Improbable penalty shootout drama in MLS – hill goalkeeper hero

From: Emil Eiman Roslund

Published: November 21, 2020 kl. 21.56
Updated: November 21, 2020 kl. 22.20

Photo: Phelan M. Ebenhack / TT NEWS AGENCY

Hill Rodrigo Schlegel is an unlikely goalie hero for Orlando.

The punishment was reversed.

The goalkeeper was removed.

Players were substituted even though they failed.

One team celebrated too early.

The MLS penalty shootout between New York City FC and Orlando is one of the most complicated and insane of all time.

The MLS quarterfinals at Exploriastadion were in the same position after both full time and overtime. And the playoff game went to penalties.

There, Orlando, with former AIK defender Robin Jansson on the team, gained an early lead after Maximiliano Moralez’s penalty pierced the crossbar. And as everyone else took their shots from eleven yards, goalkeeper Pedro Gallese had the opportunity in the fifth round of penalties to save Orlando even more.

Gallese took the penalty from Valentín Castellano and Orlando began to celebrate the advance. But after the video review, the penalty would be reversed as Gallese had taken steps off the finish line. In relation to this, he received his second warning and was sent off in the middle of the penalty shoot-out. And Orlando replaced backup goalkeeper Brian Rowe.

Castellanos prepared to flip the penalty and Rowe scored. But the judges continued to communicate, realizing that Orlando had already made all five substitutions. Rowe had to go back to the bench, and instead the hill Rodrigo Schlegel was forced to don his goalkeeper gloves.

Miss Nani

The Argentine had no chance on the penalty. Orlando could still decide, but this penalty would be even more rugged. Because then the great star of the team, the Portuguese Nani, burned his penalty, and hope remained for New York City FC.

With no consequences from the sixth round of penalties, Jansson was safe for Orlando, just as Nicolás Acevedo was safe for NYCFC.

Then Gudmundur Thorarinsson, with a past at IFK Norrköping, stepped up for New York. The Icelander aimed at the center with his left, and there substitute goalkeeper Schlegel reached out and saved.

Tinnerholm outside

Orlando began to celebrate frantically, as if they had left. The problem was that the punishment was not over. The Florida team calmed down and returned to their positions. And Benji Michel stood on the penalty spot and scored the final winning goal.

– Lucky third time! This sentence will be remembered for completely the wrong reasons, says the ESPN commentator.

Now Orlando could celebrate progress to the quarterfinals, while New York with Anton Tinnerholm on the team came out. In the quarterfinals, Orland meets the winner between the Philadelphia Union and the New England Revolution.

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Published: November 21, 2020 kl. 21.56

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