The international football legislators want to make even more unpredictable the shootout sessions by adopting the format used for tennis tiebreaks. The Football International Football Board (IFAB), has pointed out that studies have shown that the team that receives the first shot prevails in 60 percent of the cases.
IFAB believes that by adopting the principle of alternating service in tennis tiebreaks, where the first to serve only once, and twice from the second server, the AB-BA-AB-BA-AB, the benefit would be canceled.
“We believe that this ABBA approach could curb this statistical anomaly and this is something that we will now look to trialwe will test it,” said Scottish Soccer Association Executive Director Stewart Regan after Friday’s IFAB meeting.
“This would mean that this method would be used for the first 10 shots. Starting from the 11th shooting, while the next away goal gives victory, the simple alternating principle would be applied.
Another change as of next June, the penalties granted during the game will no longer automatically mean that a yellow card is awarded to the offending player for having “stopped a promising striker” if there has been a clear attempt to play the ball.
IFAB, once very conservative and reluctant to change the rules, is now ready to give more powers to the national associations, which will be able to adjust certain regulations. Among the proposed changes, exclusion zones (often used in rugby) and more changes during the match may be applied to the lower divisions.
Temporary exclusions, somehow a punishment bench, will be allowed in amateur soccer, in youth divisions and in parasoccer as early as next June. Players taking yellow cards will then be able to meet.
IFAB has also given national federations the opportunity to decide on the number of substitutes that will be allowed in the lower echelons, but not in the matches of the first teams of the competitive levels, as well as in international matches.
Comprised of eight members, one representative from the four British nations and four from FIFA, IFAB submits any changes to the rules to a ballot. Six of the eight members must vote in favor of a motion to pass.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino. (abc.com.au)
FIFA president Gianni Infantino revealed he was happy with the new rules and confidence the rules could also be seen at the 2018 World Cup at Russia.
