Former Tottenham striker Troy Parrott became the focal point of frustration for his club, AZ Alkmaar, following a costly penalty miss against rivals FC Twente. The incident occurred deep into stoppage time in the 99th minute with AZ trailing 1-0 and the chance for a crucial equaliser resting entirely on the spot-kick.
Parrott, who had been enjoying a period of impressive scoring form, attempted a highly risky "Panenka" penalty instead of a conventional strike. This style of shot involves a gentle chip down the middle, but Parrott's execution failed catastrophically as the ball flew wildly over the goal.
The disastrous miss sealed the 1-0 defeat for AZ Alkmaar, costing them a valuable league point in the crucial fixture. The emotional consequence was immediately visible as Parrott was left turning away in embarrassment while his teammates looked completely baffled.
AZ coach Maarten Martens openly criticised the poor execution of the attempt after the match, noting that the shot was "not good enough." Martens, however, added that if the difficult chip had succeeded, Parrott would have been lauded for his technique.
The coach confirmed that Parrott fully accepted responsibility for the error and acknowledged the loss of points with the rest of the squad. Despite the poor finishing, Martens stressed that they will definitely discuss the incident and acknowledged that the striker realises he can perform much better.
Teammate Peer Koopmeiners also added that Parrott had apologised to the group for the unfortunate error that led to their defeat. Koopmeiners then emphasised the importance of the entire squad taking some collective responsibility for the result.
The controversy surrounding the miss comes as Parrott has been expressing his happiness at AZ, noting how he feels sharp and is enjoying his football after stepping out of the spotlight. Overall, this singular moment serves as a difficult lesson in the fine margins of football.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE: Troy Parrott showed true colours with comments about Tottenham after being sold
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