I have a feeling the 1976 European Championship final might have been the first penalty shoot-out I ever watched. As a football-mad 8-year-old, I was allowed to stay up late to watch Czechoslovakia take on West Germany - NB: so long ago that neither nation still exists - in a dreary 2-2 draw that is now only remembered for its very last kick.
When Uli Hoeness missed the Germans' fourth penalty, Czech midfielder Antonín Panenka was given the job of scoring the goal that would win his country the title. He ran hard at the ball as if to welly it with all his might, but instead merely dinked it gently towards the centre of the goal. German keeper Sepp Maier had already flung himself to his right and could only watch helplessly as the ball floated over him what must have seemed like several seconds later. Panenka was being swamped by teammates almost before anyone knew what had happened.
And so the "Panenka" was born: when, instead of aiming your penalty with power and accuracy, you chip it, relying on the fact the goalkeeper is likely to dive first and think later. It's an often effective, always risky (see 2'18") , but perfectly legitimate way to take a spot-kick.
Unless your name is David Cobeño, it seems. The Rayo Vallecano goalkeeper was so incensed by Achille Emaná's Panenka for Betis's fourth goal on Sunday - apparently considering it "disprespectful" - that the two all but came to blows afterwards. "Let's see if he does that in the Primera," Cobeño snarled afterwards.
Amazingly, he was backed up by his coach, José Ramón Sandoval, who accosted Emana as he left the pitch. "I went to ask him for explanations," said the Rayo boss. "With all his talent, I wanted to know why he disrespected us. He said sorry ten times and we had a hug. That's not the way to score a goal. Ask Goitia. There's an ethical code and he didn't comply with it."
Excuse me? Let's get this straight: Emana didn't pause, shimmy or dummy. He didn't indulge in any kind of gamesmanship whatsoever. He just kicked the ball, not very hard, into the centre of the goal. See for yourself.
As usual, Pepe Mel was the only one talking any sense afterwards. "I know Cobeño, he's a fantastic guy, and what I told him was that he should have saved it...I'm sorry if he feels offended, but it seems a lot of fuss about nothing to me."
The real irony of this anecdote is that a bit of "Panenka" was exactly the difference between the two sides. Rayo played neat, attractive football with lots of nice passing but no spark. This Betis side, on the other hand, have players prepared to try things, whether it's Beñat shooting when he might have pushed the ball out wide again, Rubén Castro conjuring up a fantastic chipped through-ball to Salva Sevilla or Emaná's cheeky penalty. Perhaps that's what Cobeño was really lamenting - the gulf in what is usually called "class".
Totally agree. Rayo was just beeing sour about getting their culos kicked. Hell, Zidane did a Panenka against Italy in the '06 WC final and then of course El Loco Abreu with his this past summer against Ghana.
It happens alot in futbol. If you don't like it, then make a save so you humiliate the player. It's a simple solution.
Good stuff Joe.
Posted by: Arch Bell | Tuesday, 02 November 2010 at 03:13 PM