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Football (Soccer) vocabulary · Set Pieces & Restarts

Penalty

Meaning in football (soccer), with examples

/ˈpenəlti/nounCore term

In football (soccer), penalty means: A shot at goal from the penalty spot, 11 metres (12 yards) from the goal line, given when a defender commits a direct free-kick offence inside their own penalty area.

In Turkish: penaltı, penaltı vuruşu

How it is used

The referee awards a penalty or points to the spot. A player wins, gives away, takes, scores or misses a penalty; scoring one is called scoring from the spot. Only the goalkeeper may stand between the taker and the goal.

Example sentences

  1. The referee gave a penalty after a clear handball.

  2. Who's on penalties today if Leo comes off?

Common collocations

  • award a penalty
  • take a penalty
  • miss a penalty
  • penalty spot
  • give away a penalty
  • penalty areaThe large marked box in front of each goal, 16.5 metres (18 yards) deep, where a defender's direct free-kick offence leads to a penalty and the goalkeeper may handle the ball.
  • penalty shootoutThe way a drawn knockout match is decided: each team takes five penalties in turn, then one each in sudden death if they are still level.
  • foulAn unfair or illegal action against an opponent, such as tripping, pushing or holding, for which the referee gives a free kick or a penalty.
  • handballAn offence in which a player, other than the goalkeeper in their own penalty area, touches the ball with the hand or arm in a way the rules do not allow.

More terms: Set Pieces & Restarts

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