By ROB HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
Associated Press Sports
updated 7:17 p.m. ET June 24, 2012
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) -It was the same old penalties heartache for England. This time, though, there was no hard-luck story to accompany the loss.
Defeat by Italy in the European Championship quarterfinals made it six losses in seven tournament shootouts as England's curse struck again on Sunday.
Outclassed and outplayed comprehensively by Italy, Roy Hodgson's side clung on to a 0-0 draw. But in Kiev, there were no near misses, no decisions by the referee to bemoan, just a timid display from a weary team.
And one that's going home on Monday.
"We might have to accept that we weren't quite good enough to win it over 120 minutes," Hodgson said. "Penalties is the same road we have been down before."
The only victory when England players have been put on the spot from 12 yards (meters) came in the Euro '96 quarterfinals against Spain.
The English penalty jinx started in the semifinals of the 1990 World Cup against West Germany and the unified Germans ousted them at the same stage in Euro '96. Argentina was the shootout victor in the second round at the 1998 World Cup, and Portugal ousted England at the quarterfinals at both Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup.
"It's obviously a hard way to go out," England striker Wayne Rooney said. "And it's maybe happened too many times now."
How different it might have been in Kiev as Sunday turned to Monday.
Rooney put England 2-1 in front in the shootout after Riccardo Montolivo missed his penalty.
But England's dreams soon ended up in ashes.
Both Ashley Young and Ashley Cole failed to score as the Italians converted their penalties, allowing Alessandro Diamanti to net the decisive kick that secured a semifinal with Germany.
"Penalty-taking has become a bit of an obsession for us, and those players have done extremely well," Hodgson said. "But you can't reproduce the tension, you can't reproduce the nervousness and you can't reproduce the occasion (in training). The sort of, cool, calculated way that (Andrea) Pirlo had the confidence and chipped the goalkeeper is something you either have as a player or you don't. There is no amount of training or coaching that can teach a player that.
"We saw Ashley Cole take a penalty in the Champions League final. We have seen Ashley Young convert penalties for Manchester United and Watford. We were confident we had five very good penalty takers. Unfortunately two missed."
England's tourist board made light of more shootout misery on Twitter, writing: "England lose on penalties. For more on our culture and traditions go to visitengland.com."
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
advertisement
More newsItaly beats England in shootout
Alessandro Diamanti scored the decisive penalty kick Sunday to give Italy a 4-2 shootout win over England and a spot in the European Championship semifinals.
PST: Pirlo looks strong in Italy's win
PST: Alessandro Diamanti scored the decisive penalty kick Sunday to give Italy a 4-2 shootout win over England and a spot in the European Championship semifinals.
calvin johnson carl crawford mad cow disease powerball rampart jimmy fallon jimmy fallon
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.