The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to penalty shots in that a single player takes one shot on goal from a specified spot, the only defender being the goalkeeper. Teams take turns, and the one with the largest number of successful goals after a specified number of attempts is the winner. If the result is still tied, the shootout usually continues on a "goal-for-goal" basis, with the teams taking shots alternately, the winner being the one to score a goal that is unmatched by the other team. This may continue until every player has taken a shot, after which players may take a second shot, etc., until a result is decided.
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A penalty shootout is normally used only in situations where a winner is needed (for example, a round where one team must be eliminated) and where other methods such as extra time and sudden death have failed to determine a winner. It avoids the delays involved in staging a replayed match in order to produce a result. A common complaint about penalty shootouts is that they only determine the better team in the one, rather narrow, discipline of taking penalty shots, rather than fairly determining the better team in overall play.
Sports in which a penalty shootout may be used include:
Penalty shootouts, properly known as "kicks from the penalty mark" usually occur in knock-out tournaments or cup competitions. After 90 minutes or extra-time, when the two teams are level, each team will alternate five penalty kicks. If one team is not ahead on goals after these five kicks, the teams proceed to sudden death.
Conditions for breaking ties vary. Many associations follow the procedure laid down in FIH tournament regulations that mandate 7.5 minutes each way of "golden goal" extra time during which the game ends as soon as one team scores. If scores are still level, then the game will be decided with penalty strokes, in much the same way that association football penalty shoot outs are conducted. Other competitions may use an extended period of golden goal extra time with a progressive reduction in the number of players each team can have on the field (usually termed "drop-offs"). If no goal is scored at the end of such extra time periods, again a result would be achieved using penalty strokes.
If the score remains tied after an overtime period, the subsequent shootout consists of a set number of players from each team (three in the NHL, five under IIHF rules and in most North American minor leagues, and one in some other leagues) taking penalty shots. After these shots, the team with the most goals is awarded the victory. If the score is still tied, the shootout then proceeds to a sudden death; additional shots are played until one team scores and the other doesn't; the scoring team wins and is awarded two points in the standings, while the losing team is awarded one point.[1] Regardless of the number of goals scored during the shootout by either team, the final score awards the winning team one more goal than the score at the end of regulation time (or overtime). In the NHL, the player scoring the shootout-winning goal is not officially credited with a goal in his personal statistics; thus, a player who scores twice in regulation and once in the shootout is not credited with a hat trick. In many North American minor leagues, the player that scores the shootout-winning goal is credited with one shot on goal and one goal. The losing goaltender of the shootout is credited with one shot against, one goal against, and an overtime/shootout loss. North American professional hockey does not allow shootouts in post-season play, and instead will play multiple 20-minute sudden-death overtime periods as are needed until a team scores. The official IIHF name of the procedure is game-winning shots (GWS). In some European countries, the post-game penalty shots are unofficially known as "bullets".[2][3]
Following OT & double OT (3 minutes per period) in tied games, 5 players and a goalkeeper are chosen by the coaches of each team. Players shoot from the 5 meter line alternately at either end of the pool in turn until all five have taken a shot. If the score is still tied, the same players shoot alternately until one team misses and the other scores.
If a game is tied after regular time and a clear winner is necessary (like in knockout tournaments), it would proceed to two 5-minute periods of overtime with a 1-minute break before each. If the scores are still tied, a second overtime of 2x5 minutes is played. If the game is still tied after 2 overtimes, the game goes into a penalty shootout. Five players per side throw 7-meters-penalties, if still tied, one player per side take a penalty throw until a decision is found, which is the same procedure as in association football.
A "45-metre kick shootout" is sometimes used.
A bowl-out is sometimes used to decide tied matches. Five players from each side bowl two balls each at an unguarded wicket, with the team that takes most wickets winning. The difference in comparison to most other sports is the lack of any player from the opposing side to defend the wicket.
In rugby union, five players take kicks on goal from the centre of the 22-metre line. If the scores are level after five players from each team have kicked, the shootout goes to sudden death. As with cricket, no player may defend the goal. This tie-breaking method was used for the first time at a professional level in Leicester Tigers' Heineken Cup semi-final victory over the Cardiff Blues on 3 May 2009; after a 26–26 draw after extra time, Leicester won the shootout 7–6.[4]