Ajax have won perhaps the most chaotic and dramatic penalty shootout of all time after seeing off Greek side Panathinaikos 13-12 – including a staggering nine missed efforts between the two teams.
Dutch giants Ajax took on Panathinaikos in the second leg of the Europa League qualifying third round on Thursday night in Amsterdam, with the hosts coming into the tie 1-0 up.
However it was their Greek opponents who scored in 90 minutes, with Tete getting a late equaliser on 89 minutes to force extra-time.
With nobody able to make the all-important difference in the added 30 minutes, penalty kicks ensued – and what a battle it would prove to be.
It was a nightmare start for Panathinaikos after Daniel Mancini missed the opening kick, with Ajax quickly going 4-3 up before Brian Brobbey stepped up to surely seal the win.
Ajax beat Panathinaikos 13-12 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in their Europa League qualifying tie
Panathinaikos had equalised in the 89th minute to force extra time but will leave Amsterdam heart-broken
Jordan Henderson scored his effort in the shootout as Ajax progressed from the qualifier
Incredibly, though, the one-time Manchester United target managed to miss, letting the Greek side back into the tie.
But the drama was by no means near finished. Jordan Henderson netted his kick before both sides missed another two attempts each, leaving the scores at 5-5 after 16 spot-kicks.
For a further 14 kicks – including goalkeepers Remko Pasveer and Bartlomiej Dragowski – neither side missed the target as the war of attrition continued in the Dutch capital.
Then after the penalty order reset given how long the shootout had continued, Filip Mladenovic’s effort was saved by Pasveer. Brobbey stepped back up to the spot only to spurn his second opportunity to spare Mladenovic’s blushes.
But after Tony Vilhena missed the ninth penalty of the match – Pasveer staggeringly saving his fifth shot – Anton Gaaei finally put everyone out of their misery and called an end to the chaos.
The shootout in fact lasted for over 25 minutes, with the jubilant fans inside the ground well and truly getting their money’s worth.
Those supporters did their bit to lift Brobbey, too, with reports claiming the striker’s name was chanted around the ground after his two missed attempts.
Henderson was actually due to take the final penalty as he was Ajax’s designated sixth taker but revealed why he let Gaaei go instead after the game.
Remko Pasveer was the hero after saving a stunning five penalties in the 25-minute long shootout
Brian Brobbey missed both his efforts in the shootout but the crowd did their best to lift him up
Panathinaikos were on the wrong side of a memorable tie and leave Amsterdam empty-handed
‘After Brian Brobbey missed, Anton Gaaei said to me: “If they score now, you can take it, but if they miss, can I take it?”‘ he admitted to Ziggo Sport.
‘I said “sure, go take the glory”. And he is probably better at penalties anyway. He deserves it, he’s a great lad.’
However Pasveer was the hero of the tie, saving five penalties, though he would later tell Ziggo in true Roy Keane fashion: ‘That’s my job, right,’ according to reports.