Kicks of the trade

By: SCOTT BAIR - Staff Writer | Tuesday, January 30, 2007 12:02 AM PST ∞

Soccer's penalty kick is as much a mind game between goalie and shooter as a test of skill. Shooters try to simplify their thoughts as an overmatched goalie bores a menacing stare into them, seeking both to reveal their intention and instill self-doubt. It's all part of the ...

Chris Toth thrives in pressure-filled situations.

That's why the Fallbrook High senior loves penalty kicks, an aspect of soccer that most goalkeepers despise.

Toth has all the attributes necessary to mind the net, including height, smarts and cat-like reflexes. He also played midfielder a few years back and knows what it takes to score goals as well as prevent them.

Toth's diverse playing experience offers a unique perspective on the ongoing mind games that accent soccer's showdown between shooter and keeper -- the penalty kick.

The goalie is at a disadvantage when trying to stop a point-blank shot from entering an 8-by-24-foot goal, but local keepers have developed a series of tactics designed to narrow the odds. Shooters have countered with their own set of tricks to ensure success in a match's pivotal moments.

As one who both defends and takes penalty kicks for the Warriors, Toth is familiar with such conflicting agendas.

"I think that gives me a leg up during a PK," said Toth, son of former San Diego Sockers goalie Zoltan Toth. "I know how much pressure the shooter is under and what they're trying to do. That allows me to get in the best possible position to block the kick."

Toth's resume illustrates the benefit of experience on both sides of the ball.

Toth blocked all four penalty kicks during this year's club campaign with the Fallbrook Fury and hasn't lost a penalty shootout in his life.

That's because Toth and goalkeepers of his ilk use certain indicators, including eye movement, hip and shoulder angle, ball positioning and previous experience to help deduce a shooter's intentions.

According to Toth, the eyes tell the most important story.

"Shooters always try to keep their thoughts to themselves," Toth said. "But at some point, almost everyone will glance at the location where they're going to shoot. That gives you a general idea of where the ball is going. After that, you wait for them to make a move and do your best to reach the ball before it crosses the line."

The eyes can also be deceiving. Some of the best shooters will try to use indicators against a goalkeeper, a fact that's not lost on Poway's Elizabeth Donahue.

"That's why it's important to focus on everything they do," the junior goalie said.

"Sometimes they try to look in the opposite direction of where they're going in order to confuse you. But no matter where they look, their body language will give it away. That's why I try to focus on where their shoulders and hips are pointing.

"You have to analyze a number of things in a split second to narrow the options and then make your move."

Goalkeepers are at an inherent disadvantage during a penalty kick, consequently heaping serious pressure onto the shooter. A goal is a virtual given in those situations, and losing out on one can shift momentum toward the other team.

"If you let the pressure take over, you've already missed," Fallbrook striker Mikel Palmerin said. "The key thing is to forget the goalkeeper and focus on your shot. The more you try to fool the keeper, the greater the chance that you're going to miss the target all together."

Goalkeepers will do their share of posturing to distract the opposition.

Donahue, for example, will pace the line and touch each post before the ball is positioned. That also helps her establish her bearings. Then she'll stare down an opponent and pick them apart at the same time.

San Pasqual's Denae Kaimuloa was a casualty of psychological warfare once last season. Kaimuloa could have won a penalty shootout against Division II-rival Westview last season with a converted attempt.

The previous shooter missed the target, and it took some time to fetch the game ball. The Wolverines' goalkeeper stared Kaimuloa down for what seemed like hours and distracted her from the task at hand. She missed the kick, San Pasqual lost the match and Kaimuloa learned a valuable lesson along the way.

"That taught me not to get sucked into the moment," said Kaimuloa, who loves being in the middle of such a do-or-die situation. "I can give away all kinds of signals, but the fact of the matter is that if I put it in the perfect position, the goalkeeper's not going to stop it."

Kaimuloa has been virtually unstoppable since that realization, one that even the best goalkeepers will concede.

"It's incredibly difficult to stop a well-placed penalty kick," Toth said. "If that happens, you just have to tip your cap, move on and try to take something from the experience."

Toth uses that point to his advantage when he goes from keeper to shooter during penalty shootouts. He concedes power for placement, which might not wow the crowd but it certainly gets the job done.

"I think it's more embarrassing for a keeper to score like Chris does, by fooling him with a slow roller," Palmerin said. "Sometimes I get in trouble for trying to blast it by someone, which only increases the possibility for a mistake.

"Taking a penalty isn't as easy as it looks. You have to learn from your mistakes and take confidence from scoring in those situations."

While casual fans may look at penalty kicks as a guessing game, success from either vantage doesn't come from the luck. It's a complex battle of probability, in which combatants must read and react in the blink of an eye.

"It's obviously a high-percentage shot," said Donahue, who leads North County with seven shutouts. "You have to do whatever it takes mentally to level the playing field. But what it all comes down to is how you react when the ball heads your way."

-- Contact staff writer Scott Bair at (760) 739-6642 or sbair@nctimes.com. Comment at nctvarsity.com.

Anatomy of a penalty kick

> A penalty kick is generally awarded for a major foul on an offensive player inside the 18-yard penalty box.

> The referee places the ball 12 yards away from the goal, the spot where a shooter of the coach's choosing will take an unimpeded shot on goal. The other players must be outside the penalty box and can re-enter the action once the ball is kicked.

> The goalkeeper can't move off the goal line before the ball is in play.

> In a tournament or postseason match, a penalty shootout is used determine a victor if a contest is tied after regulation and two overtime periods.