Soccer-Northern Ireland keeper gears up for another penalty shootout
11/11/2020 13:46
LONDON, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Northern Ireland goalkeeper
Bailey Peacock-Farrell would relish another penalty shoot-out in
Euro 2020 playoff against Slovakia at Windsor Park on Thursday
after showing his prowess against Bosnia Herzegovina last month.
The 24-year-old Burnley reserve keeper saved a penalty from
Bosnia's Haris Hajradinovic to help his side prevail on
penalties and set up a clash with Slovakia.
Bosnia's Barcelona star Miralem Pjanic got so irritated by
Peacock-Farrell's attempt to get into his head that he kicked
the ball back at him after netting his spot kick and complained
to the referee.
But Peacock-Farrell said he will not change his approach if
Thursday's tie goes the distance.
"I was really surprised with Pjanic's reaction,"
Peacock-Farrell told BelfastLive. "There wasn't too much said
with that one, but I was making myself a bit of a nuisance.
"There are always some mind games and I quite enjoy that. As
a goalkeeper I try to put as much pressure on the taker as
possible, try and fill the goal, maybe have a conversation with
him, play some mind games."
He said he will have plenty of data on Slovakia's takers if
the game does go to a penalty shootout thanks to goalkeeper
coach Steve Harper and assistant coach Austin MacPhee.
"Thankfully, I don't have to do the mad amount of hours they
have since the Bosnia game," he said.
"They'll collect and compress all the data into an hour's
video here, an hour's video there and it'll be drip fed to me
before Thursday."
Northern Ireland enter the game not in the best form and are
seven games without a win, other than on penalties against
Bosnia after drawing 1-1.
Since then they have lost to Austria and Norway in the
Nations League but Ian Baraclough's side are now just one match
away from reaching next year's finals, having also qualified for
the Euro 2016 tournament in France, their first major tournament
final for 34 years.
"We are obviously aware of how hard it is going to be, the
difficulty of the game, and obviously the emotional aspect of it
is getting to the Euros so the stakes are high," Peacock-Farrell
said. "But it's just a game of football and we are at home which
is a massive advantage for us."
The Irish FA have confirmed that around 1,000 fans will be
allowed to attend the fixture.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
((martyn.herman@thomsonreuters.com; +442075427933; Reuters
Messaging: martyn.herman@thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))