Fulham boss Scott Parker said he’s “disappointed and angry” with Super Eagles target Ademola Lookman’s dreadful attempt at a Panenka penalty with the last kick of the game in the 1-0 defeat at West Ham on Saturday.
Lookman was handed the chance to salvage a point for the Cottagers from the spot moments after Tomas Soucek gave the hosts the lead with a contentious goal in the first minute of injury time
The Nigerian winger, however, bungled his attempt at a Panenka-style penalty with an effort that lacked conviction and power, with the ball dropping tamely into Lukasz Fabianski’s hands.
It was the last kick of the game.
Understandably, Cottagers boss Scott Parker was livid afterwards, having seen his struggling team fail to rescue a point.
“I’m disappointed and angry,” Parker said. “You can’t take penalties like that and he knows that. He’s a young player and he’s learning.”
The Fulham boss added: “The boy has made a mistake. Ade is the first to understand that. When you’re young and you’re learning you have to learn quick. He is disappointed and rightly so. This is part and parcel of football, of growing as players and as a team. We’ll get around him now.”
Lookman has been one of Fulham’s best players since joining the Cottagers on loan from RB Leipzig at the end of the transfer window, and opened his account with a fine solo goal against Sheffield United.
“Ade has been fantastic since he’s been in,” said Parker. “He’ll need to dust himself down. When you’re young you make mistakes.”
The 23-year-old looked devastated after the final whistle and was consoled by his team-mates.
“Ademola is devastated, apologetic,” said Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney.
“He’s a young man who has had a good start here and is a big player for us. We’ll get around him and pick him up, he knows he could have got us a point.”
Midfielder Harrison Reed added: “He has apologised so we will brush it under the carpet and move on. He’s gutted in there, we all are.
The defeat leaves Fulham just above the relegation places in 17th and they increasingly likely to head back to the Championship after just one season.
West Ham, meanwhile, are up to 11th in the table with eleven points after eight games.
