Are goalkeepers getting away with cheating during World Cup shootouts?

Croatia’s Danijel Subasic pulls off a penalty save during their shootout win over Denmark. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

“The defending goalkeeper must remain on the goal line, facing the kicker, between the goalposts until the ball has been kicked” – one of the laws of the game that seems to have escaped the attention of referees in Russia at this World Cup.

The issue has been thrown into sharp relief by the shootouts in Sunday’s two last-16 matches. Freeze frames of the penalties show Russia’s Igor Akinfeev, Denmark’s Kasper Schmeichel and Croatia’s Danijel Subasic were routinely well off their lines. Between them they saved seven of the 15 penalties they faced. Spain’s David de Gea failed to keep out a spot-kick, despite employing the same tactics.

Danijel Subasic is already well off his line as Lasse Schöne prepares to strike the ball. The Croatia keeper saved the penalty. Photograph: ITV

The laws of the game have two provisions covering offences during a shootout, stating:

• If the goalkeeper commits an offence and, as a result, the kick is retaken, the goalkeeper must be cautioned
  
• If the kicker is penalised for an offence committed after the referee has signalled for the kick to be taken, that kick is recorded as missed and the kicker is cautioned
  

The Republic of Ireland under-17 team found this out to their cost in their European Championship quarter-final against the Netherlands in May. The goalkeeper James Corcoran was issued with a second yellow card during the shootout and Ireland exited the tournament with an outfield player going in goal for the decisive penalties.

Igor Akinfeev’s penalty saves – here from Koke – have made him a national hero in Russia. But is this cheating? Photograph: BBC

VAR is not in play during shootouts – there is no provision in the VAR process employed at the World Cup for a review of the goalkeeper’s position.

Schmeichel is significantly off his line before saving Josip Pivaric’s penalty. Photograph: ITV

There’s an argument to be made that many goalkeepers do this regularly, and that part of the skill of taking a penalty is to score despite the goalkeeper advancing. Simon Kjær, for example, scored his penalty in the shootout, despite the advances of Subasic.

Simon Kjaer scores this penalty against Croatia, despite the positioning of Subasic. Photograph: ITV

It wasn’t, though, only the goalkeeper’s behaviour that was questioned during the shootouts. Schmeichel, who won the man of the match award, was incensed by Andrej Kramaric’s stuttering run-up and gesticulated wildly at the referee.

Schmeichel questions the referee about Andrej Kramaric’s run-up to his penalty. Photograph: MB Media/Getty Images

The law is quite clear though, stating that “feinting to kick the ball once the kicker has completed the run-up” is an offence but explicitly stating “feinting in the run-up is permitted”.

Iran’s Ali Beiranvand adopted a very different tactic when facing a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo during the group stages. The Iran keeper stood well behind the line, choosing to rush out towards the Portugal captain as Ronaldo made his run-up. The unorthodox technique paid off, with Beiranvand saving.

Iran’s Ali Beiranvand waits behind the line to face Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty. Photograph: YouTube

And there was definitely one goalkeeping expert at the match on Sunday who saw nothing wrong with the positioning of the keepers on the pitch.

Lost for words. Can’t be more proud of my country, my son, his teammates, all the staff and our fantastic national coach Åge Hareide. When all the tears have dried out we will realise how well we did 🇩🇰 #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/vhGZQtDyJm

— Peter Schmeichel (@Pschmeichel1) July 2, 2018