Goalkeepers

Chronicling The Strangest Strategies Goalkeepers Employ To Save Penalties

Soccer is unique in so many ways, and perhaps no play in all of sports is more meaningful than the penalty kick. 

Points are more scarce in soccer than they are in any other sport, and no other sport includes one play with such a high percentage chance of scoring.

A game that features 22 players on the pitch is condensed into a one-on-one battle for a few crucial seconds, and in the end, there are only two possible outcomes: either a goal is scored or the ball fails to cross the goal line — with the former being the most likely.

St. Vincent And The Grenadines Play Gold Cup Qualifier With 13 Players And No Goalie

St. Vincent and the Grenadines was forced to play a Gold Cup qualifier with 13 players — 11 starters and two subs — and no goalkeeper on Friday against Haiti. To no one’s surprise, Haiti won 6-1, moving to within one win of qualifying for this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines was the victim of reported visa issues ahead of the match in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It never helps when one side has 10 more bench players available than the other, especially when one team doesn’t have a goalie. 

España Le Gana A Suiza Y Pasa A Semifinales Con Un Arquero Que Sí Ataja Penales

España tuvo que ir a los penales para deshacerse de Suiza y avanzar a las semifinales de la Euro 2020. Y para suerte de los hispanos, en la portería estuvo Unai Simón y no su arquero habitual, David de Gea.

Watch Yann Sommer’s Unreal Point-Blank Save To Keep Switzerland Alive Against Spain

Switzerland ran out of gas in a shootout defeat to Spain in the Euro 2020 quarterfinals on Friday. The Swiss had two tame penalties saved and a third blasted into the stands as Spain won the shootout 3-1 after a 1-1 draw in regulation. But take nothing away from the performance of goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who valiantly gave Switzerland a chance with nine saves. 

After Securing Promotion, Norwich City Aiming To Build Premier League-Capable Squad

Norwich City was crowned champion of the EFL Championship for the second time in three years following a 4-1 victory over Reading on May 1.

For manager Daniel Farke and the Canaries, the priority now is to avoid a repeat of the immediate relegation suffered in 2019-20. To that end, Norwich has wasted no time this offseason bringing in additions to the squad. Farke and sporting director Stuart Webber have already secured the signings of four players before the summer transfer window officially opens. 

Rating All Nine Own Goals At Euro 2020 So Far Based On How Awful They Were

If it seems like there have been a lot of own goals during Euro 2020, it's because they have been occurring at a rate unlike anything seen at an international tournament before.

The first European Championship was contested in 1960, and in the 15 tournaments up to now, there have been nine own goals. Through the first 41 matches at this summer's European Championship there have been nine own goals. 

Mbappe Chokes On Swiss, France Crashes Out Of Euro 2020 In Dramatic Style

I said that Spain and Croatia had the greatest game in the tournament so far. I retract that statement.

France and Switzerland battled late into the Bucharest night to tie 3-3 and Switzerland won on penalties 5-4. The massive upset has some critics looking at Kylian Mbappe.

You Have To Watch Spain’s Own Goal Against Croatia To Believe It

This Spain own goal vs Croatia is going to go down as the craziest mistake of Euro 2020. 

Spain had their metaphorical hand snatched on Croatia’s scruff for the opening 20 minutes of Monday’s Round of 16 clash. Sitting in almost total control, the only worry for Spain was a Croatia counterattack. Or so they thought.

If someone watching the game looked away for a split-second, they would have missed this unbelievable error from Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón. A simple back pass from Pedri turned disastrous.

Thibaut Courtois Smokes Ronaldo To Start Move That Leads To Opener Against Portugal

There were two shots on goal in the first half of the much-anticipated Belgium-Portugal Round of 16 Euro 2020 match on Sunday. The first was a scorching free kick from Cristiano Ronaldo parried wide by Thibaut Courtois; the second the Thorgan Hazard goal vs Portugal, which started when Courtois dribbled by Ronaldo. 

With two heavyweights meeting early in the knockout stages, the teams spent most of the first half feeling each other out. There were few real chances on goal, but Ronaldo did trouble Courtois with this free kick that he actually hit on target. 

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