The penalty shootout, football’s ultimate lottery, is one of the most exciting and nerve-racking aspects of the game because of its “winner takes all” format.
If this has ever piqued your interest, here’s a guide for you.
In modern football, a penalty shootout involves shooting from within the 18-yard area at a spot marked 12 yards from the goal line. It is usually a best-of-five competition, with the team that scores the highest number of penalties from five initial kicks emerging victorious.
This system was in place when the great Johan Cruyff played in the MLS, and he was of the opinion that it be brought to Europe.
However, it never happened.
Penalty shootouts are used as the deciding factor in tournaments. Matches only go to penalty shootouts when they end in draws.
In standard football rules, knockout rounds usually result in penalty shootouts if they end up in a tie between the teams.
However, before a match goes to penalty shootouts, the type of competition needs to be considered.
For example, in the English League Cup, matches are sent straight to a penalty shootout if a draw ensues after the regular 90 minutes.
This rule was put in place in 2018 to protect the players who had to compete on up to four fronts in the season. As a result, matches in the initial rounds of the League Cup go straight to penalties after 90 minutes.
In most other Cup competitions, teams play for up to 120 minutes before a match has to go to penalties. If the game is tied after 90 minutes, the teams will play for another 30 minute-period known as extra time.
The teams will find a way to get past each other in the first half and second half of the extra time.
A penalty shootout will ensue only when the teams are still in a tie at the end of extra time.
Others include the UEFA Nations League Finals, European Championship, Africa Cup of Nations, etc.
However, matches do not have to end in a penalty shootout in league football because ties are permitted. This means that two teams can play each other to a stalemate in a league match without a penalty shootout to decide the winner.
What matters to determine a winner at the end of the season is each team’s points.
When a team makes a substitution before a penalty shootout, it automatically means that the player taken off can play no part in the penalty shootout. Their replacements, however, can take part in the penalty shootout without any consequences.
A perfect example of this scenario was seen in the Euro 2020 final between Italy and England at Wembley. England manager Gareth Southgate introduced Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford off the bench with only a few minutes left to play in extra-time.
They were introduced solely to participate in the penalty shootout, and they each took and missed their penalties.
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