It was clear from the beginning that this shootout was going to be a long one. Panathinaikos’ Daniel Mancini missed horribly on the first penalty, setting the tone for what was to follow in their Europa League qualifying tie against Ajax.
A total of 34 penalties were taken, with 25 finding the back of the net, two missing the target completely, and seven saved – five by Ajax’s Remko Pasveer and two by Panathinaikos’ Bartlomiej Dragowski.
Ajax had multiple chances to win the shootout but squandered them before finally emerging victorious after 24 minutes and two seconds.
There were moments of excellence mixed with instances of ineptitude, with players like Steven Bergwijn, Kenneth Taylor, and Tete executing their penalties perfectly while others like Brian Brobbey and Tonny Vilhena faltered under pressure.
Pasveer emerged as the hero of the shootout with five crucial saves, leading Ajax to victory with a final penalty converted by Anton Gaaei.
Despite the chaos and drama, Ajax were able to secure a spot in the play-off round with a hard-fought 13-12 win over Panathinaikos.
While not the longest penalty shootout in history, the match provided plenty of excitement and tension for both teams and fans alike.
After the wild shootout, Ajax will look to regroup and focus on their upcoming Eredivisie match against NAC Breda, aiming for a more straightforward victory.
(Top photo: Nikos Oikonomou/Anadolu via Getty Images)