Erling Haaland AKA the Norwegian goal-machine stunned fans during Manchester City’s 1-1 draw vs. Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. Haaland did what no one thought was possible and he missed a penalty kick.
City entered the second leg of the UCL quarterfinal with a comfortable 3-0 aggregate lead. Haaland had the opportunity to extend the lead to four goals in the 37th minute at the penalty spot after a handball was called on Dayot Upamecano.
Everyone watching expected Haaland, who has scored seven times from the penalty spot this season for Man City, to tuck home the penalty.
Then the unthinkable happened.
Erling Haaland penalty miss vs. Bayern
Erling Haaland is human! pic.twitter.com/UJMHqffVE7
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 19, 2023
HAALAND ONLY DID THAT TO TRICK US AND MAKE BELIEVE HE IS HUMAN. DO NOT FALL FOR IT
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) April 19, 2023
This was Haaland’s first time failing to convert a penalty kick in nearly two years. His last failed attempt was on April 21, 2021, against Union Berlin in the Bundesliga when he still played for Borussia Dortmund.
Haaland’s penalty statistics are remarkable. For club and country, he’s taken 36 penalties and scored 33 of them.
Seeing him miss from the spot was a relief. In today’s age of AI and robots taking over, it’s good to see that Haaland still has some human qualities. If he is a robot then the penalty miss was a simple glitch, and he recalibrated his goal-scoring systems in the second half.
In the 57th minute he took advantage of Upamecano slipping and tucked in his 48th goal of the season.
Erling Haaland punishes Bayern Munich and he has his 35th Champions League goal. pic.twitter.com/6HnLkAMAYn
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 19, 2023
Bayern Munich scored a consolation goal through a Joshua Kimmich penalty kick in the 83rd minute.
Manchester City advance and will look for revenge against the defending champions Real Madrid in the semis. Madrid mounted a miraculous comeback against City in last season’s UCL semis.
The first leg will be played on May 9.
