|
No Dutch treat
Failed penalty kick haunts Cocu
Posted: Tuesday July 07, 1998 09:37 PM
| |
Cocu (left): "If you take a penalty, you know you have a chance of missing it. I'm cut up about it."
(AP) |
MARSEILLE, France (AP) --
The Netherlands' Phillip Cocu finally found a position where he didn't look comfortable: the penalty spot.
His saved penalty shot was the beginning of the end of the World Cup for
the Dutch, and his mistake at the beginning of the second half led to Brazil's lone
goal in regulation.
Taffarel's save of the Netherlands' third penalty shot meant that Ronald
de Boer had to score. But the goalkeeper also saved that attempt and Brazil
won 4-2 in the shootout after a 1-1 tie in the semifinal Tuesday.
"If you take a penalty, you know you have a chance of missing it," Cocu
said. "I'm cut up about it."
Ordered by referee Ali Mohamed Bujsaim to respot the ball because it was
placed too far forward, Cocu looked nervous as he walked back to start his
run up.
He struck the ball well but Taffarel reached it easily, diving to his
right.
"You just have to score them," de Boer said. Unfortunately he couldn't
match his twin brother, Frank, who fired home the first Dutch penalty and
gave his team a chance.
It was a sad end to an otherwise outstanding World Cup for Cocu who moves
from PSV Eindhoven to Barcelona next season.
He started the tournament in midfield, shifted to the forward line in the
absence of suspended striker Patrick Kluivert and then returned to midfield
for the quarterfinal victory over Argentina. He
looked solid in midfield and scored twice as a makeshift striker.
On Tuesday, the versatile left footer was in defense, plugging a gap left
by the suspension of Arthur Numan and an injury to Winston Bogarde, who
broke his leg in practice on Sunday.
For the first time, Cocu looked vulnerable and his two mistakes were
crucial.
First Ronaldo muscled past him in the Dutch penalty area to squeeze a low
shot under goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar for Brazil's goal in the first
minute of the second half.
Cocu recovered and played well for the rest of the match and in overtime.
But then came the penalty shootout and the Dutch were left to go home
instead of to the final.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
| 
