"Panenka" penalties
seem to be in fashion at the
European Championship. Spain
center back Sergio Ramos used
the audacious soft chip on
Wednesday to help the
defending champions beat
Portugal in their semi-final
penalty shootout at Donbass
Arena.
The technique is named after its
pioneer, Antonin Panenka, who
used it to win the 1976
European Championship for
Czechoslovakia against West
Germany in a penalty shootout.
Ramos' spot kick came just three
days after Andrea Pirlo scored
with a similar "Panenka" chip to
the center of goal in Italy's
quarter-final shootout victory
over England.
"They are very fashionable right
now," Spain coach Vicente del
Bosque said.
Ramos, whose previous penalty
before on Wednesday was a
glaring miss for Real Madrid
against Bayern Munich in the
Champions League semi-finals,
will never forget it.
"I like that I was able to score
from something that will be
remembered," Ramos said. "It's
the last thing that a goalkeeper
would expect. You have to be
confident to take it and in the
run-up I saw the keeper nearly
certain to dive one way, and
fortune followed."
There have been other famous
"Panenkas" through the years,
like Zinedine Zidane's
extravagant chip past Italy
goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon in
the 2006 World Cup final, which
France eventually lost on
penalties.
Spain is the only team apart from
West Germany to return to the
final as holders, and Ramos' chip
certainly put the world
champions in control of the
shootout.
With Spain 3-2 ahead after
Ramos' penalty, Portugal
defender Bruno Alves hit his
penalty off the crossbar. Cesc
Fabregas then converted his kick
to give Spain a spot in the final in
Kiev on Sunday against either
Italy or Germany.
"I can't prove it, but these are
things that can have an influence
on the opponent," Portugal
coach Paulo Bento said through
a translator.
It was redemption for Ramos,
whose miss in April left Bastian
Schweinsteiger to win it 3-1 and
put Bayern Munich into the
Champions League final.
Ramos said that moment went
through his mind beforehand
and provided added motivation.
"When you can rebound from
criticism, that's when you are
strongest," Ramos said. "(The
coach) trusted in me, he knew I
was capable of scoring. He's
been coaching for a lot years
now and he knows I'm a little
crazy."
Ramos has always been one for
fashion " he cut his trademark
mane before the start of the
tournament. Even arriving for the
post-match news conference to
talk about his expressive goal
was no different.
"Sorry I was late," Ramos said, "I
wanted to clean up a bit."

Some of us are busy to watch these matches we only read it here, thank you for the update.
keep it up!