EURO 2016: About the late goals...

 

The tournament opener saw an 89th-minute stunner and more importantly a winner from Dimitri Payet as hosts France beat Romania 2-1.

 

 

 

 

With the final few fixtures of the group stages of the Euro 2016 Championship being concluded, we bet you know there have been a lot of unusual things about this tournament thus far. In terms of number of goals scored, one might be tempted to say this tournament has not been a fascinating one as compared to it’s predecessors. However, we have some facts and stats which might just tell you that all in all this has been an intriguing tournament nonetheless.

Late, Late Goals:

→ 16 out of the 58 goals have been scored in the last 10 minutes of the regular time (after 80’). This means over one-fourth (27.5%) of the goals scored have been scored in the last ten minutes of the game. 

→ 14 (24.13%) out of these goals have been scored in the last 5 minutes (after 85’). Statistically, only one other European Championship – 2008, when the figure was 21.9% – has managed to cross half that. 

→ Now, let us look at how relevant these late goals were, in terms of changing the outcome of the game:

       – 7/16 were winners and changed the outcome of the game.

       – 3/16 were equalisers and changed the outcome of the game.

       – 5/16 were a brace, a second goal which led to a team’s 2-0 victory and did not change the outcome of the game.

       – 1/16 was a consolation goal, scored by a team trailing and still lost and did not change the outcome of the game

 

Niall McGinn made it 2-0 for Northern Ireland against Ukraine when he scored late in the stoppage time to give them their first victory at a major tournament finals in 34 years. It also meant they qualified for the next round of the EURO 2016.

 

 

 

 

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→ As we pointed out earlier, 14 goals have been scored after 85’ or to be precise in the 87’ or later, 8 of these goals have been scored in the 90’ or injury time or at times in the famous “Fergie Time”. 

 

Dull Matches?

→ Only 58 goals have been scored in 32 games so far, and this accounts for 1.81 goals per game. This is much lower than in any World Cup History and in European Championships since 1980. 

→ Only eight of the 58 goals have been scored inside the first half-hour (30’). Two countries in Wales and Switzerland have been involved in 5 among those.

Super Subs: 

→ 12 goals out of the 58 have been scored by substitutes. This is 20.7% goals scored by substitutes. Highest in a full European Championship is 17.2% in 1996.

 

Bastian Schweinsteiger came on for Mario Gotze in the 90’ during Germany’s opening encounter against Ukraine and scored his side’s second goal in the injury time.

 

 

 

 

 

→ The game between Czech Republic and Croatia which ended in a 2-2 draw, was the only game out of the 32 games played thus far to have seen more than three goals scored in a single game.