Penalty shootout (association football)

A penalty shoot-out (officially kicks from the penalty mark) is a method of determining the winner of an association football (soccer) match that is drawn after the regulation as well as extra playing time. In a penalty shoot-out, each team takes turns attempting a specified number of shots (5 in FIFA-governed football) from the penalty mark that are only defended by the opposing team's goalkeeper, with the team scoring the most goals being declared the winner. Although the procedure for taking kicks from the penalty mark resembles that of a penalty kick, there are some differences. Most notably, neither the kicker nor any player other than the goalkeeper may play the ball again once it has been kicked.

The method of breaking a draw in a match requiring a winner is determined beforehand by the match organizing body. FIFA-sanctioned competitions and most professional level competitions employ kicks from the penalty mark following one or more extra periods of play ("extra time"); the length and number of extra periods as well as whether or not they are sudden death are also stipulated by the match organizing body. Although employed in football commonly since the 1970s, penalty shoot-outs remain unpopular with some, due primarily to their perceived reliance on luck rather than skill.

During a shoot-out, coaches, players other than the kicker and the goalkeepers must remain in the centre circle. The kicking team's goalkeeper stands at the intersection of the goal line and the penalty area (18-yard) line near one of the assistant referees. Goals scored during the shoot-out are not included in the final score, nor are they added to the goalscoring records of the players involved.

A tie is a common result in football. Shoot-outs are only used in competitions that require a match-winner at the end of the game - this is predominantly in knockout "cup" ties, as opposed to round-robin "leagues"; they will determine which team will progress to the next round of a tournament, or win it. Usually extra time has been played first, but this is not necessary; exceptions include the Copa Libertadores, the FA Community Shield and the Football League Trophy, all of which use shoot-outs straight after the end of normal time. Exceptionally, a shoot-out after a league or round-robin match may be provided for. This provision appears for occasions where opposing teams in a final-day match finish the group with identical records, which can result in an immediate shoot-out. This happened in Group A of the 2003 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship. This rule is a recent innovation, and for example did not apply in Group F of the 1990 World Cup, where the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands were separated by drawing of lots immediately after finishing their final-day match in a draw.

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