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Fulham winger Ademola Lookman has come under fire after her spectacular full-time penalty attempt turned sour.
Lookman had a chance to salvage a point for the Cottagers against West Ham, losing 1-0 at the end of injury time.
He tried to deliver the Panenka technique, where instead of kicking the ball to the left or right of the goalkeeper, the penalty taker gives a light touch under the ball, causing it to go up and down inside the center of the goal.
Lookman made a miserable effort, couldn’t put any weight behind the ball and fell softly into the arms of West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabiański.
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“That’s as unprofessional as I’ve seen it in a long time,” Premier League great Ian Wright said after the game.
“I don’t know what you are thinking. It is poor. It is not professional. You have to score that penalty or you have to make the goalkeeper jump it.
Former Dutch international and Leeds and Chelsea forward Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was stunned by Lookman’s penalty.
“I’m stumped,” Hasselbaink said. “I see his teammates hug him, I would go crazy if I were his partner. I’d sleep with him.
Cath Ivill / AP
Fulham’s Ademola Lookman reacts after missing a full-time penalty against West Ham.
“I’m not going to have those arms around my shoulder. You are fighting for your life, you are fighting to stay in the Premier League.
“You can miss, you can miss a penalty, but it’s the way you miss a penalty, you don’t miss a penalty like that. It is 1-0. You are fighting for your life. That point could become really important at the end of the season. “
The TV commentator didn’t know what to make of Lookman’s lack of penalty: “What did he do there? Oh my God. The little idiot tried and it didn’t work.”
Fulham manager Scott Parker defended Lookman and backed him up to recover from the horrible foul penalty.
Julian Finney / AP
Fulham’s Ademola Lookman wipes her face with her shirt after missing a penalty, which would have tied the game against West Ham.
“He’s a young player and when you’re young you make mistakes. And you need to learn from them. That’s where Ade is tonight.
“Anyone can miss a penalty, but if you decide to take a penalty like that, you have to hit the back of the net.
“You need to understand that. It’s been fantastic since you’ve been here. We will see the character of him now, as he will have to dust himself off. He needs to learn. “
Lookman, a former England Under-21 international, is on loan to Fulham from German club RB Leipzig.
It could prove a costly lost point for Lookman and Fulham with the club ranking 17th in the Premier League table after eight games.
They are one point out of the relegation zone with only West Brom, Burnley and Sheffield United behind them.
