League rules stipulate that every draw goes straight to penalty kicks, a rule that has had a major impact in MLS Next Pro and beyondEvery single week, MLS Next Pro side Carolina Core have a routine in training. They finish a session of set piece work: corners, free kicks, long throws – the works. And then, at the end of practice, the squad is split in half. Both teams line up, facing the goal. Sometimes, there’s crowd noise, pumped through on speakers. But every time, the fundamental ritual is the same: the whole squad simulates a penalty shootout. This is not an uncommon thing in soccer in tournament play – or when knockout matches are on the calendar. But week in, week out? It’s unusual. Yet it’s also vital in MLS Next Pro. The second division of North America’s flagship soccer organization has, from day one, implemented a system in which every draw in the regular season will end in a penalty shootout – with the winning team taking home one extra point. Recommended external contentVideoWe need your consent to show you content our Editorial team embedded from Video. You can toggle this (and all other embeds from Video across goal.com) on with one click only and deactivate as well.Always display Video contentI confirm that I would like to see external content. Personal identifiable data could be transferred to Third parties. Read more about it in our privacy policy.From the outside, it might seem gimmicky, or even a parody of what “real” soccer looks like. But for the league, the players, and the coaches, it might yet be a crucial part of development – and the kind of rule that gives American players an edge on the biggest of stages. “We’ve had a lot of success with it. Players are getting these development opportunities, which is healthy and that’s good,” Ali Curtis, senior vice president of MLS Next Pro, told GOAL.
