The stage was set for Manchester United youngsters Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho to etch their names in England lore. With the minutes ticking down in the extra time of the Euro 2020 finals and the match all set to go to penalties, manager Gareth Southgate decided to insert the duo for the dreaded shootout against Italy.
It isn't a complete wonder why Southgate entrusted Rashford with this gargantuan task. Rashford had taken 17 penalties across his career to date, making 15 of them, with those attempts split across youth and senior outings for club and country. Rashford also scored a vital spot-kick in England's penalty shootout win against Colombia in the round of 16 of the 2018 World Cup that ended a string of defeats in this brutal format.
England's tortured penalty shootout past
England supporters have a tortured history with penalty shootouts. The Three Lions have been in nine penalty shootouts at major international tournaments (World Cup, European Championship, and Nations League), losing six and winning three. They were 1-3 in this format in the Euros, losing to Italy in the 2012 quarterfinal, bowing out against Portugal in the 2004 quarterfinal, and were beaten by archrival Germany in the 1996 semifinal.
Southgate knows fully well the pain a penalty shootout defeat brings. He missed the decisive spot-kick against Germany in 1996 that denied England an opportunity to reach their first major finals since the 1966 World Cup.
From England pariah, the former defender has made quite a comeback as the national team's manager. He led England to the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup and went one step further in this year's Euro tournament as the Three Lions reached just their second finals at a major tournament.
England started its biggest game in 55 years in dramatic fashion with left back Luke Shaw scoring a stunning strike in the second minute to give the hosts a shocking 1-0 lead over Italy.
The Italians battled back, though, and grabbed a deserved equalizer in the 67th minute to make it 1-1. Veteran defender Leonardo Bonucci pounced on a goal-mouth scramble after an Italy corner to become the oldest goal-scorer in the history of the European Championships.
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England's penalty shootout curse strikes again
Tension was palpable as the penalty shootout started with both teams desperate to end their long title droughts. After Domenico Berardi and Harry Kane traded penalty makes, England gained the early advantage when Jordan Pickford saved Andrea Belotti's effort. Harry Maguire and Leonardo Bonucci converted their ensuing spot kicks to make it 2-2.
With England closing in on its first European title, Southgate decided to go with his young attacking stars for his next three penalty-takers. Rashford had the opportunity to give England a 3-2 lead, but his penalty attempt hit the left post.
Sancho, his fellow 119th-minute substitute, was next in line for England. Trailing 3-2 at that point, Sancho missed as well as Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saved his spot-kick. Jorginho, the hero of the penalty shootout against Spain in the semis, had the opportunity to give Italy the title, but Pickford tremendously saved his spot-kick.
England was still alive, but the Three Lions needed to score their next penalty to extend the shootout into sudden death. Bukayo Saka was entrusted with the responsibility, but the 19-year-old unfortunately succumbed to the pressure as Donnarumma saved his penalty.
It was a cruel defeat for England, who suffered yet another heartbreaking penalty shootout loss. However, the future remains bright for England, which now turns its attention to next year's World Cup. Rashford, Sancho, and Saka, who missed England's last three penalties, will play a major part in that campaign.
The pressure, however, is on Southgate to deliver the goods next year. Much of the blame has been placed on him following Sunday's loss, with pundits pointing the finger at his negative tactics as the main reason for the defeat.
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