Leon Wobschall: Expectant crowd left shattered as Owls blink first on night of high drama at Hillsborough

FOR Sheffield Wednesday, it was simply not supposed to end like this.
Fernando Forestieri shows his dismay after missing the final penalty while Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Danny Ward begins his celebrations. Picture: Steve EllisFernando Forestieri shows his dismay after missing the final penalty while Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Danny Ward begins his celebrations. Picture: Steve Ellis
Fernando Forestieri shows his dismay after missing the final penalty while Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Danny Ward begins his celebrations. Picture: Steve Ellis

The choreography had been move-perfect in a seamless past six weeks or so and the check-list had been ticked and ticked again, with nothing seemingly left to chance, with all bases covered on and off the pitch.

The spectre of failure may have lurked away in the shadows, but surely not this time; our time, thousands of Wednesdayites thought. And secretly, Carlos Carvalhal too, no doubt.

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Urged to show their colours on all four sides of Hillsborough, the sea of blue and white looked resplendent ahead of kick-off.

The noise was also unrelenting in a reprise of that play-off night last May against Brighton – an occasion of boundless energy and intensity that went down in Owls folklore.

What could go wrong?

With Germanic detachment, David Wagner’s Huddersfield blocked out the noise and tore up Sheffield Wednesday’s well-rehearsed script to shreds on their 150th anniversary, with cool penalty skill.

You can plan for penalties. But ultimately it is about nerve and Wednesday blinked. It was Wagner’s night and Carvalhal headed for the shadows, with Fernando Forestieri’s reputation as being Huddersfield’s nemesis well and truly obliterated. His name at the end was sung by Huddersfield fans, not Wednesdayites.

Fernando Forestieri shows his dismay after missing the final penalty while Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Danny Ward begins his celebrations. Picture: Steve EllisFernando Forestieri shows his dismay after missing the final penalty while Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Danny Ward begins his celebrations. Picture: Steve Ellis
Fernando Forestieri shows his dismay after missing the final penalty while Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Danny Ward begins his celebrations. Picture: Steve Ellis
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In contrast, the love-in between Town staff and players was gushing and heartfelt between a group of individuals whose bonds were first forged in the unlikely setting of a remote and uninhabited Swedish island last June.

Assigned with problem-solving at a Bear Grylls type boot camp, skills of leadership and resolve came to the fore, just as they did on an unremitting night of tension in Sheffield when a season was on the line.

Just as then, Town’s players worked it out.

In the city of seven hills, Huddersfield’s players reached their own Everest to claim a first win in nine matches against an Owls side who looked like they had got their number. Not when it mattered, crucially.

Carlos Carvalhal picks up Barry Bannan.....Pic Steve EllisCarlos Carvalhal picks up Barry Bannan.....Pic Steve Ellis
Carlos Carvalhal picks up Barry Bannan.....Pic Steve Ellis

Town’s songs still speak of dreaming, but there was no rainbow for Carvalhal or Wednesday. Just crushing and gut-wrenching disappointment and an overwhelming sense of disbelief.

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A results man to the core, the Owls chief was left to pick up the pieces of his darkest hour as head coach. Performances eventually catch up with you and while Wednesday had stepped it up a notch since early April, a nasty surprise was waiting for them and they could not have too many complaints.

Lots of forwards, plentiful options – but without Gary Hooper, the sat-nav was wayward.

It remains to be seen how fateful last night proves for the Portuguese, who for all the world looked to be controlling the pieces and the game in the manner of a chess grandmaster before events took hold. Their safety-first tactics in the first leg were largely accepted as a means to an end by Wednesdayites, given that the second leg was on home soil. The theory was that it would provide the platform for a much more assertive and resounding home performance. So much for the theory.

LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED: Huddersfield Town's players begin to celebrate after winning a dramatic penalty shootout. Picture: Tony Johnson.LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED: Huddersfield Town's players begin to celebrate after winning a dramatic penalty shootout. Picture: Tony Johnson.
LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED: Huddersfield Town's players begin to celebrate after winning a dramatic penalty shootout. Picture: Tony Johnson.

It was a slow-burner of a game, akin to which Wednesday have produced on a fair number of occasions at S6 this term – but there was consolation in the fact that serious options existed on the bench with the hosts also possessing a happy knack of winning ugly which they had not shaken off for much of the season. A decent habit to have.

Steven Fletcher’s header, provided a rare moment of sweetness and light, but Town had other ideas. Germans and penalties.