World Cup shootouts put tiebreak rules back in focus

Two World Cup Round of 32 games on Monday were settled by penalties after 1-1 scores, Al Jazeera reported, putting knockout tiebreak rules back at the center of the tournament. Paraguay eliminated Germany 4-3 in a shootout, while Morocco beat the Netherlands 3-2 after forcing penalties with a late equalizer, according to Al Jazeera.

In Germany’s match with Paraguay, both sides scored once in normal time, Al Jazeera reported. Germany also had a goal by Jonathan Tah ruled out after the referee reviewed video and determined that Waldemar Anton had fouled Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill, according to Al Jazeera.

Gill then stopped two attempts in the shootout, Al Jazeera reported. The result gave Germany its first World Cup defeat in a penalty shootout, according to Al Jazeera.

Morocco’s path to penalties came late against the Netherlands, Al Jazeera reported. The team scored near the end of the match to make it 1-1, then won the shootout 3-2, according to Al Jazeera.

How extra time works

In the World Cup knockout rounds, a match that remains level after the usual 90 minutes goes to extra time, Al Jazeera explained. That added phase is used before penalties to try to produce a winner through open play.

Extra time lasts 30 minutes, divided into two 15-minute periods, according to Al Jazeera. Teams change ends at the break between those periods, as they do at halftime in a standard match.

If the score is still tied after extra time, Al Jazeera said the match proceeds to a penalty shootout. The shootout then decides which team advances.

Penalty shootout rules

The referee uses a coin toss to choose the goal for the shootout, Al Jazeera reported. A second toss usually determines which team takes the first kick.

Each side chooses five players for the opening sequence, according to Al Jazeera. The teams then alternate attempts, with one team taking a kick and the other following.

Al Jazeera said only players who are on the field at the end of extra time are eligible to take a penalty. Any eligible player may be selected, including the goalkeeper.

If the teams are still tied after five attempts each, the shootout moves to sudden death, according to Al Jazeera. In that phase, each side takes one kick per round, and the contest ends when one team scores and the other misses in the same round.

The goalkeeper must stay on the goal line between the posts and face the kicker until the ball is struck, Al Jazeera reported. The goalkeeper may move sideways along the line but cannot step forward before the kick.

Notable World Cup shootouts

• Al Jazeera noted that the 1994 final was the first World Cup final decided by penalties, with Brazil beating Italy 3-2 after a 0-0 draw. Roberto Baggio’s miss became one of that tournament’s defining moments, according to Al Jazeera.
• In the 1990 semifinals, West Germany defeated England 4-3 on penalties, and Argentina beat host nation Italy by the same shootout score, Al Jazeera reported.
• Al Jazeera also cited Italy’s 5-3 penalty win over France in 2006, Brazil’s 3-2 shootout victory over Chile in 2014, and Croatia’s 2018 shootout wins over Denmark and Russia.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.