Penalty misses at historically high rate at Euro 2020

June 18, 2021
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Penalty kicks are being missed and saved at a historically high rate at this year’s European Championship.

North Macedonia midfielder Ezgjan Alioski and Ukraine opponent Ruslan Malinovskyi both failed to score from the spot in the second half of their game on Thursday.

When Memphis Depay scored for the Netherlands later Thursday, it meant only one-third of Euro 2020 penalties have been scored so far. Cristiano Ronaldo — for Portugal against Hungary — is the only other player to convert a penalty of the six awarded so far, though Alioski did follow up to put in the rebound after his was saved.

The Euro 2020 strike rate is way down from the 74% scored from all penalties awarded at final tournament games since the first in 1960 through Euro 2016.

The very first penalty awarded was missed, by Josef Vojta of Czechoslovakia against Soviet Union great Lev Yashin in the 1960 semifinals.