Bringing Up Baby - A Different Approach to The Lisbon Lions Challenge.

Peacemaker7 · 05-09-2004, 09:22 PM

The Penalty Shoot-Out

Penalty shoot outs at the best of times are ocassions on which even the most confident of players can fall apart, and reputations can be torn assunder. But this was no ordinary shoot out, this was the World Cup Final, and even the greatest can screw up here, think back to the legend that is Roberto Baggio.

As if there wasn't enough pressure of course, there was the added twist that this was a clash of the Auld Enemies, and no matter how you tried to play it down, this was a match neither country would live down losing, and heaven help the poor bugger who missed the vital spot kick.

Perhaps in this situation England's experience would come to the fore. Or perhaps the old heads would crack, and recklessness of youth would win through. Perhaps.

And the first player to step up in this cauldron of tension and excitement was Scott Craig. Confidently he placed the ball, stepped back, paused...... then placed it to the keepers left. Scotland were ahead.

Up first for the English was substitute Paul Young, living up to his name at only 21. He too looked confident as the placed the ball, hit to the keepers right......but it was weak, and Shearer easily saved, and Scotland were still ahead as Young made his way dejectedly back to the centre circle.

Next up for Scotland was Craig Cowie, with a chance to really pour the pressure onto the English players. Cowie's run up was short, his shot decent enough, but English keeper Colin guessed right to bring off a save. Scotland still led, but the advantage had gone.

Wayne Rooney was the player who had the chance to bring England level. And he did so with a perfectly placed effort to Shearer's right, and you could feel the shoot out was shifting favour.

Scott Adams was the third Scot to step to the firing line, as the pressure grew ever more intense. A poor penalty, straight at the keeper, and now the advantage had well and truly swung.

It was keeper v keeper next, as Adam Collin had the chance to put England ahead for the first time in the shoot out. A well struck shot, once more to Shearer's right, and now it was 2-1 to England, and it was their support who were jumping in the stands.

If ever their was a pressure penalty, this was it, as regular Forfar spot kick taker Paul O'Neill stepped up, knowing that if he missed, England would almost certainly be the winners. O'Neill took his customary short run up, thundering the ball straight down the middle, and once again the shoot out was level.

Owen Hargreaves was the fourth English player, looking nervous as he placed the ball, then hitting a poor effort which Shearer easily saved, and the pendulum had swung once more. The tension was become unbearable.

Declan Lawless had the chance to put Scotland ahead, but as poor as Hargreaves spot kick had been, so was his, and now England only had to score to win the World Cup.

Another of the youngsters in the England squad, Jamie Hart stepped up. He only had to put the ball in the back of the net, as two proud footballing nations held there breaths. Slowly he placed the ball, stepped back, and hit it to Shearer's right, and there were tears as half the stadium erupted in raptures.........

Stephen Wilson · 05-09-2004, 10:30 PM

Very late comment, but fantastic story, took me about an hour but just read it :thup:

I suppose it's too much to ask that the tears were from the English?

Peacemaker7 · 05-10-2004, 02:10 AM

Penalty Shoot Out & Conclusion

The ball left the turf, rising into the air towards the goal, as David Shearer threw himself in the right direction, but the ball seemed to be just too far away. As time slowed to almost a standstill, Shearer somehow stretched his arm further, and got a touch to the ball that was just enough to deflect its direction, and as Hart fell to his knees, Scotland were still in the World Cup.

And as luck would have it, the next kick taker for Scotland was....... David Shearer. Having seen the England keeper score earlier, having kept his team in the match with a wonderful save, Shearer now had the chance to put Scotland back in the driving seat.

There was little sign of nerves, as Shearer took the most important kick of a ball in his entire career, slamming it well wide of the outstretched arms of the England keeper, and into the corner of the net, it was 3-2 Scotland, and now the boot was on the other proverbial foot. England had to score, or Scotland were World Champions.

It fell to Kieron Dyer to keep the shoot out going, and keep England in the game. He stepped up, nerves jangling, took a short run, then blasted the ball straight down the middle. But Shearer hadn't moved, and he easily batted the ball away, and in scenes of incredible emotion and drama, Scotland had won the World Cup!

Peacemaker7 · 05-10-2004, 02:12 AM

Thanks Stephen, and to everyone who has read and replied. The challenge isn't quite over, as we still have to win the Euro's, and I would quite like to do 10 in a row, and also add a 3rd and mibbe a 4th and 5th Champions Leagues, and of course it would be fun to see just how many caps and whatever the players can get.

However, I have decided to take a break from this story for a while, but I will hopefully return and finish it off

Thanks again!