Deepdale was the scene of one of the most endless penalty shoot-outs in English football on Tuesday night.
After a 1-1 draw in regular time in the third round of the Carabao Cup, Fulham and Preston North End combined for a record-breaking 34 penalties, 31 of which resulted in goals.
Excluding FA Cup qualifying matches, it was the highest-scoring penalty shoot-out ever in a major English domestic competition, surpassing the 14-13 League Cup tie between Derby County and Carlisle United in 2016.
This reflects a modern trend in which all five of the highest-scoring shootouts in the last 13 years have been played. This may indicate an increased attention to detail during shootouts. In Fulham’s case, this has certainly been true, according to manager Marco Silva, but the results have not been fruitful.
“We are always prepared,” he told Fulham’s media channel. “When you play in a competition like this, preparing for a penalty is part of our routine. Sometimes we repeat it. It’s not one penalty for one player. It’s two penalties for the same goalkeeper. But preparing in one session is different from deciding a penalty in a competition.”
For Fulham, the duration of the shootout was longer than the disastrous night at Aldershot in 1987, then known as the Freight Rovers Cup. They lost 11-10 after drawing 1-1 in regular time, with 28 penalties awarded. The club’s top scorer Gordon Davies had two penalties in the shootout, both of which he missed. For Preston, this result was better than their 10-9 win over Oldham in the 2014-15 Johnstone Paint Trophy.
The result was a huge shock for Paul Heckingbottom’s Championship side, who were knocked out of last season’s semi-finals. Ryan Ledson, who scored a superb half-volley for Preston in regulation time, then converted the winning penalty after Fulham’s Timothy Castagne fired the ball over the bar. Rhys Nelson, one of 11 substitutes who played in Fulham’s draw at West Ham on Saturday, added another in regulation time.
“The standard of the penalty was really good,” Heckingbottom told Preston’s YouTube channel. “To see them dig so deep and show their commitment to the game to get a penalty and when they were up 9-9, 10-10, 11-11… the more the game went on, the more they wanted to win the game. It’s nice to have a positive ending to that.”
To commemorate this historic moment and to truly work out Style, here’s analysis of every penalty from that special night at Deepdale.
1: Raul Jimenez. Fulham. Score — 0-1
Jimenez starts us off. He makes a huge run up about 10 yards. He moves sideways to the left, walks to the ball and sends goalkeeper Freddie Woodman the wrong way. This will happen to both goalkeepers a few times…
2. Ben Whiteman. Preston. Score — 1-1
Preston captain Whiteman put the home team on the board. A quicker run, a little hesitation and he fires the ball right of the keeper. Steven Benda goes the right way but can’t get close.
3rd. Sasa Lukic. Fulham. Score — 1-2
Woodman had a shot on target, but Rukic’s penalty flew low and hard to the goalkeeper’s right, just out of reach.
4. Sam Greenwood. Preston. Score — 2-2
Shortest run-up ever. Perhaps the moment of danger, the main area of the mocked delivery…
There is no doubt about it. It is solid and low to the right of Benda. The ‘keeper’ cannot get close. An ominous standard set so far.
5. Sander Berge. Fulham. Score — 2-3
High to Woodman’s right. The goalkeeper goes in the right direction, but he can’t reach the second penalty.
6. Yeppe Okels. Preston. Score — 3-3
Winger Ockels opens up and targets the top bin. Close to the side netting but very Top At the corner he finds a net. Benda goes the right way but to no avail.
7. Alex Iwobi. Fulham. Score — 3-4
Iwobi’s penalty kick will be a good height for the keeper, but he does the hard part and that is sending Woodman the wrong way. He gives the keeper a little smile. We move on.
8. Alistair McCann. Preston. Score — 4-4
You don’t save them. Midfielder McCann swings the ball high and wide, well beyond Benda.
9. Ryan Sessegnon. Fulham. Score — 4-5
Sessegnon had his eyes fixed on the goalkeeper and sent him the wrong way, but there was a bit of tension in the air.
He approaches Woodman and puts his finger to his lips in congratulations. So far, the keeper trick has not worked on either side.
10. Milutin Osmadzic. Preston. Score — 5-5
Preston striker Osmajik had the fewest touches during the game. But he made it. A 10/10 for the team’s best taker. Impeccable overall. Now for the sudden death and those who don’t like it…
11. Timothy Castagne. Fulham. Score — 5-6
At this point, the night was going well for Castagne. He fired a penalty high to the right of the goalkeeper, who sent it the wrong way. The visitors were shaking their fists. Enjoy it while it lasts, Timothy.
12. Ryan Ledson. Preston. Score — 6-6
Castagne’s penalty is mirrored. High and unstoppable. The goalkeeper goes the wrong way. Not even close.
13. Emile Smith Rowe. Fulham. Score — 6-7
Fulham’s club record signing takes the first penalty of the night, looking a little dangerous. Woodman goes in the right direction and almost touches it. The penalty speeds into the goal. But it’s a precise penalty. Right from the corner.
14. Liam Lindsay. Preston. Score — 7-7
Many of Preston’s penalties are aimed high. They are admirably bold. Fulham goalkeeper Benda looks to dive for this penalty. Centre-back Lindsey’s penalty is closer to the centre than the corner, but it is out of reach for the helpless Benda. Preston’s players do not feel pressured to get second.
15. Issa Diop. Fulham. Score — 7-8
Diop takes two steps and smashes into the net. Woodman doesn’t start diving until the ball has passed him. A truly elite centre-back penalty. The audacity makes you gasp several times. If Diop scores a Belters goal, this won’t be over any time soon.
16. Jordan Story. Preston. Score — 8-8
The story goes high and finds the top corner. Benda goes in the right direction, but even though he guessed correctly, he fails to save it. Now we are entering the territory where questions about the goalkeeper are starting to arise… Open the can of Carabao. It could be a long night.
17. Jorge Cuenca. Fulham. Saved — 8-8
Now the centre-back penalty should look like this. No nonsense about the top corner. Woodman dives low to the left and slams the ball. Big fist bump congratulations. Now it’s time to finish the shootout…
18. Kane Kessler-Hayden. Preston. Saved — 8-8
After spending the last ten minutes or so flailing miserably around the six-yard box, both goalkeepers are suddenly off their marks. This penalty is miserable. Kesler-Hayden could have ended the game, but his penalty is too direct and central.
19. Martial Arts High School. Fulham. Score — 8-9
And… normal service resumes. Woodman dives in the wrong direction. The 19-year-old young man, Godo, is clearly dissatisfied with Woodman, and like Sessegnon, he approaches him and ‘quiets him’.
20. Andrew Hughes. Preston. Score — 9-9
Everyone wants this goal to go in. Centre-back Hughes will again send Benda the wrong way and see both keepers kick.
21. Stephen Benda. Fulham. Score — 9-10
Benda scores a ridiculous penalty. He puts it in the top corner. On that basis, he may be better at kicking them than stopping them! Woodman next…
22. Freddie Woodman. Preston. Score — 10-10
Same goes for Woodman. Benda goes the wrong way. Woodman fires hard and low. The show goes on and the number one pick is back…
23. Raul Jimenez. Fulham. Score — 10-11
It’s dangerous to take two penalties in the same game, but not at Deepdale. Jimenez changes his run to add a second stutter. He also puts the ball into the top corner, just out of Woodman’s reach, who guesses it’s the right way.
24. Ben Whiteman. Preston. Score — 11-11
When the ‘keeper’ takes the penalty, it’s not really that fun. Benda gets close here, he kicks his leg and shoots into the middle. He thinks the penalty will meet the criteria set early in the shootout. Good mind game from Whiteman.
25. Sasa Lukic. Fulham. Score — 11-12
Rukic shoots a penalty in the same direction and Woodman remembers it well. But it’s a shame that Rukic pushes the ball into the top corner. We move on.
26. Sam Greenwood. Preston. Score — 12-12
Greenwood’s well-struck penalty sends Benda sprinting. Heckingbottom and his staff snicker on the touchline. The parents who have to keep a close eye on bedtime in the stands are not happy. And the 200 Fulham fans who have to travel 190 miles to get there after this shooting exercise are not happy either.
27. Sander Berge. Fulham. Score — 12-13
Berge tries to hit the ball in Diop style but just hits the ball into the net. It’s not a corner but it doesn’t matter because Woodman went the wrong way and fell to the grass. Now it’s a tough area for the goalkeeper. Thank goodness he’s not playing for Astro.
28. Jeppe Okels. Preston. Score — 13-13
Ockels razor–sharp The penalty keeps us going, sorry.
29. Alex Iwobi. Fulham. Score — 13-14
Iwobi’s uncle, Jay-Jay Okocha, saved a penalty kick from Brazilian legend Dida at the 1996 Olympics. Iwobi doesn’t miss. Let’s keep going.
30. Alistair McCann. Preston. Score — 14-14
At this point, we need a handicap. Should each penalty be taken a yard further back? It feels a bit pointless to have a goalkeeper right now. They can’t get close to this kick. Crossbar challenge, anyone?
31. Ryan Sessegnon. Fulham. Score — 14-15
How’s the luck? Sessegnon tried to quiet Woodman down a bit, but the Preston keeper did him a favour here. The ball hit the post, Woodman’s back and went in. Does that mean ‘the keeper’ got two goals? Is it an own goal? If so, it means ‘the keeper’ has scored more goals than he has saved…
32. Milutin Osmadzic. Preston. Score — 15-15
I always liked the old-school MLS penalty where you dribble down the halfway line. Why not bring in a defender and create a one-on-one situation? Anyway, every first-choice defender has taken two penalties and scored. Preston is really impressive, he took 11 penalties that would have been disqualified if he missed them and scored.
33. Timothy Castagne. Fulham. Meath — 3-3pm
Finally. After 33 penalties, we got one that was completely off target. Castagne hit it all wrong. High and wide. Totally out of the penalty standard for this shootout.
Of course, the outcome of this penalty shootout was not decided by the goalkeeper’s save.
34. Ryan Ledson. Preston. Score — 16-15
It’s over. Preston’s goalscorer seals the deal in regular time. Appropriately, he sends Benda the wrong way. An impressive shootout ends.
(Photo above: Getty Images)
