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Fans Point Out Innovative Technique Behind Caoimhín Kelleher's Penalty Heroics

Fans Point Out Innovative Technique Behind Caoimhín Kelleher's Penalty Heroics
Eoin Harrington
By Eoin Harrington Updated
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Caoimhín Kelleher continued his superb form with a crucial penalty save in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Real Madrid on Wednesday night.

Thrust into the spotlight after Alisson suffered a medium-term injury layoff, Kelleher has excelled between the sticks for club and country in recent weeks.

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He was the hero of Ireland's 1-0 win over Finland earlier this month, saving a late penalty to maintain the lead for the Boys in Green. He repeated the feat against Southampton on Sunday, before the most impressive of the lot from Kylian Mbappé on a massive Champions League night on Wednesday.

(Penalty save comes at 1:20 in the below video)

It was Kelleher's third penalty save in just 13 days, and by far the biggest moment of his latest spell as Liverpool's interim number one.

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There has been fulsome praise for the Corkonian in the hours since Tuesday's dramatic victory, and some punters have picked apart what makes Kelleher's penalty-saving technique so brilliant.

READ HERE: Liverpool Fans Were All Saying The Same Thing After Conor Bradley's Heroics At Anfield

READ HERE: “I'm Sorry" - Real Madrid Manager And Jude Bellingham Break Silence On Alexander-Arnold 

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Caoimhín Kelleher's penalty heroics under the microscope after brilliant Mbappé save

Liverpool fan account 'Hungary Szoboszlai' took to Twitter on Wednesday evening with a brilliant breakdown of the technique behind Caoimhín Kelleher's penalty save.

The Irish shot-stopper clearly leans on his right leg as Mbappé runs up, leading the Frenchman to believe that he will dive to his right - before switching his weight and covering Mbappé's shot to his left.

It's a brilliant act of deception, and it's paired with a clever exploitation of the rules surrounding penalty taking.

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Irish journalist Pat McCarry also took to Twitter to show that Kelleher uses that planted right foot to propel himself forward as the ball is kicked. The regulations state that goalkeepers must stay on their line until the ball has been kicked - Kelleher's technique allows him to stay on his line before launching himself forward towards the ball.

The repeated penalty saves from Kelleher are clearly no fluke, and they were not the only bright aspect of his performance against the defending European champions.

He commanded his area as Real enjoyed much of the ball in the closing stages, and made three saves across the course of the 90 minutes.

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Though Alisson is expected to come back into the starting XI when he returns from injury, Caoimhín Kelleher is firmly putting his hand up for a spot in the Liverpool team with his recent performances.

 

SEE ALSO: Martin O'Neill Says Souness Comments Made Celtic 2003 UEFA Cup Run Extra Sweet

Celtic Martin O'Neill Graeme Souness

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