The aim of the present study was to study the characteristics of goal scoring patterns in top leveled soccer matches. The sample the study constituted of 32 games of the European Championship (Euro 2004). Cross tabulation and chi-square methods were used for the data analysis. The results revealed that more goals were achieved in the second half (57.4%) than in the first half (42.6%, p<0.05). As far as the type of offense concerned, goals achieved through organized offence presented the higher frequency (44.1%) following goals after a set play (35.6%) and counter-attacks (20.3%). Regarding the actions that occurred prior to the goal, long passes presented the higher frequency (34.1%). More specifically, the kind of dead-ball situations was examined, and the conclusion is that corners and free kicks showed bigger frequency of appearance in the game. Finally, regarding the zone of scoring attempt, the following percentages were presented: 44.4% penalty area, 32.2% goal area, and 20.4% outside the penalty area. The results reveal that coaches should focus on train of the dead-ball situations. Also attention must be given to the fatigue that players appear towards the end of a game, which consequently leads to goal scoring by the opponent team, and to its confrontation through training.

The aim of the current study was to identify the styles of play of Greek Superleague soccer teams according to match location and team’s ranking using performance indicators related to attack, defence, transition and set-pieces. Data were obtained from the 2013–2014 season (n = 301 matches). The factor analysis identified eight factors (explained 64.29% of the total variance): F1 (ball possession); F2 (ending actions); F3 (individual challenges); F4 (counter-attack); F5 (set-piece); F6 (transitional-play); F7 (fouling actions); and F8 (free-kick). The results of the ANCOVA showed that home and away performances were significant different for F1, F2, F5, F6, and F7 with better values for home teams. In addition, the results of the covariate effect (team’s ranking) showed that the F1, F2 and F3 were significant reflecting an effect of ranking on these Factors when differentiating home and away teams (teams ranked 1^st to 6th positions obtained greater values for F1 and F2, and less values for F3 than teams ranked 7th to 12th and 13th to 18th. The measures of tactics and strategies showed specific trends by ranking and match location that should be taken into account by coaches and performance analysts when identifying specific styles of play in soccer.

The purpose of this study was to record the time that goals were scored in course of soccer games. All matches (n=192) of the three latter World Cups were recorded using video and analyzed with computerized match analysis hardware and video playback system for game performance analysis using Sportscout. Chi-square methods were used for the data analysis and the level of significance was set in p<0.05. The 45-min analysis revealed that in World Cups 1998 and 2002 most goals were scored in the second half (p<0.05), while in the recent World Cup (2006) no significant difference were observed although second half presented greater percentage (52.5%). The 15-min analysis presented that in World Cup of 1998 most goals were scored in last period (76-90, p<0.05). Also in World Cups 1998 and 2002 there was presented a trend towards more goals scored as time progressed. Finally, in the latter World Cup most goals were scored in the last period (32.8%, p<0.05). The statistical analysis showed that there was not a uniform distribution in goals scored (p<0.01) and no differences occurred between World Cups. The results revealed that goal scoring might be depending on time and specifically that more goals are scored as time progresses. The above could be explained by the deterioration in physical conditioning, the tactical play, fluid balance and lapses in concentration.

The aim of the present study was to compare how goal scoring opportunities emerge in the top four European soccer leagues. The sample included 914 team possessions that led to the creation of goal scoring opportunities in open play situations from 80 random matches (20 = Spanish La Liga (SLL); 20 = English Premier League (EPL); 20 = German Bundelisga (GB); 20 = Italian Serie A (ISA)) during 2017–2018 season. A total of 8 tactical dimensions related to the start, development and the end of the team possessions were evaluted by means of multidimensional observation. Kruskal Wallis analyses revealed significant tactical differences between the 4 competitions. SLL showed a greater proportion of long and combinative attacks. EPL had a higher tendency of progressing by means of fast and directs attacks. GB had the greatest number of counter-attacks, and ISA had the shortest offensive sequences and more proportion of counter-attacks and direct attacks than combinative and fast attacks. These results provide important insights to coaches and sporting directors to understand the different tactical requirements of each competition and manage the club’s strategies regarding tactical model, player recruitment and youth development.

An analysis is made of home advantage in the group stages of qualification for the 2006, 2010 and 2014 football World Cup finals, the first such study of national teams worldwide in a competitive setting. Home advantage was greatest in Africa and South America where the home team won just over 69% of all points earned; it was lowest in Europe (56%). Bolivia was the country with the greatest home advantage. Using each of the 2040 games as the observational units, a general linear model produced a significant fit to the data (R² = 0.326), home points being the dependent variable, with a set of factors believed to influence home advantage as predictor variables. After controlling for team strength and allowing for the effects of other variables in the model, home points were significantly related to altitude of the home stadium, crowd size and number of time zones crossed by the visiting team (all p < 0.05). There was no significant effect for distance travelled by the away team, the existence of a running track or crowd density. Referees, especially in Africa, issued red cards and awarded penalties against the away team significantly more often than against the home team.

Home advantage as it relates to team performance at football was examined in Superleague Greece using nine seasons of game-by-game performance data, a total of 2160 matches. After adjusting for team ability and annual fluctuations in home advantage, there were significant differences between teams. Previous findings regarding the role of territorial protection were strengthened by the fact that home advantage was above average for the team from Xanthi (P =0.015), while lower for teams from the capital city Athens (P =0.008). There were differences between home and away teams in the incidence of most of the 13 within-game match variables, but associated effect sizes were only moderate. In contrast, outcome ratios derived from these variables, and measuring shot success, had negligible effect sizes. This supported a previous finding that home and away teams differed in the incidence of on-the-ball behaviours, but not in their outcomes. By far the most important predictor of home advantage, as measured by goal difference, was the difference between home and away teams in terms of kicked shots from inside the penalty area. Other types of shots had little effect on the final score. The absence of a running track between spectators and the playing field was also a significant predictor of goal difference, worth an average of 0.102 goals per game to the home team. Travel distance did not affect home advantage.