How Robin Roefs saved all three shootout penalties – his latest match-winning moments
The Sunderland goalkeeper has now kept out five of the six penalties he has faced since joining the club
Successful penalty shootouts can make heroes of goalkeepers. Robin Roefs had his moment and more in Sunderland’s FA Cup third-round win against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, keeping out all three penalties in the shootout.
Roefs had conceded from the spot in the 89th minute, diving correctly but failing to stop James Garner’s strike to the bottom right corner to make it 1-1. Garner’s effort was only the third shot on target the 22-year-old keeper had faced all game.
Nothing was getting past him in the shootout, though.
As Garner set the ball down to take the first kick, Roefs made sure the Everton midfielder was aware of all the 193cm (6ft 3in) he was up against. With Garner just about to strike, Roefs takes a step to the left but uses that to dive to his right instead and keep the shot out…
“Garner already took one in the game, and I just thought I’d switch it up,” Roefs explained after the match to TNT Sports. “I think he was a little bit looking at me (to see) what I did, so I faked a little bit that I’d go to the other side, and I stopped it on the other one.”
A pumped fist towards his team-mates and the away fans at the far end of the stadium was followed by a second save after Enzo Le Fee put Sunderland 1-0 up in the shootout.
Thierno Barry’s stutter-step penalty was a weak effort towards the bottom left corner. This time, there was no step to the left. Roefs widens his stance as Barry stutters…
… which takes the Everton striker out of his rhythm. Roefs dives to his right to make a simpler stop.
The pumped fist was replaced by a roar and a subtle nod, hinting at foresight.
But Roefs revealed he had no idea about Barry’s penalty history: “With the second one, I just went with my feeling.”
For the third, Roefs had begun a dive to the left just as Beto struck the ball, later explaining that he was following the instructions on his bottle.
As he saves the ball, Roefs already has a smile on his face — justifiable satisfaction with his preparation and intuition delivering the perfect moment.
The three saves mean Roefs has now repelled five out of the six penalties he has faced since first putting on a Sunderland jersey after arriving in the summer for around €10.5million (£9m; $12.1m) plus €3m add-ons from NEC in Holland.
