San Diego High School Soccer Match Lasts Multiple Days, Finally Ends on 50th Penalty Kick

A wonderful thing about soccer is the firm time commitment. Two 45-minute halves. A 15-minute break in the middle. A little bit of stoppage time. You are in and out in under two hours. Except, of course, if the match does not end.

Two San Diego high schools, Crawford and La Jolla, met in the playoffs on Tuesday. The teams played to a 3-3 draw in regulation and then went through 21 penalty kicks until the match was called due to darkness.

“I think all of us were so nervous after every [penalty] kick,” Harris said. “Any kick could have been the end. All of us were holding our breath.”

Coaches initially decided to replay the match, but instead resumed the penalty kicks this afternoon. Bishop’s La Jolla finally won on the 50th attempt. [H/T Michael]

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4 Responses to “San Diego High School Soccer Match Lasts Multiple Days, Finally Ends on 50th Penalty Kick”

vezina Says:
February 22nd, 2012 at 9:31 PM

i covered a 23-inning hs game once, spread over two days

anyway, how long before we get NotPope twitter account

heellacious Says:
February 22nd, 2012 at 9:46 PM

Can’t imagine the nerves going into the second day. Five kicks per team is jarring enough on its own.

heellacious Says:
February 22nd, 2012 at 9:49 PM

Can’t imagine the nerves going into the second day. Five kicks per team is jarring enough on its own.

Should clarify slightly by saying if kicks 1-4 by both teams leave the aggregate close.

heellacious Says:
February 22nd, 2012 at 9:51 PM

And besides, you really can’t go cute on the “kicking foot” fake followed by plant foot ding into the goal in that type of situation unless you have brass ones.