During first-half injury time of Heracles’ 4-3 loss to PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie on Saturday, the match saw its third penalty awarded to Heracles.
Jizz Hornkamp confidently approached the penalty spot, took four steps back, and then, maintaining his focus on PSV goalkeeper Matej Kovar, performed two quick hops on his left leg before calmly placing the ball into the net, sending Kovar the wrong way.
“I’ve practiced this several times in training,” Hornkamp shared with ESPN NL afterwards. “By delaying my hop, the keeper probably anticipates a shot and dives early, allowing me to simply place it in the opposite corner rather than hitting it hard.”
Though football regulations prohibit feinting during spot kicks – which led to protests from PSV players after the goal – Hornkamp has meticulously honed his technique.
“I’ve put in a lot of practice, and for a while, I’ve been waiting for the chance to use it in a match,” he said. “And in that moment, I thought: now’s my chance.”
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The goal quickly became a topic of conversation in both changing rooms. At halftime, PSV’s backup goalkeeper Nick Olij approached Hornkamp to inquire about his technique. Hornkamp laughed, mimicking his movement, and explained, “I just do a little hop and… it’s done.”
He was also seen advising USMNT striker Ricardo Pepi on how to take a penalty.
Was this just a one-time stunt, or can we expect to see the “Hornkamp hop” again in the future?
“We’ll have to wait and see,” the striker remarked.
ESPN NL analyst Marciano Vink noted, “I’ve never seen anything like it. The confidence required to pull this off is remarkable.” He added, “We’ve seen the ‘hop,’ and now we have the ‘limp.’
Was it Legal?
The IFAB law regarding potential illegal feinting during penalties is explicit, yet leaves room for the referee’s interpretation.
Legal Feinting
– During the run-up: Players may stop, stutter, pause, or make deceptive movements as long as they continue to move forward towards the ball.
– Example: “Step-and-stop” or “stutter-step” approaches are allowed.
Illegal Feinting
– After the run-up: Once the player completes their run-up (while in motion to kick), they are not permitted to feint before striking the ball.
– Consequence: An indirect free kick for the opposing side and a yellow card for the kicker, even if a goal is scored.
Verdict: In this case, there is a constant forward motion towards the ball, albeit minimal, making the kick valid.
If the penalty taker were to be sanctioned, the referee would need to observe a distinct pause in their forward motion before resuming to play the ball.
Instances of a penalty taker being penalized for this infraction are quite rare. — Andy Davies, former Select Group referee.