They were all placed in an area where the keeper can save it. The goals are wide enough that a good player can place the balls out of there reach, either in the top corners, bottom corners, or around head height slightly left or right. He placed them middle left bottom, middle right bottom, middle height left. all could be saved potentially just by going the right way.
But he hit it with plenty of power on the third attempt, so even if the keeper went the right way it would not have been an easy save. All three pens were not 'utter ****' as you said.
