Olympic Soccer Showdowns: When Overtime Leads to Penalty Shootouts

PARIS, France — The Olympics have always been more than just medals; they bring thrilling moments and dramatic turns, especially in soccer. While group stage matches can end in a tie, knockout rounds require a decisive outcome.

When a knockout match ends in a draw after 90 minutes of regular play, the game extends into extra time. This period consists of two 15-minute halves. Teams play out both halves regardless of scores since there is no “Golden Goal” to instantly end the match.

If the deadlock persists through extra time, the match heads to a penalty shootout. Each team gets five penalty kicks, and the side with the most successful attempts wins. Should the score remain level, a sudden-death shootout decides the victor.

This method of resolving matches has already played out at the Paris Olympics. For instance, in the women’s quarterfinal, Canada succumbed to Germany 4-2 in a penalty shootout. Elsewhere, world champion Spain overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat Colombia and advance to the semifinals via another 4-2 shootout.

The men’s tournament saw Egypt’s goalkeeper Hamza Alaa save a crucial penalty from Marcelo Perez, leading Egypt to a 5-4 shootout victory over Paraguay, cementing their place in the semifinals.

As the games continue, soccer fans can expect more nail-biting finishes and edge-of-the-seat excitement.