settled on penalties. It wouldnt be so.
In the 95th minute, with only seconds to go for the whistle, Leicester winger Anthony Knockaert was brought down in the box. The referee awarded a debatable penalty and Leicester now had the chance to seal the game and the ticket to Wembley. Knockaert himself took the penalty but it was saved by keeper Manuel Almunia. The ball rolled back to the Frenchmanand he attempted to lash in the rebound but once again Almunia came to Watfords rescue.
And then suddenly,within seconds, the ball was at the other end, and Troy Deeney scored to send Watfordfans into delirium. Watford were on their way to Wembley, while Leicester could only watch in disbelief.
It was made all the more memorable by all that happened after Deeneys goal: the crowd coming onto the pitch, Watford coach Gianfranco Zola falling over while celebrating and the shock on the faces of Leicester faithful. Insane stuff!
#1 John Terry: Chelsea vs Manchester Utd - 2008 Champions League final
Ask any Chelsea fan, what are the moments in their clubs history that theyd love to forget or rewrite: and you can be pretty sure that John Terrys infamous Moscow moment will be the first.
It was supposed to be a fitting realisation of Roman Abramovichs dream to bring the European Cup to Chelsea. And where better than the Russian capital to do it? However, throughout the game, there were signs that it might not be the Blues night after all. After Frank Lampard had equalised to cancel out Cristiano Ronaldos opener, Chelseahit the post, the crossbar and then had Didier Drogba sent off. Nevertheless, with United also missing their share of chances, the score stayed 1-1 at the end of 120 minutes.
In the penalty shootout,Petr Cech saved Cristiano Ronaldos effort to give Chelsea the advantage. It all came down to John Terrys kick. If the captainscored, he would lift the Champions League trophy. He stepped up...and slipped!
Van der Sar had dived the wrong way, but the mis-hit ball went out via the post.Literally and metaphorically, Terry had slipped at the most crucial juncture. He then had to watch in horror as Van der Sar later saved Nicolas Anelkas penalty in sudden death to win the game for United.
Chelsea made it to the final once again four years later but Terry would miss the win over Bayern Munich after being suspended in the semi-final.
Fast forward to 2:05 to watch the penalty miss.
