Poland and Mexico played out a goalless draw at the World Cup after Robert Lewandowski missed just the ninth penalty of his career. So, HITC Football has looked at every one so far.
Veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa came to El Tri’s rescue at his fifth World Cup to deny Lewandowski from 12 yards out in the 58th minute. The 37-year-old anticipated the corner the Barcelona striker would target, fainted the opposite way and got down to turn it away.
Australian official Chris Beath had pointed to the spot on the advice of his Video Assistant Referee. Upon review, the officials deemed Hector Moreno to have fouled Lewandowski after the pair grappled in the box. But the 34-year-old attacker would not make it count.
Ochoa sent Mexico wild as Poland hero Lewandowski missed a rare penalty
Ochoa sent the thousands of Mexico fans at Stadium 974 wild after the Tri captain saved Lewandowski’s penalty. They celebrated the stop as if it was a goal and would ultimately get a point in the Group C tie. While Lewandowski’s wait for a World Cup goal continues.
The Doha encounter marked the 135-cap icon’s fourth appearance at the quadrennial FIFA tournament. But Lewandowski could not add to his 76 goals – or 29 assists – for Poland as Ochoa denied the Bialo-Czerwoni captain, who had failed to score in three outings in 2018.
Poland will hope Lewandowski’s ninth career missed penalty is not costly
Poland will now hope Lewandowski’s rare penalty miss against Mexico does not cost them at this World Cup. The Bialo-Czerwoni are enjoying just their fourth appearance since 1986 when they last made the Round of 16. They also only won once in each of their past three.
Czeslaw Michniewicz’s side continue their Group C campaign at Qatar 2022 against Saudi Arabia – who beat Argentina – on November 26. Poland will face Lewandowski’s Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi and La Albiceleste on the 30th in search of a knockout stage place.
A spot in the last 16 would have been much easier for Poland had Lewandowski not made a rare miss from the penalty spot against Mexico. It was just the ninth time the 2020 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award-winner has failed to score from 12 yards out in his career.
Lewandowski had scored 71 of his previous 79 attempts for club and country since his first penalty back in 2007. He had also only previously missed once for Poland back in 2010 in a friendly against Australia. The forward has scored 12 from the spot for the Bialo-Czerwoni.
So, as Lewandowski stepped up for his penalty against Mexico, he had a conversion rate of 89.9%. That has now dropped to a still-remarkable 88.75% but it could have a huge impact on Poland’s World Cup. It was also his second miss across two attempts so far this season.
Now, HITC Football looks at the eight other times that Lewandowski has missed a penalty for Poland or his club. He only spurned one over his four years at Borussia Dortmund from 2010 to 2014. Yet he has already missed since joining Barcelona for £42.5m this summer.
Lewandowski has missed his only penalty for Barcelona since leaving Bayern
Lewandowski has missed his only penalty attempt for Barcelona since joining from Bayern Munich this July. The Warsaw native looked to score from 12 yards out in the Blaugrana’s La Liga win over UD Almeria. Xavi Hernandez’s team still won 2-0 at home on November 5.
Referee Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes pointed to the spot at Camp Nou after only seven minutes after Kaiky handled the ball. The official gave the penalty after a VAR review. Lewandowski would hit the woodwork, however, before Ousmane Dembele and Frenkie de Jong scored.
Missing from 12 yards failed to stop Lewandowski from scoring three past Benfica
Despite missing from 12 yards against Benfica in November 2021, Lewandowski still scored a hat-trick in the Champions League. The striker buried his header on 26 minutes before he hit right-footed efforts after 61 and 84 minutes. Odysseas Vlachodimos saved his spot-kick.
Coman secured Bayern the win at Hertha Berlin in February 2021
Kingsley Coman secured Bayern Munich a 1-0 win at Hertha Berlin in February 2021 during a Bundesliga meeting. The Frenchman beat Rune Jarstein after 21 minutes to give Der FCB the lead after the shot-stopper turned Lewandowski’s spot-kick away 10 minutes previous.
Zieler could not deny Lewandowski a goal despite missing a spot-kick vs Stuttgart
Ron-Robert Zieler could not deny Lewandowski a goal as Bayern Munich beat VfB Stuttgart 4-1 in January 2019. The Poland forward responded to sending his spot-kick wide after 65 minutes by scoring five minutes from time. Der FCB already led the Bundesliga match 3-1.
Lewandowski missed one but scored his second penalty to thrash Hamburg
Lewandowski had two bites of the cherry to score his hat-trick against Hamburg in March 2018. The forward had already beaten Christian Mathenia twice with goals after 12 and 19 minutes when he missed an 86th-minute spot-kick. Yet he converted a 90th-minute strike.
His stoppage-time penalty completed Lewandowski’s hat-trick as Bayern Munich won 6-0 in the Bundesliga. It also took the Poland hero to 23 goals for a season he finished with 29.
Lewandowski missed his first penalty for Bayern with his first attempt
Bayern Munich stole Lewandowski from rivals Borussia Dortmund in 2014 after he signed a pre-contract in January to join for free that summer. He then had an early chance to hit his first FCB goal as he stepped up for a penalty against Preussen Muenster in the DFB-Pokal.
Yet Daniel Masuch saved Lewandowski’s 91st-minute attempt from 12 yards out, although Bayern Munich still won 4-1. The Poland striker also ended the term with 25 goals from 49 games in all competitions. He also had 13 assists including one against Preussen Muenster.
The 10-time Bundesliga champion only missed one penalty with Dortmund
Lewandowski only ever missed one penalty with Borussia Dortmund during his time at the Westfalenstadion. The 10-time Bundesliga champion – twice with BVB and eight times for FCB – failed to convert his attempt from 12 yards against Bayern Munich in March 2013.
Manuel Neuer saved the striker’s shot from the spot on the stroke of the hour. It would be enough for FCB to leave North Rhine-Westphalia with a point after Mario Gomez replied to Kevin Grosskreutz’s earlier strike. The Bundesliga match ended as a 1-1 draw at Dortmund.
Lewandowski missed his only previous penalty for Poland back in 2010
Before Ochoa etched his name even further into Mexico’s footballing history books at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Lewandowski had only previously missed one penalty for Poland.
The forward failed to convert from the spot during a friendly with Australia in September 2010. Adam Federici guessed the right way in the Socceroos’ goal to save Lewandowski’s attempt in the 34th minute. It was also enough for Australia to win having already led 2-1.
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