World Cup 2018: Good movies must wait for the ending
During the group stage of the last three World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014), the majority of matches were decided within 90 minutes of regulation time.
The number of goals scored in extra time in the last three World Cup group stages were only: 6 goals (in 2006), 5 goals (in 2010) and 7 goals (in 2014).
But that is changing at this year’s World Cup. The group stage is only halfway through, but statistics show that 11 goals have been scored when the fourth official has raised the stoppage time sign (15%). That’s more than double the total number of goals scored in stoppage time in the 2006 and 2010 World Cup group stages combined.
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| Kroos's free kick in stoppage time decided the fate of the match. |
In the series of matches last night, South Korea and Tunisia scored goals in the extra time. In particular, the reigning world champions Germany seemed to have to accept a share of points with Sweden and were on the brink of collapse, but Kroos's exemplary free kick in the last extra time minute changed the game and brought a thrilling victory to the German Tank.
Previously, the teams Iran, Croatia, England, Brazil, Switzerland and host Russia all enjoyed the joy of victory thanks to extremely important goals when the clock on the field had just passed the 90th minute.
That also shows that teams are now making better use of extra time at the end of the match to look for decisive goals to change the outcome of the match.
That has more basis to become reality when the extra time in matches at this year's World Cup is on the rise (on average since the beginning of the tournament, each match has had 4 minutes of extra time, with the Brazil - Costa Rica match having 7 minutes of extra time).
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| Neymar also found his worth again with a goal in the final minutes. |
One of the main reasons is that this year's World Cup saw the introduction of VAR technology for the first time. The time referees had to stop the game mid-way (to review VAR) was increased, leading to an increase in the number of minutes of injury time.
Therefore, here is a piece of advice for fans who are watching the biggest football festival on the planet this year in Russia: do not turn off the TV when the match has just entered the 90th minute because you may miss the beautiful goals that are decisive in the extra minutes. Isn't that a sign that this year's World Cup is becoming more attractive?
