Q&A for How to Score a Penalty

Shoot with the top bone of your toe, and you will be able to kick strong. You can also work your leg muscles by lifting weights to get more power behind your kicks.

Normally 5 - 6 steps away from the ball will do when taking a penalty.

Forget it and move on. Speak to your coach later about your teammates' unacceptable response.

No, it is considered unsportsmanlike and can get you a red card depending on what you do.

At the bottom corners or if the keeper often dives too early, try a panenka. Don't try top corners, because you might over shoot. If you have practiced and can definitely hit the top bins, those are the best to go for.

You need both power and accuracy. Power so you get the ball past the goalkeeper faster, and accuracy so you don't hit the ball straight into the goalkeeper's hand.

The amount of force you are putting on the ball may not match the amount of finesse or skill have. Use a good amount of power, but don't use too much or the ball will spin slightly in a different direction, swerving away from your target.

No, definitely not. Just shake it off. Show some maturity.

You never ever want to kick with your toe, no matter how far the ball has to go! Your issues with accuracy are most likely stemming entirely from kicking with the wrong part of the foot. Kicking with the top of your foot (where your laces are) will provide the ideal amount of accuracy.

Down the middle, as the majority of the time the goalkeeper tends to dive early.

Yes, but make sure that you pass with a lot of power and accuracy so you can score.

You cannot fake a panenka. It is not a move/shot that can be faked. Once you get into position of doing it, you have to do it.

Try the inside part, near the ball of your foot. If that doesn't work, kick at an angle and cross your fingers that the ball goes into the goal.

It is, but if you're dribbling and want to take the shot, you might waste too much time doing it. If you're taking a free kick, it should work if you practice a lot.

It really depends on the talents of the goalie and what you're personally comfortable with.

I don't think your left-handedness is the issue here - I'm left handed, yet my kicks are still good. I think you have to practice on kicking a penalty. Don't let the pressure get to you, and make sure that when you kick that the ball is in contact with the inside of your foot, as this leads to better accuracy.

Go for it, soccer is a physically sport, but keep it legal and try not to get a yellow or a red card or you could be ejected from the game.

You do not shoot left or right every time, or you become predictable. Practice penalties aiming for the left and right. In a game, notice any movements in the goalkeeper that suggest he is going to go a certain way.

Kick the ball on the lower part and to the side of it. But don’t curve it so much that you miss.

If you are confident in your accuracy, use your laces. If you want an accurate or grounded shot, use your instep.

How tall you are does not really matter when you take penalties, you just run up and kick the ball as hard as you can, without injuring your foot, or hitting the ball too hard so that it goes over the crossbar. If you find that a ball is very hard, use a smaller size one (which are lighter) or an inflatable one.

Goalkeepers usually dive towards the right or left bottom corners, and rarely aim towards the top corners. Therefore, you would most likely score if you go for the top two corners, but run a greater risk of missing the penalty, so you will have to make a decision. It's never a good idea to always go in one corner or direction, as a goalkeeper could learn this and easily save your penalty.

No, just accept it and move on. Questioning a referee during a game is considered quite rude to some people and holds up the game.