Goal difference
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In sports such as ice hockey and soccer, goal difference (that is, goals scored minus goals conceded) is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points.
If a team's points and goal difference are equal, then often goals scored is used as a second tiebreaker, with the team scoring the most goals winning. Alternative tiebreakers that may be used include looking at the head-to-head results between sides, playing a playoff, or the drawing of lots.
Goal average is a different scheme that predated goal difference. Using the goal average scheme the number of goals scored is divided by the number of goals conceded. Goal difference replaced goal average in the 1970 World Cup finals and from 1976-1977 season in the English Football League. Goal average is also used as the tiebreaker in Australian rules football where it is referred to as "percentage". It is calculated as points scored for divided by points scored against multiplied by 100.
[edit] Goal difference v. goal average
The different schemas can lead to strikingly different results. Consider the result of the following matches:
| Team A | 3–0 | Team B | |
| Team B | 6–0 | Team C | |
| Team A | 0–1 | Team C | |
Under goal average, Team A would triumph:
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team A | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Team B | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| Team C | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0.1667 |
However, under goal difference, Team B would triumph:
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team B | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 |
| Team A | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| Team C | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | -5 |
Goal average was replaced by goal difference due to the former's encouragement of lower-scoring games. A team that scores 70 while allowing 40 would have a lesser goal average (1.750) versus another team that scores 69 while allowing 39 (1.769). In the most extreme case, a team that drew every game but one with a 0-0 scoreline but won the remaining game 1-0 would have an infinitely large goal average, defeating on tiebreaker a team that drew every game but one with a 0-0 scoreline, but won the remaining game 100-1 (as this team's goal average would be 'only' 100).
 |
This ball games-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
