How To Take Free Kicks And Penalties In Indoor Soccer
Dead Ball Situations In Indoor Soccer
When you are awarded a free kick in indoor soccer it is good to think about what you want to do with it, it can turn a match if you are able to score most of the free kicks and penalties you are given. There are 3 different types of 'dead' ball situations you can encounter when playing indoor soccer. I have already mentioned 2 of them: penalties and direct free kicks, along with these there is also the indirect free kick. Of course in indoor soccer there are no outs so you can never be awarded a corner kick or a goal kick.
Direct Free Kicks
Direct free kicks are dead ball situations where you can shoot at goal and score without passing the ball to one of your team members. This type of free kick is the most common free kick you will get in a match and in indoor soccer most of the direct free kicks are awarded for a foul on one of your players or a hand ball by the opposing team. When you are awarded a direct free kick in indoor soccer it is best to try and set up one of your players to score or go for goal yourself. It is a wasted opportunity if you pass it back to your goalkeeper or something like that. In indoor soccer goals win matches and a team can score at any time during the game.
Indirect Free Kick
Indirect free kicks are less often encountered. You are awarded an indirect free kick when the goal keeper throws the ball over the half way line without it bouncing, when the goal keeper picks the ball up after a deliberate back pass or when the keeper kicks the ball into the top of the net of the indoor arena. Taking an indirect free kick is different to taking a direct free kick. You cannot shoot directly at goal (Hence the name indirect) and you have to pass it to one of your team members before you can try to score. If you mess up this free kick the referee will not let you take it again. When you are awarded an indirect free kick it is normally in the opposing teams penalty area or just outside it. Take advantage of the indirect free kick, give it to one of team members that are unmarked and score!
Penalty Kicks
When you receive a penalty in normal football it is almost guaranteed that you will score... This is not so in indoor soccer. The penalty spot is much closer to the goals in indoor than in normal soccer, but the size of the goal has been reduced dramatically and goal keepers are normally tall or well built. That's a big disadvantage for the penalty taker, and there is more! You are only allowed to take one step from the ball with the foot you are going to shoot with. I would say at least 50% of all penalties in indoor soccer are saved or missed! It is good to practice indoor soccer penalties whenever you have a chance, it could change the game!
Go back to the Indoor Soccer Rules page.