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Penalty shootout facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

A penalty shootout is a thrilling way to decide the winner of a soccer game when the score is tied. It happens after regular time and extra time have ended, and both teams have scored the same number of goals. It's like a sudden-death challenge to find out who moves on!

What is a Penalty Shootout?

In soccer (also known as association football), a penalty shootout is used to find a winner when a match ends in a tie. This usually happens in important cup games, not regular league matches.

When Do Shootouts Happen?

Normally, a soccer match lasts 90 minutes. If the score is still tied after this time, teams often play an extra 30 minutes, called extra time. If the score is still equal after extra time, then it's time for a penalty shootout!

Penalty shootouts are almost always used in cup matches. In these games, a winner is needed so one team can move on to the next round. In league matches, if the score is tied, both teams usually just get one point for the draw, and no shootout is needed.

How a Penalty Shootout Works

Here's how a penalty shootout usually works:

  • Each team picks five players to take a penalty kick.
  • Players from each team take turns kicking the ball from a special spot, 11 meters (12 yards) from the goal.
  • Only the goalkeeper from the other team is allowed to try and stop the ball.
  • The team that scores the most goals out of these first five kicks wins!

Sudden Death Penalties

What if the score is still tied after both teams have taken five penalties? Then, the shootout goes into "sudden death."

  • Each team takes one more penalty at a time.
  • The first team to score when the other team misses wins the shootout immediately. This continues until one team is ahead.

Famous Shootouts

Many famous soccer finals have been decided by penalty shootouts. These moments can be very exciting and dramatic for fans! Some well-known examples include:

You can learn more about the rules of the game from the official FIFA laws of the game.

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Penalty shootout Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.