Toon Boys Made Us So Proud
Last updated : 21 June 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor
Taylor described last night's European Championship shoot defeat as the worst moment of his career.
England were beaten 13-12 in an extraordinary penalty shoot-out against Holland in which a limping Taylor scored after being forced to take a spot-kick. Taylor, injured towards the end of normal time, was at the centre of controversy during the shoot-out when he left the pitch immediately before he was due to take a penalty.
Holland coach Foppe de Haan protested and the referee appeared to change his mind by sending Taylor back on.
Taylor: "It's the most disappointment in my career so far - coming so close. And I thought we deserved better but it wasn't to be. We did ourselves proud and we kept battling.
"I was told to get off the pitch by the fourth official. I was ready to take one and I had no problems taking one and I was delighted to score but it wasn't to be for the rest of the lads."
Stuart Pearce suffered more penalty misery. Leroy Lita had put Pearce's youngsters ahead in Heerenveen but Maceo Rigters levelled with an overhead kick with a minute remaining to set up extra-time and penalties.
Nigel Reo-Coker, Mark Noble and James Milner all picked up second yellow cards of the competition meaning they would miss the final.
With Nedum Onuoha unable to carry on, Steven Taylor limping and four games in a week taking their toll on the rest of the players, England's 10 men summoned every last piece of energy they had to get through the 120 minutes in the Heerenveen sunshine.
Lita's goal came six minutes from the break. Carson's long kick was flicked on by David Nugent and Lita spun around Ron Vlaar and volleyed in at the near post, sparking the crazed celebrations just like his first two goals of the tournament.
He could have extended his tally early in the second half but his free-kick struck the post.
The equaliser came from Beerens' cross getting headed across the face of the goal by Ryan Donk, with Rigters steering the ball in with his scissor kick.
Taylor was limping badly but had to continue as Pearce had used his substitutes. Onuoha picked up a knock and had to leave the field, meaning England were a man down - but they managed to get to penalties.
Reo-Coker, Justin Hoyte and Matt Derbyshire missed for England, with Drenthe, Arnold Kruiswijk and De Ridder failing for Holland.
But Ferdinand's miss proved most costly, with Gianni Zuiverloon netting his second spot-kick of the shoot-out to win it for the Dutch.
Stuart Pearce: "We were prepared, for weeks we have been practising. In the penalty shoot-outs I have been in they have only gone to five or six penalties so it's a step in the right direction.
"It was an incredible evening of football. I told the players that when it comes to representing my country I'm emotional about that anyway, but this is probably the proudest moment of achievement I've ever had in football.
"I'm very proud of my squad but bitterly disappointed. It would have been nice to go all the way but whether I would have been able to patch a team together and fielded one, I'm not so sure.
"When the coach raised the point, I went on to agree with him. The rules are that all the players at the end of the game have to take a penalty. It's the fairest way of doing it.
"The only thing it did was enhance the magnitude of Steven Taylor as a man."
Serbia beat Belgium 2-0 tonight to make sure of their place in the final of the European Under-21 Championships.
The Serbians - beaten by England on Sunday - bounced back to set up a final clash against Holland on Saturday.
Aleksandar Kolarov gave them an early lead when his long-range free-kick evaded everyone - including Belgium goalkeeper Logan Bailly - and went in off a post. And 77th-minute substitute Dragan Mrdja made sure of the victory three minutes from time when he beat Bailly with a low shot.