Portugal wins on penalty kicks, 3-1, after a nil-nil tie in the game. The Brits are out. So much for the Italy-Germany and England-France, Axis and Allied powers semifinals. :)
So let me preface this with saying that yes, I know “everyone” does it, and yes, I know that no referee is going to call it at the international level, but Ronaldo’s complete halt while taking his penalty kick really pissed me off.
As soon as he stopped after starting his kick, the ball was in the net. Why? As soon as he started his kick, Robinson was on the move along his line. When Ronaldo stopped, he saw which way Robinson was going and was able to go the other way.
Is it actually illegal to stop partway through a penalty kick? I’m not a soccer fan, so I wouldn’t know. But if it’s not, it seems like that’s simply good strategy, so I’m not sure what you’re complaining about.
“Well, it’s working only that long as the goalkeeper is stupid enough to move BEFORE the ball was actually kicked”
Uhh…that’s really the only way to make a save on penalty kicks. If you wait to get down on the ground until the ball is actually kicked, you won’t make the save unless the ball is kicked directly to you.
As for stopping after beginning your forward motion being illegal, I had always thought it was, but I couldn’t find conclusive evidence one way or the other on the internet, and unfortunately I can’t find my copy of FIFA’s Laws of the Game. Regardless, crap like that has always struck me as unsporting.
Feinting at a Penalty Kick
Q. May a player taking a penalty kick stop and restart his/her approach to the ball? I’ve seen MLS games recently and penalty kicks have been scored and counted twice after the kicker came to a complete stop before finishing his run to the ball and then shooting. Not only was it counted, but the question about the approach wasn’t even brought up in the analysis of the kick.
A. FIFA clarified in 2002 that the kicker may seek to misdirect (or feint) at the taking of a penalty kick. USSF, in a memo dated October 14, 2004 on this subject, identified four specific actions by the kicker that could constitute misconduct:
delays unnecessarily after being signaled by the referee to proceed,
runs past the ball and then backs up to take the kick,
excessively changes direction during the run to the ball, or
makes any motion of the hand or arm which is clearly intended to misdirect the attention of the goalkeeper.
In such cases, the referee should suspend the procedure, caution the player involved, and then signal once again for the kick to be taken. If the kick has already been taken, the referee should order it retaken only if the ball enters the goal. The player must still be cautioned for his misconduct regardless of the outcome. If the kick is not to be retaken (see above), the game is restarted with an indirect free kick for the defending team where Law 14 was violated.
Subject to the judgment of the referee, anything else may be fair.
I think PurseBoy is going to have to request a transfer as even ManUtd fans won’t want him to come back to England. I imagine PieBoy will catch a lot of guff next year from other team’s fans throughout the league.
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July 1st, 2006 at 11:06:08 am
They going home, they going home, they going…
England is going home,
they going home….
July 1st, 2006 at 11:16:01 am
So let me preface this with saying that yes, I know “everyone” does it, and yes, I know that no referee is going to call it at the international level, but Ronaldo’s complete halt while taking his penalty kick really pissed me off.
As soon as he stopped after starting his kick, the ball was in the net. Why? As soon as he started his kick, Robinson was on the move along his line. When Ronaldo stopped, he saw which way Robinson was going and was able to go the other way.
July 1st, 2006 at 11:23:04 am
Ach. Bloody bad luck, lads.
July 1st, 2006 at 11:49:08 am
Is it actually illegal to stop partway through a penalty kick? I’m not a soccer fan, so I wouldn’t know. But if it’s not, it seems like that’s simply good strategy, so I’m not sure what you’re complaining about.
July 1st, 2006 at 11:57:07 am
Well, it’s working only that long as the goalkeeper is stupid enough to move BEFORE the ball was actually kicked.
July 1st, 2006 at 1:38:00 pm
“Well, it’s working only that long as the goalkeeper is stupid enough to move BEFORE the ball was actually kicked”
Uhh…that’s really the only way to make a save on penalty kicks. If you wait to get down on the ground until the ball is actually kicked, you won’t make the save unless the ball is kicked directly to you.
As for stopping after beginning your forward motion being illegal, I had always thought it was, but I couldn’t find conclusive evidence one way or the other on the internet, and unfortunately I can’t find my copy of FIFA’s Laws of the Game. Regardless, crap like that has always struck me as unsporting.
July 1st, 2006 at 3:27:12 pm
Feinting at a Penalty Kick
Q. May a player taking a penalty kick stop and restart his/her approach to the ball? I’ve seen MLS games recently and penalty kicks have been scored and counted twice after the kicker came to a complete stop before finishing his run to the ball and then shooting. Not only was it counted, but the question about the approach wasn’t even brought up in the analysis of the kick.
A. FIFA clarified in 2002 that the kicker may seek to misdirect (or feint) at the taking of a penalty kick. USSF, in a memo dated October 14, 2004 on this subject, identified four specific actions by the kicker that could constitute misconduct:
delays unnecessarily after being signaled by the referee to proceed,
runs past the ball and then backs up to take the kick,
excessively changes direction during the run to the ball, or
makes any motion of the hand or arm which is clearly intended to misdirect the attention of the goalkeeper.
In such cases, the referee should suspend the procedure, caution the player involved, and then signal once again for the kick to be taken. If the kick has already been taken, the referee should order it retaken only if the ball enters the goal. The player must still be cautioned for his misconduct regardless of the outcome. If the kick is not to be retaken (see above), the game is restarted with an indirect free kick for the defending team where Law 14 was violated.
Subject to the judgment of the referee, anything else may be fair.
July 1st, 2006 at 3:35:30 pm
Germany-Italy and France-Portugal?
The semis of the World Cup are an “old” Europe dream.
I suppose its not necessary to send Vice-President Cheney complimentary tickets.
July 1st, 2006 at 5:53:28 pm
I think PurseBoy is going to have to request a transfer as even ManUtd fans won’t want him to come back to England. I imagine PieBoy will catch a lot of guff next year from other team’s fans throughout the league.