Think tanning and pigmentation are the same? Experts decode the crucial differences between the twoTanning and pigmentation are often used interchangeably, but there’s quite a difference between the two. Experts decode the difference. Published on: May 26
‘Don’t visit Sikkim if you litter’: Anand Mahindra sparks civic sense debateAnand Mahindra’s X post on littering in Sikkim has gone viral, sparking debate on civic responsibility and tourist behaviour. Updated on: May 26, 2026 4:46 PM IST By Vaishali Kapila Share via Copy link Industrialist
China and Pakistan have reached a "new broad consensus" on deepening strategic ties to beef up development of a joint economic corridor and establish the port of Gwadar as a regional connectivity hub, the neighbours said on Tuesday (May 26, 2026)
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Backpacking across Europe? A solo traveller and content creator suggests the perfect packing listA solo traveller shares the smartest Europe backpacking essentials
Woman shows ladoos melting in Delhi heat, says ‘Inki abh barfi banegi’A viral video showing boxes of ladoos turning into a soft mess has left the internet amused, as people react with memes and relatable summer experiences. Updated on: May 26
Is there a right time for a Panenka - as Brentford pay the price?
Is there a right time for a Panenka - as Brentford pay the price?
It is a moment Brentford's Dango Ouattara will want to forget.
While West Ham are celebrating their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals, Ouattara will be regretting his costly decision to try a Panenka in Monday night's tense penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw.
His weak, dinked effort was simply caught by Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola for the only missed spot-kick as Brentford's dreams of a first major cup final vanished for another season.
Igor Thiago twice cancelled out Jarrod Bowen goals in normal time but, fielding a strong side, Brentford ultimately lost out to a much-changed West Ham.
Bees boss Keith Andrews was quick to defend the 24-year-old forward, though.
He said: "No, I'm not annoyed at all. When you miss a penalty it is a tough moment, but it is easier to not take a penalty than take a penalty.
"It takes serious courage to do that. He practises that technique a lot, if it goes in everyone's raving about him.
"We've had it in the past when people have been persecuted and ridiculed for missing a penalty on the biggest stage and that's ridiculous.
He will have the utmost support from me and everyone around.
Former West Ham forward Joe Cole told TNT: "He [Dango Ouattara] looked so confident, he took his time and looked in complete control and he did that - it's unexplainable.
He was outstanding, really good, but that does not matter when you miss a penalty in a shootout. You don't want to chastise the lad - I hope he doesn't do it again in his career.
Ex-Tottenham midfielder Glenn Hoddle, added: "He took so long. I think he had a thousand thoughts going through his mind and when you're like that as a taker you miss. The young lad will absolutely regret trying the Panenka at that time."
The Panenka takes its name from Antonin Panenka, who famously chipped his penalty down the middle to win the 1976 European Championship for Czechoslovakia.
The game against reigning champions West Germany had ended 2-2 after extra time in Yugoslavia, with a penalty shootout to decide the winner.
When Uli Hoeness smashed his spot-kick over the bar, Czech midfielder Panenka had the chance to win for the underdogs.
After a quick run-up, Panenka floated a delicate chip down the middle to befuddle goalkeeper Sepp Maier and win the trophy for Czechoslovakia.
It was not the first time Panenka had attempted such a penalty. In fact, he had scored for his club side Bohemians against local rival Dukla Prague in the same manner just a month earlier.
However, his Euros-winning effort brought the technique to a wider audience and the Panenka was born.
There is no doubt that if a player misses a Panenka, the criticism seems to be more severe than if a tame effort towards the corner was saved.
"You will get people moaning because they see it as something different," former Bristol City and Swansea striker Lee Trundle told BBC Sport.
Trundle, who was known for attempting eye-catching flicks and tricks, took penalties throughout his career and although he never took a Panenka as a pro, he did so successful playing semi-professionally.
"My thinking of it is that it's just another way to score a penalty," he said.
"If you put it left or right and the keeper dives and guesses the right way and he saves it, that's the same if you do a Panenka and he stays in the middle and saves it.
If it goes in then everyone says how brilliant it is.
The stats suggest that going down the middle might actually be the way to go, whether that is going for a Panenka or with power, with 84% of such spot-kicks at the World Cup (since 1966) and the Euros (since 1980) finding the net.
That's compared to 78% going left and only 74% going right.
So what is the thought process behind opting for a Panenka? Is it an instinctive decision or something that will have been planned ahead of time?
"When I've done it, it's been about how the game is going," Trundle added.
"You could be playing really well and have that confidence. I think later on in the game as well, I think that's where it's better because the keeper will usually dive.
If it's 1-1 and there's five minutes to go, the chances are, he's not going to stand in the middle and just let the ball go in one of the corners.
In the 50 years since Panenka brought the dinked penalty to prominence, it has gradually become more common.
A number of top players, including Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry and Francesco Totti, have successfully used the technique from the spot.
France legend Zinedine Zidane has a claim for taking the most high-pressure Panenka, in the 2006 World Cup final with his penalty hitting the underside of the crossbar and just crossing the line.
It's probably not what he is most remembered for that night, though.
England have suffered at the hands of the Panenka a couple of times in shootouts, most famously when Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo nonchalantly beat Joe Hart to change the momentum of the shootout in the Euro 2012 quarter-final.
"For me, Hart seemed to be very confident in himself," Pirlo said. "I needed to do something to beat him.
Penalties are a very personal thing but, when I saw him move, I decided to do that. It seemed to be a psychological blow for us.
Similarly in the 2022 EFL Cup final, with Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga making a show of trying to distract the Liverpool players, Fabinho responded by calmly dinking his kick down the middle, much to the delight of the Reds fans behind the goal.
A psychological blow? Well, every Liverpool player proceeded to score as they won 11-10 on penalties.
But for all the notable successes, Ouattara is not the first high-profile miss.
In 1992, Gary Lineker had the chance to match Sir Bobby Charlton's 49 goals for England in a friendly against Brazil but fluffed his attempted Panenka and ended up one shy of the then-record.
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero was usually pretty reliable from the spot but was made to look foolish when he attempted a Panenka in May 2021 as Chelsea went on to win 2-1 after the penalty save from Edouard Mendy.
In January, Brahim Diaz attempted a Panenka to win the Africa Cup of Nations in stoppage time for Morocco. His effort was saved and Senegal emerged champions.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Liverpool’s loss to Brentford sparks meme fest as fans turn frustration into fun Haaland continues his hot streak as Manchester City brush aside Brentford Erling Haaland Solitaire Helps Man City Pip Brentford For Pep Guardiola\'s 250th PL Win Forget Bean Bags And Free Snacks History will never forget it was SEALs who put a bullet in Bin Laden\'s head Famous night for Forest in season to largely forget Forget iPhone 17 Pro Max Forget 7,000 mAh Goenka reacts to Pant's outrageous century to forget ghosts of IPL 2025 with LSG "People of Bengal will not forget harassment of Bengalis
Martha Mitchell was a flamboyant Washington DC socialite whose husband was embroiled in the Watergate scandal. Her shocking claims of a violent abduction and a "dirty business" were ridiculed as delusional – until they turned out to be true. Martha Mitchell was a character; everyone agreed on
1 days ago
From the academic year 2026–27, bilingual classes will be introduced in all government schools across 15 districts of the state. While the government had earlier announced that English would be introduced in LKG classes, a fresh directive now states that an Urdu-English bilingual medium will also
1 days ago
Trading scalpel for golf irons: Indian-origin golfer Manav Shah’s stirring journey to US OpenTrading scalpel for golf irons: Indian-origin golfer Manav Shah’s stirring journey to US Open Updated on: May 26, 2026 4:14 PM IST PTI Share via Copy link New Delhi
1 days ago
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that he was not in favour of Islamabad joining the Abraham Accords to normalise relations with Israel. Also read | Pakistan deploys jet squadron, thousands of troops to Saudi Arabia amid escalating Iran war tensionsPakistan’s Defence Minister
1 days ago
AIADMK MLA Esakki Subaya submitted his resignation today. He is the fourth MLA from the party to resign in two days. Subaya supported former ministers C Ve Shanmugam and S P Velumani. Three other AIADMK MLAs also resigned yesterday. They are expected to get tickets for upcoming byelections from the
1 days ago
Kimi Antonelli extended his lead in the drivers' championship after Mercedes team-mate George Russell retired from the Canadian Grand Prix. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton finished second and Max Verstappen's Red Bull made up the top three. Russell was successful earlier in the weekend when he converted
1 days ago
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of three persons who died in February 2003 during protests seeking to declare the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula mosque complex in Dhar district as a temple, The Hindu reported
1 days ago
2026 Honda City facelift on wishlist? Key genuine accessories you can buyThe 2026 Honda City facelift can be accessorised with a plethora of genuine accessories. Published on: May 26, 2026 1:40 PM IST By Mainak Das Share via Copy link Limited Time Deals on Popular cars Volvo XC90 ₹ 97
1 days ago
Lawyer seeks to register Cockroach Janta Party separately from US-based founderSudhir Jakhar, the lawyer calling himself the party’s national convener, submitted the application to the ECI secretary Updated on: May 26, 2026 1:57 PM IST By Harsh Yadav Share via Copy link A lawyer from Haryana’s
1 days ago
South Korean seven-piece BTS have won Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards (AMAs) for the second consecutive year, cementing their status as one of the world's biggest bands. The award, considered the ceremony's grand prize, is just the latest crown jewel for the so-called kings of K-pop
1 days ago
The ET Most Innovative AI Product Awards 2026 recognises the AI Platforms, Infrastructure & Developer Tools category. It highlights the technologies powering the next phase of enterprise AI from platforms and MLOps to observability and developer tools. These innovations are enabling scalable
1 days ago
Vedant Shrivastava posts correct CBSE answer sheet, alleges marks slashed for right answerClass 12 student Vedant Shrivastava has received his correct answer sheets after CBSE admitted to a mix-up with his Physics paper. Updated on: May 26, 2026 1:13 PM IST By Sanya Jain Share via Copy link Class
1 days ago
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced plans to boost the state's economy to Rs 10 lakh crore by 2028. He stated the tabling of the Uniform Civil Code bill demonstrates the government's dedication to the rights of minority women. Sarma also noted the election results reflected public
1 days ago
Air India has rolled out an upgrade to its Maharaja Club loyalty programme, allowing members to earn and redeem Maharaja Points on Air India Express flights covering more than 55 destinations across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and West Asia. The move broadens the scope of the airline group’s
1 days ago
Hansal Mehta has long been recognised as one of India’s most emotionally observant storytellers. Whether through the raw realism of Shahid, the intimacy of Aligarh, the unsettling tension of Scam 1992 or the deeply human narratives that run across his body of work
1 days ago
Tech Tonic | Ferrari Luce, Sir Jony Ive, and a subversion of ethosFerrari Luce is trying to tell the carmakers of the world that cars don’t have to feel like driving a tablet. Published on: May 26, 2026 11:43 AM IST By Vishal Mathur Share via Copy link The first car from Sir Jonathan Paul Ive
1 days ago
SC stays Delhi HC ruling against barring law students over attendance shortageA bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the interim order while issuing notice on a petition filed by the Bar Council of India (BCI) against the November 2025 judgment of the Delhi HC Published on: May 26
1 days ago
Hema Malini’s blush pink saree for receiving Dharmendra’s Padma Vibhushan is all about elegance and simplicity. See picsVeteran actor Hema Malini looked graceful in a blush pink saree as she accepted late actor Dharmendra’s Padma Vibhushan at the 2026 ceremony in New Delhi
1 days ago
Bengaluru traffic police slaps auto driver over accident, viral video sparks outrageMany on social media have tagged Bengaluru Police, urging them to take a look into the matter where a cop allegedly slapped an auto driver. Published on: May 26
1 days ago
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday (May 25, 2026) called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume bombing Beirut in response to increased explosive drone attacks by Hezbollah on Israeli troops and northern Israel towns. Mr
1 days ago
has reported a net profit of Rs 48.4 crore for FY26, its first full financial year after the completed its with , marking a turnaround from a Rs 216.7 crore loss in the previous year.Total income more than doubled to Rs 1,402.7 crore in FY26 from Rs 603.8 crore in FY25
1 days ago
Partnership, the firm cofounded by Indian entrepreneurs , Sanjeev Kumar and Ashish Kumar, has launched a dedicated frontier-tech investment platform, (Fundamentum Frontier Advisors), with Rs 3,000 crore to invest in artificial intelligence and deeptech startups.Of this, Rs 2
1 days ago
The admission process for IGNOU July 2026 session has commenced for Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and online programmes. Interested students can apply by visiting ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in. The Indira Gandhi National Open University has started the admission process for the July 2026
1 days ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.From instant coffee to incredible: The best easy-to-use brewers for a better morningGood coffee at home no longer needs cafe visits, as these coffee machines can handle espresso
1 days ago
5 crystals to bring luck and financial growthGemstones are tools to connect your goals with your actions and mindset. Here are five crystals that are often linked with luck and financial growth. Updated on: May 26, 2026 1:20 PM IST Edited by Kanakanjali Roy Share via Copy link While crystals are
1 days ago
The U.S. military said it carried out “self-defence” strikes in southern Iran, including on missile launch sites and boats placing mines, even as President Donald Trump said on social media that negotiations were “proceeding nicely”. The strikes were done “to protect our troops from
1 days ago
Wall Street is abuzz with next month’s expected blockbuster debut of Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite maker SpaceX, but few of the biggest IPOs in recent years have paid off for investors who bought in when the deals came to market. A Reuters analysis of the 50 IPOs with the highest
1 days ago
