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We. Won. On. Penalties.

What a semi-final. We were 3-0 up at half-time thanks to Martin Cranie, Nedum Onuoha and a Swedish OG. Game over? Apaprently not.

Sweden came back to make it 3-3 by the 81st minute and Fraizer Campbell was sent off in extra time. So penalties it was. And as any England fan knows, shootouts aren’t exactly our biggest strength.


Here’s video of just the pens:


James Milner got us off to the wost possible start, slipping as he struck the ball and sending his spot kick high and wide.

But then Joe Hart stepped in with some heroics. He saved the first Swedish penelty, then calmly stepped up and smashed in our second. He’s basically the English Ricardo.

Lee Cattermole, Adam Johnson and Theo Walcott all converted to take us to sudden death. Kieran Gibbs scored his and Molins hit the post. And that’s how England U-21s made it to the Euro 2009 final.

The obvious achievement here is that England winning a penalty shootout is a rare thing. We can only hope that this victory marks a turning point in both our luck and – more importantly – our attitude when it comes to shootouts. Maybe now England can expect to win from the spot, and not have that “Here we go again” feeling every time it happens.

The final is against Germany, 8:45pm local time tomorrow in Malmö.

Bad news is that both Fraizer Campell and Gabby Agbonlahor are suspended, which leaves Theo Walcott as the only other recognized striker in the squad. And even then we’re all more comfortable with him as a winger. Maybe more importantly, Joe Hart is suspended after getting booked during the shootout.

Good luck to the boys tomorrow.

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Comments
By Rob | June 28th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Top

C’MON THE U21s!

By Weston | June 28th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Top

daryl, i was just wondering what ever happened to the offside podcast that you guys used to do.

Posted from United States United States

By Ryan | June 28th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Top

The only reports I saw said Hart was booked for “gamesmanship” do you know what he did exactly?

By diana | June 29th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Top

‘And as any England fan knows, shootouts aren’t exactly our biggest strength.’
*nodding in agreement*

Daryl, I actually almost gasped watching in front of the television when Milner missed the penalty. Then it went like how you described the penalty shootout. That was some semi-final match.

Now it is against the Germans in the final…

Posted from Singapore Singapore

By Daryl | June 29th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Top

Watching the final now, we’re 1-0 down after 20 or so minutes.

By Daryl | June 29th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Top

Second half just kicked off, and Ozil has bent a long range free kick past Loach. 2-0 Germany.

By Daryl | June 29th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Top

And two more goals makes it 4-0.

By Jack | June 29th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
Top

Thank god it wasn’t a senior match.

Posted from United States United States

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