Worst penalty shoot-outs in history? Last night’s comedic joint effort from Manchester United and Sunderland must surely now figure highly.
Here it is in all its inglory, with obligatory Benny Hill music…
Naturally we sought to round up some other woeful penalty shoot-outs for your delectation, so here you go…it’s Football Burp’s top 10 worst penalty shoot-outs ever!
Ipswich Town v Luton Town, 1991-92 Zenith Data Systems Cup
Like Sunderland, Ipswich emerged victorious from the shoot-out with a meagre two penalties converted to Luton’s one – we’re particularly fond of the one that bounces off the post and onto the backside of an apparently nonplussed goalkeeper…
Barcelona v Steaua Bucharest, 1986 European Cup final
Following a 0-0 draw, the Romanian side also won the game courtesy of a paltry two penalties – Barcelona, on the other hand, didn’t manage to score a single one.
Steaua ‘keeper Helmuth Duckadam saved all four of Barca’s penalties, while Steaua themselves missed their first two…
Huddersfield Town v Sheffield United, 2012 League One Playoff Final
The Terriers missed their first three, the Blades three of their first four…and somehow the shoot-out still wound up being 8-7 to the former. Clearly both sides had their lists of penalty takers upside down.
Having saved two of Huddersfield’s penalties, United goalkeeper Steve Simonsen scuppered his own chances of hero status by missing the crucial kick himself…
Crystal Palace v Cardiff City, 2012 League Cup semi-final
Palace missed three of their four penalties to set up Cardiff’s date with Liverpool in the final, where they themselves were to lose on penalties.
Portsmouth also missed three of their four penalties in the 1992 FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool, but we can’t find any footage of that…
Paraguay v Brazil, 2011 Copa América
Following a 0-0 draw, Brazil maintained their form through the shoot-out by failing to score a single one…
Switzerland v Ukraine, 2006 World Cup
Similar woes beset the Swiss here, as Ukraine qualified for the quarter-finals with a 3-0 penalty shoot-out win.
Haka v HJK, 1985 Finnish Cup final
The first seven penalties of this one were all missed, with five of those flying off target altogether. Haka eventually won 2-1, with their goalkeeper scoring one of them.
Perhaps a slightly lower standard of football than the European Cup final, and the standard of penalties was reassuringly poor too. The first seven penalties were missed, five of them off target. In the end Haka won 2-1, and one of their scorers was their keeper.
Olimpia v Nacional, 1990 Copa Libertadores semi-final
Another 2-1 penalties victory, in which both goalkeepers stepped up for their side first, and missed (although they saved a total of five between them).
Kaizer Chiefs v Mamelodi Sundowns, 1998 South African League Cup
The Chiefs won 2-1 after a total of 12 penalties were taken, of which they missed four and Sundowns missed 5, in case you couldn’t work that out on your own.
Mickleover Lightning Blue Sox v Chellaston Boys B, 1998 Derby Community Cup
This under-10s game finished 1-1, then proceeded to a penalty shoot-out in which an astounding 66 (sixty-six) spot kicks were taken…and only three scored!
The players will be old enough to laugh about it now, we’re sure.
NOW: check out our round-up of the most spectacularly skied-over penalties!