Goalkeeper Shot-Stopping Techniques

Shot-stopping blends positioning, footwork, and courage. Always stay on your toes with a narrow, ready stance, hands out in front. Position yourself on the angle - a line between the ball and the centre of the goal - to shrink the target. Move laterally with small side-steps, never crossing your feet. For low shots, get your body behind the ball; for high shots, rise early and meet it at its peak. Diving should be a last resort after good positioning fails. Communicate constantly with defenders, and train reaction saves with a partner firing from close range. Confidence comes from repetition and reading the striker’s body shape before the strike.