World Cup 2018🏆 Sets New Penalty Record

It has been a busy World Cup for both referees and their VAR helpers, who between them have set a new benchmark at the international celebration of football.

The Russia 2018 finals has been notable for an extraordinary number of penalties given, at the rate of more than one every two games so far.

And while we are still deep into the first round, a new piece of football history has been made.

Monday's dead rubber match in Group A saw 45-year-old Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary deny Saudi Arabia's Fahad Al-Muwallad from the spot .

Just minutes later, however, a second penalty was given to Saudi Arabia, and this time converted by Salman Al Faraj.

That was the 18th penalty sanctioned so far at the finals, equalling the record for a single World Cup with the action only barely past the halfway stage.

Of those kicks 14 have been converted, with four others either saved or missing the target.