World Cup 2018: England beat penalty curse to see off Colombia on fraught night of fine margins
For 120 minutes, it was the film that all of England has seen before, mainly from behind the sofa. But as the familiar nausea of the penalty shoot-out reached its unbearable climax something extraordinary happened: they ripped up the script.
With a charmed swipe of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s paw, Gareth Southgate’s side turned a 3-2 deficit in the shoot-out into a 4-3 triumph over Colombia and finally broke a curse that did for their World Cup predecessors in 1990, 1998 and 2006.
It wasn’t pretty and the 1-1 draw was a long way from convincing, but the only thing that truly matters now is that England are into the quarter-finals of the tournament for the first time in 16 years and face Sweden on Saturday.
Read more: Can England get over their World Cup penalty hoodoo?
Southgate’s ecstasy will be tempered by the knowledge that this fraught night in Moscow was decided by the finest of margins.
Having taken a 57th-minute lead through Harry Kane – another penalty – England looked to have seen off a resurgent Colombia until the South Americans’ towering centre-back Yerry Mina headed an equaliser deep into stoppage time.
A bitter blow, it left England reeling until the second half of extra time. Having stared into the abyss, they rallied, although not enough to avoid their nemesis: penalties.
Colombia held their nerve better at first, taking the lead when David Ospina leapt to his left to save from Jordan Henderson, but Mateus Uribe’s effort against the crossbar let England off the hook and Pickford seized his chance to play the hero.
Carlos Bacca’s penalty looked to be sailing over the diving Pickford, only for the England No1 to hoist his trailing arm and claw the ball away. Eric Dier converted the winning penalty – just.
Pickford saved from Carlos Bacca as England won the shoot-out (Source: Getty)
For Pickford, it was a moment that justified his instalment as Southgate’s first choice.
Having ditched Joe Hart, the England manager anointed the 24-year-old from Tyneside as his first choice ahead of Jack Butland and Nick Pope, although heading to Russia it fel as though he had a point to prove.
A failure to keep a clean sheet so far at the tournament has not aided his cause, but he has his defining moment now. If his team go on to mark this out as a campaign to remember, he will have played his part, and he can now approach the Sweden tie with renewed confidence.
Southgate’s gamble of resting players against Belgium paid off (Source: Getty)
It was also a night of vindication for Southgate, who gambled on England overcoming their last 16 opponents no matter the identity by resting eight players for the final Group G fixture.
Having lost that game 1-0 to Belgium, they got a harder tie but an easier half of the draw. And with Spain, potential semi-final foes, since departing, a path to the final has only grown more inviting.
If that sounds like day-dreaming, ask the bookmakers, who have England as joint second favourites behind Brazil and alongside France. Not since 1966 have they been as short a price for the trophy.
England wobbled worryingly at times, especially in the latter stages of the 90 minutes and the first spell of extra-time, but once again captain Kane was colossal.
He kept his head to put his side in front from the spot after he had been fouled by former Aston Villa midfielder Carlos Sanchez as they jockeyed for position at a corner.
Kane now leads the World Cup scoring charts with six goals (Source: Getty)
The Tottenham striker has six goals already – usually enough to win the Golden Boot for the World Cup’s top scorer. However far the team go, one Englishman at least looks likely to leave a trophy.
Kane was composure personified throughout a match in which Colombia tried every trick to upset England, from Wilmar Barrios headbutting Jordan Henderson – it gleaned only a yellow card – to the constant grappling at set-pieces and their players even scuffing up the penalty spot before Kane’s kick.
Sweden are no pushovers, having kept three clean sheets from their four matches, and will surely set out to frustrate England too.
Southgate’s men must learn lessons from Colombia about keeping faith with their high-energy approach and defending a lead.
But for now they are entitled to revel in a piece of history: a first penalty shoot-out win at a World Cup and only their second at any major tournament.
And if it goes to spot-kicks against the Swedes, as it well might, they will step up with their shoulders feeling a whole lot lighter.
Read more: Sweden coping without Zlatan and other World Cup lessons