Gourt Home::Gourt :: Goal difference
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 pre-dated 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 multipled by 100.
Goal difference v. goal average
The different schemas can lead to strikingly different results. Consider the result of the following matches:
Under goal average, Team A would triumph:
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team A | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | |
| Team B | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 | |
| Team C | 3 | 2 | 1 | 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 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | |
| Team A | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | +2 | |
| Team C | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | -5 |
"Goal difference"