Brentford manager Keith Andrews has defended Dango Ouattara after the forward’s failed panenka penalty during the club’s FA Cup defeat to West Ham United.
The Bees were eliminated from the competition after a dramatic penalty shootout, with West Ham converting all five of their spot kicks to secure a 5–3 victory. Brentford’s hopes ended when Ouattara’s attempt was saved by goalkeeper Alphonse Areola after the forward tried an ambitious chipped effort.
The penalty quickly gained attention online due to how easily Areola collected the attempt. However, Andrews refused to criticise the player following the match.
Keith Andrews backs Dango Ouattara after missed penalty
Speaking after the defeat, Andrews stressed that the focus should remain on the courage required to take penalties rather than criticising those who miss.
“No, I’m not annoyed at all. I think the easiest thing for a footballer to do is not take a penalty. It takes unbelievable courage on a stage like that to take a penalty.” — Keith Andrews
The Brentford manager also criticised the wider culture that often targets players after missed penalties, highlighting the pressure footballers face in those situations.
“I despise the culture around players that have missed penalty kicks. I think it’s disgusting.” — Keith Andrews
According to Andrews, Ouattara frequently practises the panenka technique in training and had the confidence to attempt it during the shootout.
“He practises that technique a lot. If it goes in everyone’s raving about him. Dango will get the absolute support he needs.” — Keith Andrews
West Ham perfect in shootout
While Brentford faltered from the spot, West Ham delivered a flawless performance during the shootout.
All five Hammers players converted their penalties to send the London club into the FA Cup quarter finals. Among the scorers were attacking players Jarrod Bowen, Taty Castellanos and Callum Wilson, alongside midfielder Tomas Soucek.
Defender Konstantinos Mavropanos also produced an impressive penalty that stood out during the shootout.
Ouattara impressed during regular time
Despite the unfortunate penalty miss, Ouattara had delivered a strong performance during the match itself.
The forward caused problems for West Ham’s defence throughout the game and was involved in several attacking moments for Brentford during normal time.
However, the penalty shootout ultimately decided the tie, with West Ham maintaining perfect accuracy to secure progression.
Key Insights
- Brentford were eliminated from the FA Cup after losing 5–3 on penalties to West Ham.
- Dango Ouattara’s attempted panenka penalty was saved by Alphonse Areola.
- Keith Andrews defended the forward and praised the courage required to take penalties.
- West Ham converted all five of their spot kicks during the shootout.
- The Hammers will face Leeds United in the FA Cup quarter finals.
What’s Next
West Ham will now prepare for their FA Cup quarter final against Leeds United, scheduled for the first weekend of April. The London side remain just one win away from a Wembley semi final appearance.
For Brentford, attention returns to the Premier League campaign as they aim to recover quickly from the cup disappointment and continue building momentum in domestic competition.
Was Keith Andrews right to publicly defend Dango Ouattara after the penalty miss?
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