
This is a list of ten bizarre penalties from recent times, taking into consideration both strange awards and strange takes…
Al-Hilal vs Al-Ahli
As bizarre penalties go, the award of a spot kick to Al-Hilal in Tuesday night’s 1-1 AFC Champions League draw at home to Al-Ahli wasn’t a bad one.
The visitor’s defender Salmin Khamis was clearly convinced that the ball had gone out of play, picking it up as he did in his own area, but officials begged to differ and gave a penalty for hand ball.
That Carlos Eduardo proceeded to miss it came a poor second in the list of noteworthy things about this spot kick…
Last-minute handball in Swindon 2-2 Port Vale
Swindon’s Jordan Williams decided to punch clear a stoppage time corner in August, presumably under the impression that play was no longer active in order for his team mate Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill to receive treatment.
Big mistake, for it led to a penalty and a late equaliser for visitors Port Vale…
Robert Pires and Thierry Henry
Here’s an instructional video showing first the Arsenal duo’s weird botched double act against Man City, then how it should have been done…
Incorrect decision leads to replay of final 18 seconds of England Women Under-19 v Norway
With 96 minutes on the clock, England won a penalty and the chance to equalise from 2-1 down, and Leah Williamson duly converted.
Referee Marija Kurtes ruled it out due to encroachment and awarded Norway an indirect free-kick – however, UEFA rules dictate that she should have allowed England to retake the kick.
After an appeal, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body took the reportedly unprecedented step of ordering the game’s final moments to be replayed 5 days later, starting with the retaken penalty.
Williamson stepped up and scored again, sending England to the next stage of April’s European Championships in the process.
Goalkeeper celebrates too early
Here he is learning a valuable lesson about gravity…
Another goalkeeper celebrates too early
This one had even taken his gloves off by the time he realised the ball had spun back in, much to the relief of a despondent penalty taker…
Referee repeatedly orders retake
How many times? Was it 5 or 6? We lost count…
Jamie Carragher scores penalty for Everton
You didn’t read that wrong. A boyhood Evertonian, Liverpool stalwart Carragher capitalised on the informal nature of his own testimonial to sneak up on Yakubu and stick his penalty away for him…
Fan scores penalty
As above, but with a supporter in the Carragher role…
Bolivian goalkeeper saves same penalty 3 times
This must be an extreme rarity, that is if it’s ever happened before or since…