O'Riley: I am happy to share penalty duties

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The Danish midfielder scored our first goal of the season in our draw with the Cottagers.

Nick Szczepanik

2025-08-18T13:00+01:00

Matt O'Riley has scored three goals in 24 appearances for Albion. 📷 by James Boardman.

Matt O’Riley has revealed that a careful process led to him scoring Albion’s first goal of the season against Fulham on Saturday. The Denmark midfielder nervelessly converted a penalty in the 55th minute of the 1-1 draw after Fulham’s Sander Berge had fouled Georginio.

The job of spot-kick specialist fell vacant after Joao Pedro’s departure, and Matt had taken (and scored) the team’s previous kick with Pedro not in the squad for the 4-1 victory away to Tottenham in the final match of last season.

“The process was more structured than last season,” he said after Saturday’s game. “We knew who was taking penalties today. It’s something we’ve practised in training more this pre-season. We know they are big moments in games, set pieces too.

“We’ve got a few takers. Obviously Danny [Welbeck] can take one. I’m not actually sure what happens if Danny is on the pitch too but I have only respect for him, so if he wants to take it, of course that’s fine with me.

“The whole team has been practising them because we know that cup games can come to penalty shoot-outs so if we have as many good penalty-takers on the team as possible it’s only helpful. Naturally some people feel more comfortable taking them than others, and I think we’ve got enough people that want to, which is great.”

After an injury-plagued 2024-25 season, Matt has been a regular starter in pre-season games in the number ten role and has enjoyed playing a productive part.

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Albion were denied an opening day victory at the Amex by a resolute Fulham side, who left it until the final kick of the game to cancel out Matt O'Riley's penalty kick.

“It has been good,” he said. “There has been a little more emphasis on me being allowed to come a little bit deeper if I feel the moment is right and that is something I still need to play around with and figure out, but at the same time I think I’m able to do the job well and help the team.

"We’ve worked on a couple of things, not just me but a few other positions, which are a little more fluent now. Hopefully over time it continues to get more fluent for everybody.”