“That’s my staple now” – Antoine Semenyo explains no-look penalty technique
Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo has shed light on his unconventional penalty technique, which he employed during AFC Bournemouth’s 2-0 FA Cup victory over Everton at Goodison Park.
In the match, Semenyo opened the scoring by executing a distinctive penalty: he turned his back to Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford before swiftly turning and striking the ball into the net.
This approach is designed to catch goalkeepers off guard.
Semenyo explained that the ball’s lightness contributes to the effectiveness of his technique, making it difficult for goalkeepers to save, even if they anticipate the direction.
“The ball is really light as well, so if you hit it well, the keeper isn’t getting there. Even if he guesses the right direction, he isn’t getting there. That’s my staple now. It catches keepers off guard, so why not?”
The Ghanaian again put up a man of the match performance for Bournemouth as they beat Wolves on penalties to reach the FA Cup sixth round on Saturday.
Semenyo’s performance this season has been impressive, with nine goals and four assists in 26 appearances across all competitions.