Belleville Intelligencer e-edition

Kicking around the penalty decision

No real answers given for choice of Davies

SCOTT STINSON sstinson@postmedia.com

By now it seems clear that there will never really be a full explanation offered for why Alphonso Davies took that unfortunate penalty kick in Canada's World Cup opener.

The team's coach and various players, Davies included, have given non-answers to the question, but we have learned that the team does not have a designated kick taker.

Once the penalty had been given against Belgium, Davies took the initiative and grabbed the ball.

He's the team's biggest star by some distance, and no one on the pitch pointed out that maybe, perhaps, erm, he wasn't, as someone who doesn't perform that role for his club and who is not known for his shooting, the best choice for the job.

None of that would have mattered had Davies made a good attempt, and if Canada should have another attempt from the spot against Croatia on Sunday, let us hope that the team collectively learned that crucial lesson: whoever takes it, smash the kick hard.

It is one of the quirks of soccer that the simple task of kicking the ball into a very large goal from close range is sometimes made to look terribly difficult by certain players.

But at least there have already been examples of the correct strategy. Gareth Bale of Wales and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo have each taken penalty kicks and absolutely leathered them — high, strong, and near impossible to stop. Watch and learn, fellas.

If there is an overarching story of the first round of games in Qatar, it's how different the mood is around some of the tournament's biggest favourites after just one game. Brazil played a little indifferently for a half against a strong Serbian team, but ended up winning easily and showed its embarrassment of attacking talent. They now look, despite some injury concerns, likely to cruise out of the group stage. Their rivals Argentina, meanwhile, are in crisis after their shocking loss to Saudi Arabia. A four-year process, a 36-match unbeaten run, and the whole thing comes undone in 90 minutes. They at least have company in this regard in their fellow finalists from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, after Germany botched its opener against Japan this time out. Germany's loss was more sudden, with the Japanese striking for two late goals to erase a first-half penalty kick.

The Germans are also in an even trickier spot than Argentina, because they now must play Spain in what is close to a mustwin game.

All Spain did in their opener was win 7-0 over Costa Rica. Germany's Hansi Flick, who took over the national program after a triumphant run at Bayern Munich, now faces the prospect of certain doom after his World Cup debut has just begun.

No pressure, coach.

SPORTS

en-ca

2022-11-26T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-11-26T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://eeditionintelligencer.pressreader.com/article/281809992907670

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