Harry Kane was left “gutted” on Saturday after lacking a vital penalty in England’s 2-1 World Cup quarter-final defeat to France.
England skipper Kane blazed an 84th minute spot-kick over the bar that will have levelled the rating at 2-2 on the Al Bayt Stadium.
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It was one other merciless chapter in England’s decades-long psychodrama revolving round main tournaments and penalty heartaches.
Kane had earlier made no mistake with one other penalty on 54 minutes that noticed him equal Wayne Rooney’s England goalscoring tally of 53 targets.
“As the captain, I’ll take that on the chin and that duty, lacking the penalty, so it’s arduous,” Kane stated afterwards.
“Really powerful evening to take. I’m gutted, the group are gutted. We had the idea that we might obtain one thing particular at this World Cup, however it got here right down to small particulars.
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“On the evening we had the higher probabilities, the higher spells within the recreation, however it comes right down to the execution.”
Kane, 29, is among the most dependable penalty-takers in world soccer, changing 58 spotkicks all through his profession with solely 11 misses.
The England captain stated he had felt assured as he lined up his second penalty of the evening towards France goalkeeper and Tottenham teammate Hugo Lloris.
“I’m somebody who, every time I put together, put together for one penalty within the recreation, two penalties, so I can’t fault my preparation or element,” Kane stated.
“In the lead-up I felt as assured as I did on the primary as I did on the second. It purely comes right down to execution. I’ll take that on the chin.
“Of course it hurts now and it’ll damage for in all probability a very long time, however that’s a part of being captain and a pacesetter within the group, it’s a must to take duty.”
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Kane had seemed inconsolable on the remaining whistle, hunched on the turf as teammates rallied to his assist.
England supervisor Gareth Southgate sprang to Kane’s defence.
“There’s no one I’d have reasonably had in that scenario and if we had one tomorrow I’d really feel precisely the identical manner,” Southgate stated.
“For me he’s been a implausible chief of this group.
“He’s the perfect however the perfect are nonetheless 85 % (success charge) so even the perfect are going to overlook at occasions in order that’s soccer.
“It’s merciless for him as a result of he’ll really feel disillusioned in himself however he shouldn’t as a result of it’s 100 minutes of soccer and there’s plenty of issues that may occur by way of successful a recreation.”
