Direct Chronicle
There are many ways to take a penalty kick. When Jose Mourinho coached Tottenham he said Harry Kane had already decided before the game how he would carry out a maximum penalty. Other specialists like Mikel Oyarzabal wait until the last moment to select sides based on the goalkeeper’s movements. And there are such unusual ways of taking a penalty that they live forever under the name of their creator. Such is the case with the Panenka-style penalty, popularized by Czechoslovakia’s Antonín Panenka at the 1976 European Championships and later imitated by Ramos or Pirlo in moments of maximum tension. In 1982, during his last spell at Ajax, Johan Cruyff invented the indirect penalty and converted a direct kick from 11 yards into a pass to Denmark’s Jesper Olsen, who scored the goal to everyone’s surprise.
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Dimitrievski, Catena, Mario Hernández (Abdul Mumin, min. 65), Fran Garcia, Lejeune, Comesaña (Salvi, min. 79), Óscar Valentín, Isi (Pathé Ciss, min. 79), Trejo (De Tomás, min. 57 ). ), Álvaro García and Sergio Camello (Unai López, min. 65)
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Gazzaniga, Santi Bueno, Arnau Martinez, David López, Miguel Gutierrez (Javi Hernández, min. 45), Rodrigo Riquelme (Toni Villa, min. 45), Tsygankov, Iván Martín, Borja García (Reinier Carvalho, min. 89), Oriol Romeu and Valentin Castellano (Stuani, min. 85)
Goals 1-0min. 22: Is. 1-1min. 28: Zygankov. 2-1 min. 33: Trejo. 2-2 mins. 51: Zygankov.
referee Pablo Gonzalez Strong
Yellow cards Catena (min. 7), Mario Hernández (min. 17), Arnau Martinez (min. 37) and David López (min. 70)
The Panenka-style penalty is more common in football today, but Cruyff’s penalty has been seen a few times due to the risk involved. Rayo-Girona’s 41st minute ended in a brief 2-1 win for the Vallecanos as Isi Palazón and Óscar Trejo found themselves possessed by the spirit of the historic Dutch ’14’. Gazzaniga had saved Trejo’s penalty in favor of Rayo but the shot had to be replayed due to an area invasion. On the second, the Argentine passed the ball to Isi, who landed the shot well but sent the ball over the goal to his and others’ astonishment.
The most memorable imitation of the Cruyffista penalty was that of Messi and Luis Suárez in a match against Celta in 2016. The event may have ended in a goal, but the result was more comfortable back then as the Catalans were 3-1 up The Argentine supported the Uruguayan from the penalty spot. The game ended 6-1 and was one of the most memorable performances on MSN. Ten years earlier, Henry and Pirés had also attempted the indirect penalty at Arsenal, albeit with the same result as Rayo.
Isi and Trejo were the protagonists before the final penalty. The winger opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a great individual game that ended in a free-kick for the team. The Vallecas public responded to the cry of “Isi selection”. Girona responded with Tsygankov equalizing, exploiting a defensive error by the Rayista defence, but shortly afterwards Trejo returned the ball to the cross corner to make it 2-1.
Rayo took the lead at half-time hoping the missed penalty would remain an anecdote, but Girona equalized through Tsygankov early in the second half. The Ukrainian signed his first Spanish league double and keeps the Catalans in quiet territory.
The Vallecanos, who held the 3-1 lead, extend their winless streak to six, eroding the team’s European claim.
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