The penalty kick shootout is suppose to be a quick and easy way to determine a winner but that was not the case in the match between Argentinos Juniors and Racing Club on this day in soccer history in 1988 when the two teams combined for 44 penalties after the game ended 2-2.

The Argentinean Primera Division had included the penalties that season to help increase the excitement at matches that ended tied.  The two teams would share the points with each being awarded 1 point while the winner of the penalty earned an extra point.

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The goalkeepers for the two sides were Balerio for Racing and Goyen for Argentinos. After 21 penalties Racing’s Videla stepped up to take his third penalty, he made his first two, and had his service saved and Gaspari made sure with his final attempt to seal the extra point.

Players just don’t convert penalties like they used to.

Racing Club             Argentinos Juniors
W.Fernández (miss) 0- 0 Dertycia (miss)    0- 0
Videla             1- 0 S.González         1- 1
Fabbri             2- 1 Cáceres            2- 2
Olarán             3- 2 Gáspari            3- 3
Olarticoechea      4- 3 O.Rodríguez        4- 4
Decoud             5- 4 Rudman             5- 5
Lamadrid           6- 5 Ereros             6- 6
C.Vázquez          7- 6 R.Gómez            7- 7
Costas             8- 7 Lorenzo            8- 8
Balerio            9- 8 Goyén              9- 9
W.Fernández       10- 9 S.González        10-10
Videla            11-10 Gáspari           11-11
Fabbri            12-11 Cáceres           12-12
Olarán            13-12 O.Rodríguez       13-13
Decoud            14-13 Dertycia          14-14
Lamadrid          15-14 Rudman            15-15
C.Vázquez (held)  15-15 Ereros (held)     15-15
Costas            16-15 R.Gómez           16-16
Olarticoechea     17-16 Lorenzo           17-17
Balerio           18-17 Goyén             18-18
W.Fernández       19-18 S.González        19-19
Videla (held)     19-19 Gáspari           19-20

The two teams ended the season separated by 2 points with Argentinos finishing in 7th place on 61 points (6 points earned from penalties) and Racing in 9th place (6 points from penalties) on 58 points.  Independiente finished on top to the league with 84 points.

The penalty shootout for an extra point was not well received by the league and it was abandoned after only one season.

Soccer Birthdays

1957 – Mike Craven, English footballer
1961 – Dave Watson, English footballer
1966 – Thanasis Kolitsidakis, Greek footballer
1980 – James Chambers, English footballer

Read more on what happened This Day in Soccer History