Clinton Morrison believes Bukayo Saka can write a ‘different story’ and score in a penalty shootout for England at the World Cup. The Arsenal star missed his in the Euro 2020 final.
Saka showed immense courage at just 19 years old to take the Three Lions’ fifth attempt at Wembley. The forward had to score after Marcus Rashford struck the base of the post and Gianluigi Donnarumma denied Jadon Sancho. But the Italy goalkeeper would also save his.
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Jordan Pickford had also made two saves against Andrea Belotti and Jorginho from Italy’s second and fifth attempts. But England would not build on Harry Kane and Harry Maguire converting from the spot in the Three Lions’ first major final since winning the World Cup.
England, who won their only World Cup title in 1966, had reached the semi-finals of FIFA’s quadrennial tournament in 2018. The Three Lions’ route to fourth place in Russia also saw Gareth Southgate’s squad win their first penalty shootout at the tournament in the last 16.
West Germany edged England on penalties during Italia 90. Argentina at France 1998 and Portugal at Germany 2006 also triumphed in shootouts. But Pickford denying Carlos Bacca after Mateus Uribe smacked the crossbar set Eric Dier up to beat Colombia at Russia 2018.
Morrison is adamant Rashford and Saka will be ‘so confident’ at World Cup penalties
Southgate did not take Sancho to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with his Manchester United teammate, Rashford, and Arsenal star Saka. But the latter two have delivered on the FIFA stage. They scored three and two goals during the first round to help England top Group B.
Morrison has now told Sky Sports News (03/12, 08:30) ahead of England facing Senegal in the Round of 16 that Rashford and Saka will have the confidence to score a penalty if the Three Lions ever go to a shootout. He also feels they will not shy away if the time comes.
“It’s a hard one because the manager could ask who’s in that frame of mind to take it and you don’t know who’s on the pitch,” Morrison said. “I’m going for Rashford and Saka. The two boys who missed it before because let me tell you something, they’ll be so confident.
“The way Rashford is playing at the moment, the way Saka is playing – they’ll be the two young boys who’ll be confident enough to go and grab that ball and put it in the back of the net. And it’ll be a different story because I believe in both of them that they will score.”
Saka has certainly not shied away from taking penalties for Arsenal since Italy denied him in the shootout for England. The £30k-a-week dynamo has fired home his three spot-kicks since the Euro 2020 final against big-six rivals Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool.
Should England’s tie with Senegal go to a shootout, Saka may face the Chelsea stopper he beat with a penalty. Edouard Mendy failed to deny the 21-year-old as he claimed Arsenal a 4-2 win at Stamford Bridge in April. It was his 10th of 11 Premier League goals last season.
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