Read this note to learn more about the shootingsa modality used a few years ago so that the games do not end in a draw.
In football, a topic that has been debated lately is how to break ties in the ‘beautiful sport’. This initiative is led by world football authorities trying to make this discipline more attractive. Although there is currently no solution, that does not mean that no proposals are made. One of the most curious came out a few years ago Markus van Basten.
The Dutch football legend shocked the world by suggesting shootings could return. But what are gunfights? when were they used? What role did you play in football? In this note we will answer these questions.
What were the shootings?
Shootouts are a tiebreaker borrowed from ice hockey. It consisted of selecting the five most skillful players from each team, who in turn tried to beat the opposing goalkeeper. These footballers started from 32 meters and had five seconds to score the opponent’s goal.
Another purpose of this type of definition was to add value to the show, since the pitchers could feint and pirouette to beat the goaltenders one-on-one. For this reason, the best soccer players with the ball at their feet have been selected.
When were gunfights used and why?
This tiebreaker modality has been used since the creation of Major League Soccer (MLS) 1996 to 1999. So there were no draws in the first three seasons of this league. If a match ended in a draw, the result was decided by a penalty shootout.
Of course, the team that won using this modality did not get three points (like those won in the 90s), but only one point. The loser, on the other hand, did not add any units. Shootouts were abolished in 1999 when ties were allowed in MLS.