Today at the World Cup was the final games in Group A and B. In the morning, Mexico backed into the knockout round despite losing to Uruguay, thanks to South Africa not making up three more goals on goal difference. In the afternoon, Argentina torpedoed Greece’s hopes, while a South Korean draw with Nigeria was enough to see the former through.

Only Nigeria provided much excitement. Had the Nigerians grabbed a late winner in their 2-2 draw with South Korea, they could have placed second in Group B, despite entering Tuesday with zero points. The “Super Eagles” took an early lead, but South Korea scored on either side of halftime to go ahead. And then, around the one-hour mark, came perhaps the miss of the tournament: Yakubu, open three yards in front of goal with the goalkeeper out of position, needing only to stab the ball into the yawning net to tie the score.

He missed, of course. Somehow, he redirected the pass from his left wide of the left post, which you or I couldn’t have done even if we had tried.

He later scored a penalty to make the game 2-2, and the Nigerians came close to a winner in the final minutes, so perhaps his miss will be forgotten. Yet for me, the look on his face after his miss – a combination of disbelief, embarrassment, and laughter at the hand he’d been dealt by fate – is so far the enduring image of this World Cup. To come so close, and to have glory within your grasp, and have it slip through – in a way, that’s what sports are all about.

In honor of that: an old clip with some of the worst misses of all time. (An updated version would include Yakubu, methinks.)