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Spain faced an early deficit in its Euro 2020 Round of 16 game with Croatia thanks to goalie Unai Simon’s inability to handle a back pass.
Simon was unable to field a fairly straightforward back pass from midfielder Pedri in the first half. The ball glanced off Simon’s right foot as he went to control it and rolled into the back of the net as Simon helplessly watched on.
The goal, officially given to Simon as an own goal, gave Croatia a 1-0 lead before Pablo Sarabia equalized for Spain later in the first half.
Spain was heavily favored after finishing second in Group E. The Spaniards drew with Sweden and Poland before beating Slovakia in the final group stage game to book a place against Croatia in the knockout rounds.
Simon has been Spain’s starting keeper for all four games in Euro 2020 ahead of Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea. And his screwup adds to the ever-growing list of bad goalie highlights from the tournament.
Scotland’s David Marshall went crashing into his own net after the Czech Republic’s Patrik Schick caught him off his line and scored a goal from past the halfway line in the opening rounds of the group stage. And then Slovakia’s Martin Dubravka punched the ball into his own net in that Spain game in what was the first of five Spain goals.
There have now been nine own goals this tournament, which equals the record of all previous European Championships combined.
And for the sake of goalkeepers around the world, we hope it’s the last time this tournament that we see a goalie fail like this.
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