The dreaded penalty kick.
If you haven’t taken a penalty under pressure, you haven’t lived. Taking the ball to the penalty spot. Making sure that the ball doesn’t move. Looking at the goalie starring at you. You know your favorite corner to shoot in, but does the goalie know. Do you look a little bit too long at one specific corner, did you do it on purpose to fool the goalie? Do you kick the ball inside foot or a step-in-kick? You run at the ball and take the shot with inside foot, the goalie went left, the ball went right corner pocket. You just scored a penalty. Find out how to predicts penalty kicks. By knowing how to predicts penalty kicks, you can become a better soccer player.
Some Interesting Penalty Facts
- The number 1 factor that negatively affects penalties during international tournaments is stress, not fatigue or skill
- Referees tend to compensate for penalties. When referees give one penalty, they tend to compensate and give another one
- (96.3%) of outfield players from both teams as well as the goalkeeper commit offenses during a penalty kick
- Players with tattoos might have a greater chance of successful penalty than players without tattoos
- Goalies rely on symmetry when diving if the goalie dives 2 times in the same corner there is a great chance the goalie will dive in the opposite corner
- Waiting for the goalie to pick a corner and adjust your kick accordingly might be bad for your penalty results
- In 96% of the time, the goalie does not stand in the middle, and penalty kickers usually take the open side of the goal
- “Bad” penalty takers spend more time looking at the goalie
- There is no difference in scoring between the fouled player taking the penalty kick or a non-fouled player
- Penalty kicks are turned into goals about 80% of the time
- If you rush your penalty kick, you have a 20% less chance of scoring
- Players seem to prefer the risk of a (low) ball being stopped by the goalkeeper over the risk of directing the (high) ball over the goal
- Penalty takers wearing a red color uniform intimidate goalies more than wearing white color.
- Most goalies leave their spot about 0.2 seconds before the penalty is taken.
- The mere presence of a goalkeeper impaired shot accuracy.
- When the goalie moves around, they have a higher chance of stopping a penalty
- Goalies that have a good reputation makes the penalty takers miss the goal more often
- having a strong gaze intimidate goalies more than having a weak gaze
- Goalie wearing white intimidate penalty kickers more than wearing red.
- goalies having a weak gaze intimidate penalty kickers more than a strong gaze
- Referees have a tendency to give more penalty kicks to the home team, maybe because of intimidation
How Can The Goalie Predict Which Side You Are Kicking
One way a goalie can see which corner you are kicking in is the location of your body and standing foot. Both with kicking with the inside of the foot and the step-in-kick (laces), your body posture and standing foot are different. Usually, a penalty kick can be kicked with the inside foot or with the lace area, termed the instep kick. While an inside kick adds accuracy, a instep kick gives more power. See the difference below.
What Can A Goalie See When You Take A Side Foot Penalty
A sidefoot penalty is a good way to increase accuracy. A good goalie can see a difference in body posture when a player shoots in the left corner vs. the right corner. Researchers found that medium speed gives you a better disguise as when you take a penalty at a higher speed. See the difference in the standing foot at medium speed (A4 VS. B4). Furthermore, see the difference in posture during the time the goalie dives. During C2 the body stayed focussed towards the corner the ball will go. While at -0.3 at D2 the body is transitioning into kicking the ball into the opposite corner. You can see the left-hand goes up and the hip becomes more straight.
Taking An Instep Penalty
Taking an instep penalty can be useful for increasing the power of your kick. Just as with the inside kick, you have to adjust your kick more when you shoot to your left side. This change of direction can be seen with a higher elevation of especially your left arm. A goalie can look for these clues and dive accordingly.
Find Out More Soccer Information Here