They say apply makes good. Try telling that to Spain’s coach Luis Enrique.
He set every of his gamers the “homework” of practising 1,000 penalties forward of the World Cup, saying he’s satisfied they aren’t a lottery.
The 2010 world champions confronted Morocco within the final 16 on Wednesday and naturally, the 2 groups held one another scoreless, forcing penalties to determine who would transfer by means of.
It seemed like Enrique’s insistence on practising penalties would repay however as an alternative Spain missed all their makes an attempt as Morocco moved by means of.
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Spain beat Switzerland on penalties eventually yr’s Euro 2020 however have been eradicated on spot-kicks by Italy within the semi-finals.
“Over a yr in the past, in one of many Spain camps, I instructed them they needed to get right here with no less than 1,000 penalties taken,” Luis Enrique stated earlier within the week.
“I think about that they’ve accomplished their homework. If you wait till getting right here to practise penalties… (it received’t be sufficient).”
The Spaniard insisted spot kicks have been “not a lottery”.
Practice doesn’t make good it appears. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)Source: AFP
“It’s a second of most pressure, a time to point out your nerve, and that you could shoot the penalty in the way in which you might have determined, in case you have educated it a thousand instances,” he stated.
“It says quite a bit about every participant. It’s trainable, manageable, the way you handle the stress. It’s more and more much less luck — the goalkeepers have extra affect.
“We have an excellent goalkeeper, any of the three can do very effectively on this scenario. Every time we end coaching I see a whole lot of gamers taking penalties.”
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Sergio Busquets stated Spain’s 3-0 defeat on penalties by Morocco was a “merciless” strategy to determine the World Cup last-16 conflict.
The midfielder’s spot-kick was saved by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou because the 2010 World Cup winners failed to attain any of their penalties.
“It was a pity. It was selected penalties in essentially the most merciless manner,” stated Busquets.
“It was robust, very onerous for us. We tried to put on them down, give them the run-around, discover areas. We lacked that little luck for the ultimate ball.”
Morocco was too good. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)Source: AFP
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon was the hero in Euro 2020 in opposition to Switzerland in a quarter-final shoot-out however on this event he might solely cease one in every of Morocco’s efforts.
“I feel within the 120 minutes of the sport we have been superior to our opponents, however what I say counts for little now if we are able to’t discover the web,” added Simon, who saved Badr Benoun’s penalty.
“In the shoot-out they have been superior and that’s what took them to the quarter-finals.
“We are seeing that there are surprises all through the World Cup. We weren’t able to overcoming them and we didn’t count on to be eradicated in opposition to Morocco, but it surely’s the truth and now we’ve to go house.”
