ENGLAND ENDS THE CURSE OF THE PENALTY SHOOTOUT
A HISTORY OF LOSING England beat Colombia Tuesday, securing a spot in the World Cup quarter-finals. No team has lost more penalty shootouts at World Cups and European Championships than England (six losses since 1990).
Raheem Sterling peered to his right when 10,000 Colombians in the corner of Spartak Stadium belted out their national anthem.
The temperature inside this stadium hadn’t yet peaked, and at least one of England’s players knew this felt different. It didn’t feel like UEFA, or the Premier League, or anything else he’d experienced at this World Cup.
Three edge-of-your-seat hours later, this Round of 16 classic shouldn’t be remembered for The Three Lions finally advancing on penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw during regulation time.
It’s a match that could ultimately define this tournament for an English side that overcame everything en route to a win that should see them return to Moscow for the final a week from now.
The Colombians didn’t come here to play football Tuesday night, at least not without James Rodriguez. Instead, they offered England a clear picture of what playing in CONMEBOL entails.
Colombia’s Wílmar Barrios should have been sent off early in the match for a clear head-butt that rattled Jordan Henderson’s jaw. It boggles the mind how a VAR didn’t spot a clear instance of violent conduct. And that was just the start of Colombia’s antics on a night in which most of their match plan hinged on performing the game’s dark arts to unsettle a far superior side.
Already gobsmacked by the amount of noise inside Spartak, Sterling was staggered a second time when he was targeted by Colombia’s bench as the sides entered the dressing rooms at halftime.
Eduardo Urtasun, one of Colombia’s assistant coaches, targeted the Manchester City striker as he jogged off the pitch. Urtasun lowered a shoulder into Sterling’s chest in front of the fourth official.
After receiving a few stern words, Urtasun turned to Colombian media behind his bench, gave a sneaky thumbs up and a grin akin to something you’d see on a villain’s face.
Like his players, Urtasun hoped to unsettle a team that was better in every facet of the game leading up to Harry Kane correctly being awarded a penalty.
Colombia conceded twice as many fouls and three times as many cautions in a match England weathered with a kind of professionalism that should be commended.
When the time came for penalties, the expectation was England would crumble under the weight of history. England entered Tuesday night having lost in five straight shootouts. But while spot kicks undoubtedly rattled previous England sides, this current crop confidently stepped to the spot and slotted from 12 yards.