Goal Scoring Research Articles

Influence of tactics and situational variables on goal scoring in European football

This study aimed to explore how contextual variables, team formations, and playing styles influence the number of goals scored in football matches. It further investigated whether these factors vary across different competition levels, providing a nuanced analysis that could benefit strategic planning in football. Employing a dataset from regular season matches in top-division leagues across 11 European countries, this study categorized observations into three groups (levels) based on Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) rankings. The research analyzed 3004 matches, correlating 10 nominal factors – including match location, team ranking, number of central forwards and central defenders, and various playing styles – with the number of goals scored using a Poisson Generalized Linear Mixed Model. The analysis revealed that home teams generally score more goals, emphasizing the advantage of playing at home. Higher-ranked teams were also more likely to score, while playing against a higher-ranked opponent decreased the likelihood of scoring. The study highlighted that direct play and counter-attacks are more effective than possession play across different leagues. Interestingly, the number of central forwards and defenders within team formations showed various effects on goal scoring, depending on the league’s level. The findings encourage a more strategic approach to match preparation, emphasizing the need to adapt tactics not only to the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent but also to the broader context of the league’s competitive level.

Analysis of goal scoring patterns in the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022

Analysis of goal scoring patterns in the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022

SDG4 academic research productivity in the EU27: economic factors and COVID-19 impacts

Purpose This paper aims to examine the factors influencing 2018–2022 research productivity related to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) in the EU-27 considering the COVID-19 epidemic. Design/methodology/approach This paper applies the two-panel estimators to bibliometric data from Scopus and relevant indicators, focusing on the previously achieved scientific productivity levels, national GDP, government education expenditures and the COVID-19 contingency variables. This study addresses the information gap regarding pertinent elements influencing SDG4 research productivity. Findings Research productivity in SDG4 is negatively impacted by government spending on education and the SDG4 goal score and positively impacted by the lagged number of prior SDG4 publications and GDP per capita. Research limitations/implications The robustness of the results across several panel estimators, the necessity of evaluating interactions with other SDGs and the possibly restricted generalizability of the findings outside the EU-27 sample are limitations acknowledged in this work. Originality/value Nations with high levels of SDG4 implementation are becoming less interested in conducting related studies or hinting at a possible systemic mismatch between research and policy at the EU level. The COVID-19 epidemic has had a positive effect on SDG4 research output, indicating that external obstacles to the research process should be contextualized by examining a range of contingency elements in addition to being perceived as general obstacles.

Assessing an experimental rule change in the pay-offs for soccer league match outcomes using historical data for Ireland

IntroductionThis paper evaluates an experimental rule change trialed in the League of Ireland for one season in the early 1980s, where four points were awarded for an away win, three for a home win, two for an away draw, and one for a home draw. This pay-off structure was designed to incentivize visiting teams to engage in more offensive play, thus potentially increasing the number of goals scored per game and reducing the incidence of drawn games.MethodsUsing match-level data for six playing seasons, the impact of this reward scheme on an array of match-level outcomes is evaluated using an array of fixed effects regression models.Results and discussionThe key empirical findings suggest this change to the pay-off structure did not reduce the drawn game rate but did induce a modest increase in the average goal scoring of the home team with subsequent implications for average goal difference. The absence of an effect for the visiting team is rationalized in terms of prospect theory, and the asymmetric implication of the policy change for the respective loss aversion parameters of the home and the visiting teams. In addition, we also use a lottery framework to further demonstrate why the short-lived pay-off structure failed in its primary objective to incentivize visiting teams to engage in more offensive play.

Proximity differences between forwards and defenders during goal scoring in soccer

The role of a forward player in soccer is to score goals by destabilising defensive systems. The act of goal scoring in open play is fast paced with players requiring perceptual ability to navigate the environment. The purpose of this research study was to explore goal scorers’ ability to perceive and adapt to the environmental threats to goal scoring at different competitive levels. All open play goals scored by forward players in the 2022/23 English Premier League, Championship, League 1, and League 2 divisions were analysed. Four observers recorded the proximity of defenders to the goal scorer at the moment of assist pass and moment of finish. Results showed significant differences existed between the proximity of defenders to the goal scorer between the assist pass and finish. When data was isolated to one touch finish goals within highly offensive zones, a reducing pattern of significant difference was found as league standard decreased. Findings offer an insight into the perceptual ability of forward players to destabilise defensive systems. Recommendations for practice design and talent identification are proposed.

Impact of offensive team variables on goal scoring in the first division of the spanish soccer league: a comprehensive 10-year study

This study assessed the impact of team offensive variables on goals scored in Spain’s first-division soccer league from 2012–2013 to 2021–2022. A nomothetic multidimensional study was conducted, following the STROBE checklist. From 115 team variables available in the INSTAT database, 57 offensive metrics were selected. The selection was performed independently by five researchers to ensure comprehensive inclusion of relevant metrics. The data included 38 league matches each season, involving 30 teams. The study identified key offensive performance metrics strongly correlated with goals scored. These include shots on target (r = 0.898), chances created (r = 0.871), penalty box entries (r = 0.852), positional attacks with shots (r = 0.818), total shots (r = 0.807), central attacks with shots (r = 0.804), accurate passes (r = 0.760), and efficiency in positional attacks (r = 0.755). The findings underscore the importance of specific offensive metrics in enhancing goal-scoring capabilities. Coaches can improve their team’s offensive performance by focusing on passing accuracy, dribbling, and maximizing scoring chances. Successful teams consistently convert attacks into shots on goal through various situations, including central attacks, flanks, counterattacks, corners, and set pieces. Tactical adjustments based on these insights can optimize offensive effectiveness.

A Study on Competency Behaviour and Its Impact on Sports Achievement

The present study titled as “A study on competency behaviour and its impact on sports achievement” is carried out to find the relationship between competency behavior and sports achievement in hockey (encouragement, desire, representation and goal scoring ability, scooping the ball). A survey method was employed, the sample size of this study consists of 100 hockey players. The selected Competency behaviour variables and skills of the hockey game were assessed by using the standardized test manual. The collected data on the study indicate that there was significant difference on skills performance of selected hockey skills by the Competency behaviour factors such as encouragement, desire and representation. It was found that the Competency behaviour factors such as encouragement, desire and representation influenced on skills performance of women hockey players.

EVALUATION OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT MAJOR AT CAN THO UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

This study aims to evaluate the training program for the Construction Management major at Can Tho University of Technology (CTUET). The survey subjects are stakeholders such as students, enterprises, and experts. The research data was collected through a survey of 59 students from the university, 20 enterprises, and 12 experts, using a pre-designed questionnaire, with the study conducted via the Google Forms application. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to measure the stakeholders' evaluation levels of various factors in the Construction Management training program. The analysis results indicate that the stakeholders highly evaluate the training goals and outcomes, with training goal scores ranging from 3.36 to 4.75 and training outcome average scores from 3.15 to 4.63. The assessed factors include Knowledge, Skills, and Level of Autonomy and Responsibility. Based on these findings, the authors propose solutions to enhance the quality of the Construction Management training program at Can Tho University of Technology.

Exploring Tourism Opportunities: A GIS-based of Bumijawa District in Tegal Regency

Abstract While Tegal Regency’s natural beauty is effectively utilized for tourism, its full potential remains largely untapped. Many of the area’s natural and cultural resources are still not fully explored. This study aims to map the distribution patterns of tourist attractions using GIS and evaluate the tourism development potential in Bumijawa Sub-district, Tegal Regency. The research employs nearest neighbor analysis to achieve the first goal and quantitative descriptive scoring for the second. The findings indicate that the distribution of tourist attractions in Bumijawa Sub-district is random, with a z-score of 0.7094. Tourism potential is assessed in three categories: external, internal, and combined. In Bumijawa Sub-district, the combined tourism potential ranges from low to high, with attractions such as Bukit Bintang, Curug Centel Waterfall, Sendang Bulakan, and Sindang Kemadu Lake showing low potential, while Guciku Waterboom and Guci Hot Springs are noted for their high potential.

Home-Field Advantage in Soccer: UEFA Champions League and Europa League Evaluation on the 2021-2022 Season

Competition analysis in football is an important method to evaluate the success and failure of teams. Home advantage is considered as an important factor in achieving success in competitions. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of home advantage on technical criteria in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, which are organised at club level, played in the 2021-2022 season. In the data collection phase, descriptive survey method was used. Within the scope of the research, a total of 262 football matches, excluding the final matches played at neutral grounds and total of 744 goals scored in these matches were analysed in terms of home and away teams in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League. The goals scored were categorised as the goal minutes intervals, the goal scoring areas (Inside the Penalty Area: IPA; Outside the Penalty Area: OPA), the ways goals were scored (Head Kick; Foot Kick), the number of touches on the ball before the goal (1 Touch: 1T; 2 Touches: 2T; 3 Touches: 3T; 4 Touches + >4T), the direction of attack before the goal and the goals scored from set-pieces (Corner Kick; Penalty Kick and Free Kick) for the home and away teams. The images of the analysed goals were accessed on the UEFA official website with open access permission. Frequency (f) and percentage (%) were calculated for the evaluation of the data obtained, and since the data did not show normal distribution according to the Shapiro-Wilk test results, Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to look at the difference between the groups and the significance level was accepted as p

Own goals in football: do they occur randomly or exhibit systematic patterns?

ABSTRACT Due to the low-scoring nature of soccer every single goal can drastically change the outcome of a match. Therefore, most large-scale performance studies aim at defining systematic processes and factors involved in goal scoring, while the scoring of the seemingly unintentional goals (like own goals) appears to be overlooked so far. In this study, factors for scoring own goals are investigated and compared to the factors connected to other (normal) goals. Therefore, a large dataset consisting of all goals from seven full seasons of the English Premier League (seasons 12/13 to 18/19) was analysed. Factors investigated include a priori factors like matchday, playing minute and team strength, but also specific situational variables like the zone from where the goal was scored, the body parts used, scoreline, defensive order and the preceding action. Favourites (p < .001) and home teams (p <0.05) profit more often from own goals than outsiders and away teams, suggesting systematic influences on own goal scoring. However, own goals significantly differ from all goals in the zone of goal scoring where more than 50% of the own goals are scored from the zone closest to goal (Zone 1). Additional aspects and potential reasons for the observed patterns are discussed.

The effect of physical therapy integrated with pharmacotherapy on tension-type headache and migraine in children and adolescents

BackgroundTension-type headache (TTH) and migraine are prevalent neurological conditions in children and adolescents that significantly impact activity of daily living (ADL) and quality of life (QOL). Although physical therapy targeting cervical myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) on TTH and migraine has been extensively studied in adults, the efficacy in pediatric patients remains unexplored. The aim of this study is to reveal the effect of physical therapy integrated with pharmacotherapy on TTH and migraine in children and adolescents.MethodsWe conducted a prospective, observational cohort study recruiting consecutive patients aged 6 to 18 years with TTH and migraine with cervical MTrPs. They were classified into 4 types of headaches: frequent episodic TTH (FRTTH), chronic TTH (CTTH), episodic migraine (EM) and chronic migraine (CM). The once-weekly 40-minutes physical therapy session integrated with pharmacotherapy (integrated physical therapy) was continued until the treatment goals (headache days per week less than 2 days, headache impact test-6 (HIT-6) score to below of 50, and the ability to attend school daily) was achieved. Multifaceted assessments including headache frequency (headache days per week), headache intensity using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), pain catastrophizing score (PCS), hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) score, HIT-6 scores, and EuroQol 5 dimensions 5-level questionnaire (EQ-5D-5 L) scores, were conducted to evaluate the treatment effects.Results161 patients were enrolled in this study. 106 patients (65.8%) were diagnosed with TTH: 70 (66.8%) with FETHH, 36 (34.0%) with CTTH, and 55 patients (34.2%) were diagnosed with migraine: 43 patients (78.2%) with EM, 12 patients (21.8%) with CM. We observed significant improvements in headache frequency, headache intensity, PCS, HADS score, HIT-6 scores, and EQ-5D-5 L scores before and after the treatment in all 4 types of headaches. The average number of sessions required to achieve the treatment goals was 4 times (weeks) for patients with FETTH and EM, 5.5 for those with CTTH, and 7.5 for those with chronic migraine.ConclusionThe integrated physical therapy on pediatric TTH and migraine patients with the cervical MTrPs was significantly effective in reducing headache symptoms and improving ADL and QOL.

An Analysis of Psycho-social Factors on Performance of Women Hockey Players

The purpose of the study was to find out the impact/effect of Psycho-Social factors on achievement of women hockey players of Karnataka who representing at national level competition, the variables are neuroticism and extraversion (personality factors) and selected hockey skills are dribbling and goal scoring ability to find the game performance.100 subjects have taken for the study. The selected psycho-social variables and skills of the game were assessed by using the standardized test manual. The collected data on the study indicate that there was significant difference on game performance of selected skills by the psycho-social factors such as neuroticism and extraversion. It was found that the personality factors such as neuroticism and extraversion influences on performance of women hockey players.

Rebounds in football: A systematic investigation of characteristics of goals scored after rebounded balls in English Premier League seasons 2012/2013 to 2018/2019

The literature on systematic aspects of goal scoring in football is rich, while little is known about random influences. This study focuses on an unsystematic element of goal scoring, namely rebounds, where a shot that bounces back from another player or the goal creates contested opportunities. Aspects including causes, match situation, player positioning and pitch zones were investigated for 554 rebound goals from seven seasons (2012/2013–2018/2019) of the English Premier League. Rebounds were predominantly caused by short distance and defensive errors, with goalkeepers playing a crucial role. Interestingly, the superiority of home teams and stronger teams to score significantly more goals than away teams and weaker teams can also be observed for rebound goals. Rebound goals are particularly prevalent in zones close to the goal, more prevalent after corners than non-rebound goals and associated with a high number of players in the penalty box. Overall, high similarities exist between rebound and non-rebound goals, while differences in match situations and spatial patterns suggest unique characteristics of rebound goals. These results are in line with the notion of systematicity and randomness concurrently contributing to success in football. More research appears useful to further disentangle the influence of both factors.

Key Performance Indicators Predictive of Success in Soccer: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Greek Soccer League.

Previous research emphasizes the significance of key performance metrics in determining match outcomes. The purpose of this study is to enhance the understanding of success in professional soccer by analyzing the relationship between match outcomes (win, lose, draw) and various Performance Indicators extracted from the Greek soccer league, as well as to develop a regression model of success in soccer. The sample consisted of all 91 matches from the first round of the 2020-2021 season of the Greek Football League. Utilizing Kruskal-Wallis tests, significant differences were found in goals scored, shots, and shots on target, ball possession, passing metrics, touches in the penalty area, and average shot distance (p < 0.05), with winning teams having demonstrated superior performance metrics. Moreover, winning teams engaged more in positional attacks and counterattacks with shots (p < 0.05). The binary logistic regression model applied to predict match outcomes identified shots on target, counterattacks, passes metrics, offensive duels and set pieces (penalties, free kicks) as key factors influencing the likelihood of winning (p < 0.05). These findings collectively highlight the importance of effective offensive play, including goal scoring, shooting accuracy, and ball possession, in determining the outcomes of soccer matches, with the regression model offering a nuanced understanding of these relationships.

The effect of the goal kick rule change on the team’s performance in ball possession and goal scoring in elite male football

Goalkeepers have always played an important role Defensively. Due to rule changes and tactical transitions, goalkeepers now also have an influence on attacking aspects of the game (Szwarc et al., 2023, Baltic J Health Phys Act). The most recent rule change allows attacking players in the box during goal kicks, which creates extra space for the attacking team at the time of the goal kick without direct pressure from the opponent. This is beneficial for teams in the build-up who try to increase space to create goal scoring opportunities in advantageous positions eventually high up the pitch (Goes et al., 2019, Big Data, 7, 57-70). This latest rule change gives the attacking team an extra 640 m2 of space to displace the opposition defence in deeper positions to create scoring opportunities. As of date, no research has looked at the goal kick rule change and its effect on the distribution tendencies and tactical approaches implemented, when attempting to progress the ball up the field from a goal kick. This research aims to analyse the distribution tendencies of Premier League teams in the 2022/2023 season and compare goal kick and build-up behaviour between teams, depending on their finishing position in the season. A secondary data analysis will be conducted on Premier League matches during the 2022/2023 season, including 2136 goal kick sequences cropped from 760 games. The location of the first pass of the goal kick, number of passes during the build-up, duration of the build-up phase, and the amount of goalkeeper touches after the initial goal kick will be analysed. Additionally, the outcome of successful goal kicks will be analysed considering the action and location of the action. All data analysis will be done using HUDL Sportscode (v12.29.0., Hudl, USA). Statistical analysis will evaluate the effect of team’s league table position on the start of the goal kick, build up phase, and the outcome of the goal kick.

Match running performance preceding scoring and conceding a goal in men’s professional soccer

This study aimed to investigate the potential differences in the match running performance of professional soccer players 5 min. before scoring and conceding a goal in the Polish Ekstraklasa. The sample consisted of 278 matches with 570 goals scored during official matches of the 2022/23 Polish Ekstraklasa season. All data was collected utilising the computerised multiple-camera optical tracking system TRACAB. Total distance covered (TD), standing distance (StD; < 0.72 km h−1), walking distance (WD; 0.73–7.2 km h−1), jogging distance (JG; 7.21–14.4 km h−1), running distance (RD; 14.41–19.8 km h−1), high-speed running distance (HSR; 19.81–25.2 km h−1) and sprinting distance (SprD; > 25.2 km h−1) were analysed in 5-min intervals prior to a goal scored for both teams. The employed linear mixed models showed that all examined match-running performance metrics were higher in teams that scored a goal compared to teams that conceded a goal. Within 5 min before scoring a goal in Polish Ekstraklasa matches, the scoring team produced significantly greater TD (∆ 95%CI 256.8–300.4 m; p = 0.001), WD (∆ 95%CI 52.3–95.8 m; p = 0.001), JG (∆ 95%CI 100.5–144.1 m; p = 0.001) and RD (∆ 95%CI 16.2–59.8 m; p = 0.001) compared to the conceding team, although no differences were found for HSR and SprD. These results demonstrate the enhanced identification potential of key physical performance factors influencing goal scoring in the Polish Ekstraklasa, thereby optimising the training process and improving overall performance. To enhance the effectiveness of soccer training, coaching and performance staff should consider this study's findings, that indicate an increase in the volume of medium- and low-intensity running efforts preceding a goal.

Analysis of goal scoring patterns as a factor in understanding the evolution of international cerebral palsy football

Cerebral palsy (CP) football is undergoing a process of professionalisation which is improving the performance in this para-sport. This study aims to report the evolution of goal performance between the Seville 2019 and Salou 2022 IFCPF World Cups. Goals from eighty-eight matches over two consecutive IFCPF World Cups, in which the 16 best-ranked national teams took part, were analysed. The results revealed a decrease in the average of goals per match between championships (from 5.6 to 4.5 goals/match). Scored and received goals correlated to the teams’ final ranking position in both Seville 2019 and Salou 2022. The distribution of goals by halves and 15-minute periods, the probability of winning the match when a team scores first, the classification of goalkeepers and scoring players, and the type of goals (type of attack, the action leading to the goal, and the distance of the goal) in Salou 2022 in comparison to the Seville 2019 World Cup, a notable enhancement in the parity among the teams involved is discernible, alongside a rise in the competitive nature of CP football spanning across the aforementioned tournaments. This study also provides some practical applications to CP football coaches and practitioners as the importance to concede fewer goals rather than scoring more, the importance of scoring first, the importance of physical performance in the last minutes of the match, the importance of FT2 players as scorers rather than FT3 players or the most effective kind of attacks. Keywords: Para-sport, international, performance analysis, paralympic, soccer.

The Impact of the EU AI Act on the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 – A Text Analysis

Abstract This article conducts an analysis on the content of the Artificial Intelligence Act which has recently been passed by the European Parliament and which is expected to be implemented during a two-year stepped transition period. Artificial Intelligence has been praised for significantly increasing the efficiency with which businesses, institutions, and countries as an extension, have been able to develop their sustainable development goal scores towards the United Nations’ 2030 ambitions, especially in implementing sustainable business development, urban development, renewable energy, healthcare, education and more. Contrary to these contributions, a large number of researchers and international organizations have signaled the necessity of ensuring the application of ethical and legal considerations during the development and usage of artificial intelligence and machine learning models through the use of data management, protection, and ethical modeling experts within organizations. The article thus seeks to highlight the areas of sustainable development most impacted by the introduction of the Artificial Intelligence Act, both negatively in slowing down innovation, and positively in ensuring the safe and ethical use of these technologies. The methodology of research used involves sentiment analysis using Python’s Natural Language Toolkit followed by keyword mapping to enable a targeted view into the most positive/negative pages of the act, the most highly mentioned sustainable goals, and the mapping between this sentiment and the mention count.

Forecasting sustainable development goals scores by 2030 using machine learning models

AbstractThe Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations are a worldwide appeal to eliminate poverty, preserve the environment, address climate change, and guarantee that everyone experiences peace and prosperity by 2030. These 17 goals cover various global issues concerning health, education, inequality, environmental decline, and climate change. Several investigations have been carried out to track advancements toward these goals. However, there is limited research on forecasting SDG scores. This research aims to forecast SDG scores for global regions by 2030 using ARIMAX and LR (Linear Regression) smoothed by HW (Holt‐Winters') multiplicative technique. To enhance model performance, we used predictors identified from the SDGs that are more likely to be influenced by Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the future. The forecast results for 2030 show that “OECD countries” (80) (with a 2.8% change) and “Eastern Europe and Central Asia” (74) (with a 2.37% change) are expected to achieve the highest SDG scores. “Latin America and the Caribbean” (73) (with a 4.17% change), “East and South Asia” (69) (with a 2.64% change), “Middle East and North Africa” (68) (with a 2.32% change), and “Sub‐Saharan Africa” (56) (with a 7.2% change) will display lower levels of SDG achievement, respectively.