Source : ABC NEWS
Only five players in history have successfully converted more World Cup penalties, excluding shootouts, than Mile Jedinak.
His total of three, one in 2014 and two in 2018, leaves him behind the likes of Harry Kane and Lionel Messi, and level with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Now an assistant coach for the Socceroos, and with a penalty shootout a definite possibility when Australia face Egypt in the round of 32, Jedinak knows what it takes to seize the moment.
“For me it was very simple. I was always focused on what I had to do, and what I had to do was put the ball in the back of the net,” the former Socceroos captain said.
Argentina great Lionel Messi is one of just five players to have scored more World Cup penalties than Mile Jedinak. (Getty Images: Charlotte Wilson)
“It was as simple as taking the moment, controlling obviously the situation with the ball, trying not to focus on anything else.
“I was fortunate enough to be able to do it a few times for the country.”
Hard to prepare for
The issue for countries attempting to prepare for a penalty shootout is often a lack of experience in taking them.
Not just being in shootouts, but taking a professional penalty at all.
“You need to allow the individuals to figure their process out. And you only do that by repetition,” Jedinak said.
“It’s hard to constantly do it in a game if you’re not getting penalties.
“It’s the familiarity of it and understanding what makes you feel in that moment the right way, that you have the right solution.”
Ajdin Hrustic is the only player left in the squad who took a penalty in the shootout against Peru which sent Australia to the 2022 World Cup.
Ajdin Hrustic is the only remaining player who took a penalty in Australia’s shootout win over Peru in 2022. (Getty Images: Mohamed Farag)
Jedinak said trying to build penalty practice into training was a difficult task.
“There’s obviously a bigger picture here. There’s normal game prep, and I think you have to give it some attention,” he said.
“You have to prepare for those types of scenarios.
“You’ve got added bits of pressure, crowd, all of that stuff, that on the night that you can’t always accommodate for [in training].
“We’ve put some things into practice already and we’ve still got a few more days left.”
Doing it in training
The Socceroos have done some preparation in training for the eventuality of a penalty shootout.
“We started [on Monday] doing penalty shootouts, doing it in like a real situation. Set two teams up, take the penalties properly,” defender Alessandro Circati said.
“It all comes with practice and obviously on the day, after 120 minutes, so much changes on the pitch.
“The players that start the game most likely they’re not going to be on the pitch at the end.”
Alessandro Circati says it’s hard to prepare for penalties because there’s so many variables. (Luis Veniegra/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Circati is confident the side, despite having 17 players in their first World Cup, is capable of managing the emotion of a knockout game.
“I think the Paraguay game, [with] those things at stake, I think if we didn’t get a point I don’t think we would have been here right now,” he said.
“We know it’s a knockout game. Everyone will approach it in their own way. Everyone will, react to it in their own way.”
