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Penalty shootouts at the World Cup are a drama of 'inhumane' pressure
By Jim Vertuno, Associated Press at KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC)
· June 30, 2026
· 5 min read
The World Cup is in the lose-and-go-home stage of the tournament and the pressure keeps rising with every minute of every match.The biggest pressure cooker of them all: the penalty kick shootout. Exhausted players and goalkeepers face off in a tense one-on-one confrontation that carries the hopes...
Key takeaway Two of the first four matches in the round of 32 were settled by shootouts: Morocco beat the Netherlands and Paraguay bested Germany.
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About this story
Original reporting by KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) . The Pearland surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
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Category: local ·
Published: June 30, 2026 ·
Source: KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) ·
Reading time: 5 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? The World Cup is in the lose-and-go-home stage of the tournament and the pressure keeps rising with every minute of every match.The biggest pressure cooker of them all: the penalty kick shootout. Exhausted players and goalkeepers face off in a tense one-on-one confrontation that carries the hopes...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 30, 2026 by KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) and curated for The Pearland readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Jim Vertuno, Associated Press at KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC). To learn more about how The Pearland selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The Pearland, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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