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A-League Player Éric Bauthéac Pulls Off First Ever 'False Panenka' Penalty

A-League Player Éric Bauthéac Pulls Off First Ever 'False Panenka' Penalty

The chip didn't exactly go according to plan for the Brisbane Roar midfielder but the spot kick still went in during their 5-3 loss.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

It takes a lot guts to take a Panenka penalty because if you mess it up then it you get completely embarrassed but Éric Bauthéac has proved the exception to the rule by scoring despite seemingly messing up his panenka.

Penalties really should be simple. 12 yards out, ball on the spot, only the goalkeeper to beat, hit it with power or hit it with precision. Sure you won't score every time but it get it right and you probably will.

So it's actually quite shocking how often those taking a penalty try and make it more difficult for themselves. Silly run ups, pausing in the middle and just generally trying to be too clever can only lead to disaster.

The Panenka could be seen in the same light. The cheeky chip down the middle looks fantastic when it's pulled off but it relies on the keeper being committed and going early, otherwise you lamely pass it back to him.

Brisbane Roar midfielder Éric Bauthéac either invented the false Panenka during their game against Adelaide United or he managed to score after scuffing his attempt at a normal Panenka.

That's either the best penalty ever taken or the best miss-hit and, whilst I'd like to believe it's the former, it definitely feels like it's the miss-hit.

Because the ball rolls so slowly towards the goal you get the feeling that despite diving the keeper had time to get up and save the penalty:

The keeper barely looks like he's trying. Image: BT Sport
The keeper barely looks like he's trying. Image: BT Sport

The spot kick put the Roar 3-2 up against their opposition just after the hour mark but they couldn't hold on to the lead.

Craig Goodwin equalised on 71 minutes, Baba Diawara put Adelaide ahead four minutes later and Isaias Sanchez added the gloss to the scoreline with five minutes left.

The win keeps the south Australian side in fourth place in the league with Brisbane struggling in second bottom place after just four wins in 27 games.

If the team don't manage to achieve anything else this season at least one of their players might be remembered as inventing the Bauthéac penalty, kind of...

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