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KEEP THE FAITH
Alan Shearer World Cup: England show real balls to win penalty shootout but Colombia were a disgrace
You cannot imagine the pressure those boys were facing - on Twitter I called for cool heads and we got them
WELL done boys, you showed real balls.
I didn’t know what to think when we went to penalties. I’ve been on the wrong end of two crucial penalty shoot-outs at Euro 96 and World Cup 98 and I know that horrendous feeling when you lose like that.
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So to see this team show such character after conceding that late equaliser gives me so much pride. Honestly it was magnificent to witness it, so emotional, and we’re only in the TV studio.
You cannot imagine the pressure those boys were facing, it’s enormous. They held their nerve and showed what they are all about. Coming through an ordeal like that can only make them stronger.
On Twitter I called for cool heads and we got them. Even when Jordan Henderson had his pen saved, Jordan Pickford came to the rescue and how cool was Eric Dier to stick away the decider.
Oh man I’m so happy.
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England fans in pubs and fan zones across the country celebrate England World Cup penalty shoot out win against Colombia
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Ian Wright, Gary Neville and Lee Dixon go crazy as England beat Colombia in dramatic World Cup penalty shootout
For me it meant justice was done after the way Colombia behaved. By and large it was a good, disciplined performance by England.
When the opposition are putting it about the way Colombia were you have to be strong to be able to walk away and not get involved. Henderson was silly with the booking he got but, apart from that, England kept their heads very well.
Colombia were a disgrace. All the dark arts were on show and they were everything that’s wrong with football.
England are a young, inexperienced team and they won’t have come across this type of stuff too often.
I thought they dealt with it in a mature and professional manner.
Colombia players try to scuff up the penalty spot ahead of Harry Kane England penalty
And let’s be honest Colombia should have had a man sent off when Wilmar Barrios head-butted Henderson.
I know I bang on about it but what is VAR for if not to punish blatant offences like that? There was no doubt that he should have gone.
Colombia’s game plan was to frustrate and rough us up at every opportunity. They weren’t there to play and they seemed hell bent on trying to get one of our lads sent off.
For me the referee lost the plot after Harry Kane won his penalty. It was the right call to award it, as Kane was being pulled all over the place but he had no control after that as the Colombians surrounded him.
The ref should have started dishing out yellow cards straight away but instead let them keep on arguing. Then they started scuffing up the penalty spot before Kane took the kick.
You have to hand it to Harry for the way he stayed so calm despite everything that was going on around him. And as he stepped up you just knew he would score.
I thought England would see the game out but they lost their concentration when it looked like they were home and dry.
England star Raheem Sterling attacked by Colombia coach at half time of World Cup clash
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First of all it was a brilliant save from Pickford to keep out a screamer and we must applaud him for that because he had a bit of stick over his performance in the Belgium game and I was one of those who wasn’t so impressed by him in that defeat.
It was no fault of his when he conceded from the resulting corner either. Harry Maguire, who had played well just didn’t get up to challenge Mina as he headed down and in.
You could argue that Kieran Trippier could have maybe done a bit better on the line because he got a touch as the header bounced up into the roof of the net but it was close range and not easy.
Colombia player Wílmar Barrios escapes red card after headbutt on England midfielder Jordan Henderson at World Cup 2018
England were hanging on a bit in the first half of extra-time and Colombia were the stronger but I thought we rallied again and could have forced a winner.
We had all that baggage from failed penalty shoot-outs in the past but these lads have shrugged that aside and, Henderson’s pen apart, were confident with their spot-kicks.
In the end we got what we deserved for once.
Oh and my old mate Tino Asprilla, who bet me a barbecue for whoever won, can get his plane ticket booked. I can already hear the burgers sizzling.
England fans celebrate Harry Kane opener and then looked shocked after Colombia last minute World Cup equaliser
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