The Penalty Shootout

The game has ended at a draw. The Championship now lies in the hands of the penalty shoot out winner. You’re coach adds you to the lineup as the last one to shoot. The crowd roars in excitement of the challenge. You step up to shoot. The goalie eyes you up and down studying your stance, the direction of your hips, your eyes. You shoot, you score!

The beautiful game requires its players to be prepared and ready for the most intense and difficult moments in soccer. The penalty kick for decades has left players injured by stripping them of their self confidence and humiliating them in front of their peers. Yet, players that come prepared and ready to the challenge do not have to share the same fate.

So how do you score a penalty kick?

Let’s use some science to answer the question. A soccer ball in a penalty kick on average reaches 70 mph and gets to it’s target in less than 10 milliseconds. Elite athlete reaction times are typically 150 milliseconds and a goalies full extension takes roughly 500 milliseconds. Therefore a fast shot near an outside post is literally unstoppable. 

Keep in mind, precision in this challenge can prove more deadly than power. For example, the Hulk, Brazilian Soccer Team player in the world cup took a penalty kick at a shocking 84 mph in the middle between the goalie and the post and the keeper was able to block his shot. He might have left a mark, but not on the score sheet.

One technique that players use to fool goalkeepers in the runup are faints to get the goalies to commit to one direction. And since peripheral vision excels at detecting motion. A shooter can keep his eye on the ball and still see which way the keeper is moving.

For more on scoring penalty kicks, take a look at this video:

Have any techniques of your own? Let us know below!