Goal difference

In sports such as ice hockey and association football, 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.

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 1976–77 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.

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 playoffs, or the drawing of lots.

Notable examples

England (1950)

An event that was much talked about in the city of Sheffield for many years was the way the promotion race from the Second Division was won. Going into the last game of the season, Sheffield Wednesday needed to beat Tottenham Hotspur to clinch promotion at the expense of their local rivals Sheffield United. The resulting 0–0 draw meant Wednesday won promotion by a goal average difference of just 0.008 - a 1–1 draw would have left the two great rivals level on points and goal average, and a unique play-off match would have had to be played.

Yugoslavia (1951)

The 1951 Yugoslav First League championship was decided on goal average, with Red Star Belgrade winning the title ahead of Dinamo Zagreb with a 0.013 better goal average. Three rounds before the end of the championship, Dinamo had a five point lead and needed a win to secure the title (as two points were awarded for a win). They lost their first match against Sarajevo 3–1, while Red Star defeated Hajduk Split 1–0. Next match was a direct encounter between the two, which Red Star won 2–1 in Zagreb. In the last round, Dinamo played away against BSK Belgrade and would win a title with a victory, but could also have a chance with a draw. A goalless draw would mean that the following day Red Star must beat rivals Partizan 6–0, 1–1 draw by 4–0, 2–2 draw by 2–0 etc. On 3 November 1951, the match between Dinamo and BSK ended in a 2–2 draw. Next day, at the JNA Stadium in front of 50,000 spectators, Red Star defeated Partizan 2–0 and won their first Yugoslav championship title. Both Red Star and Dinamo finished on 35 points; Red Star's 50 goals for and 21 against gave a goal average of 2.381, while Dinamo's 45 to 19 gave 2.368.

England (1953)

The 1952–53 Football League championship was decided on goal average, with Arsenal just beating Preston North End to the title on the final day. Both teams finished on 54 points (2 points were awarded for a win, rather than the current 3); Arsenal's 97 goals for to 64 against gave an average of 1.516, Preston's 85 to 60 gave 1.417.

Yugoslavia (1958)

In the 1957–58 Yugoslav First League championship, RNK Split and Budućnost finished the season leveled on points and goal average. Both teams had 25 points, with Budućnost's 30 goals for and 36 against giving a goal average of 0.833, the same as RNK Split's 35 goals for and 42 against. A two-legged play-off match between the two was needed to decide who will enter relegation play-offs. The match in Split ended in a goalless draw, while in the return leg Budućnost defeated RNK Split 4–0. RNK Split entered the relegation play-offs and was relegated in their first season in the top flight.

Scotland (1965)

In 1965, Hearts lost 2–0 at home on the final day of the season to Kilmarnock, which meant that Kilmarnock won the League Championship on goal average by 0.042 of a goal.

England (1989)

Arsenal famously won the League Championship on goals scored in 1989, thanks to a 2–0 victory over Liverpool on the last day of the season at Anfield. The second and decisive goal in the match was scored by Michael Thomas in injury time at the end of the match. Arsenal and Liverpool finished equal on points and goal difference, but Arsenal were ahead by 73 to 65 on goals scored.

England (1999)

In the 1998–99 season of the English Football League, goals scored was used as the first tiebreaker in the hope that this would promote more attacking football. The system was not adopted by the Premier League. At the end of this season Bury were relegated from the First Division having scored ten goals fewer than Port Vale; their goal difference was five goals better. The experiment was abandoned after a single year.

Scotland (2003)

Rangers won the 2002–03 Scottish Premier League on goal difference. In the final round of matches, Rangers played Dunfermline, while second-placed Celtic were simultaneously playing at Kilmarnock. With Celtic and Rangers level on 94 points going into these matches, the Championship would be decided by which team, Celtic or Rangers, performed best during the final round of matches. If both teams won they would each finish on 97 points, and the League would be decided on goal difference. Rangers won 6–1 and Celtic won 0–4, which left Rangers with a goal difference of 73 (101 for and 28 against), and Celtic a goal difference of 72 (98 scored and 26 against) giving Rangers the title.