Motherwell goalkeeper Liam Kelly kept out Luis Palma’s penalty on Saturday as Celtic searched for an opener. The Scotland internationalist has now revealed how he stopped the winger.
Palma is a keen penalty taker, but his lack of variety ensured Kelly was able to stop him. The Motherwell stopper said (Football Scotland): “He went to the right with his last four, but there’s always a moment where they change, which is what I was thinking. He has hit a few good ones into some right good goalies before, he scored one late into [Aberdeen’s] Kelle Roos a couple of weeks ago. Roos went to that side, so I thought he would back himself irrelevant to what I do, so that’s why I stuck to the side he normally goes.”
Had Palma switched things up against the Steelmen, he would’ve found the back of the net. His manager Brendan Rodgers revealed he was practising going for the other side of the goal in training, but he chose otherwise in the game.
Palma is now the third player to have missed a spot-kick for his side this season. David Turnbull hit the post at home to St. Mirren, and Reo Hatate did so as well away to Hearts. It will be hoped the Hoops can build up a better rate of conversion before they are awarded any more penalties.
