I'm not sure I have a fully formed opinion on this, but strangely, there seems to be more sentiment for away goals than against it as a tie breaker. There are simply a lot of people out there who hate penalty kicks to decide a match.
Soccerpost: FIFA World Cup Qualifying the next few days...
- Thread starter Maroon Eagle
- Start date
Away goals are already a tiebreaker. Only when the away goals are equal do they go to extra time.
At least that's how it is in English cup ties. I'm assuming UEFA is the same.
At least that's how it is in English cup ties. I'm assuming UEFA is the same.
I understand that. Its pretty much the case everywhere except MLS. The prior poster had suggested that he didn't agree with away goals as a tiebreaker. I have mixed feelings on it. I can't say its a worse tie breaker than penalty kicks.
I like away goals as a tie breaker because it is derived from the run of play. Plus both teams know going in that away goals are basically worth 1.5 so it adds to the strategy.
That said, PKs will always be great because of the drama. The spectacle is great, especially if you don't have a rooting interest in either team.
That said, PKs will always be great because of the drama. The spectacle is great, especially if you don't have a rooting interest in either team.
Seeded Ghana, as expected, advances to the World Cup. Egypt won the second leg 2-1; however, Ghana's 6-1 win in the first leg means a 7-3 aggregate win.
Away goals is derived from the run of play, but it's a completely artificial way of deciding who advances. There's no reason an away goal should be worth more than a home goal. If teams split the two games and both score the same number of goals, there's no logical reason one team should advance over the other. They've both done exactly the same thing in the aggregate. Nobody really likes PKs, but at least one team does outperform the other in one.
Algeria scores early in the second half to make it 1-0, 3-3 aggregate, and they have the away goals advantage. 52 minutes into the match.
Greece scores an away goal to make it 1-0 with 42 minutes into the match. Romania now needs a 3-1 win to go to extra time & 4-1 to win.
Croatia scores at home and leads 1-0 30 minutes into the match.
Greece scores an away goal to make it 1-0 with 42 minutes into the match. Romania now needs a 3-1 win to go to extra time & 4-1 to win.
Croatia scores at home and leads 1-0 30 minutes into the match.
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Algeria wins 1-0 and advances to the World Cup via away goals as they and Burkina Faso had tied 3-3 on aggregate.
Holy carp. France leads 2-0 in the first half. The French and Ukraine are tied on aggregate now.
Portugal with the crucial away goal in the second half. Sweden needs three goals to advance to the World Cup, and it's in the 66th minute.
Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice in the next five minutes and has a hat trick. 3-2 Portugal in the 81st minute. 4-2 aggregate.
Damn what a swing. I thought Ibra was about to put Sweden in the World Cup by himself, instead Ronaldo did. Sweden's done.
The time inbetween Sweden's first goal to Portugal's second was the most I've ever been into a soccer game. I actually felt like I do when State loses once Portugal sealed it.
The time inbetween Sweden's first goal to Portugal's second was the most I've ever been into a soccer game. I actually felt like I do when State loses once Portugal sealed it.
Today has been absolutely crazy- 12 goals in the Euro playoffs so far. Every time I go down to the break room to catch a few minutes, someone scores.
Based on the England showing today against Germany B, I would gladly welcome them into our group in Brazil. They are worse than they were in 2010.
Based on the England showing today against Germany B, I would gladly welcome them into our group in Brazil. They are worse than they were in 2010.
Whoa. South Africa 1, Spain 0. Final. A friendly but still...
Austria beats the US, 1-0 as well.
Austria beats the US, 1-0 as well.
The fairness of the away goals rule can be debated but it makes for a wild end to matches like France-Ukraine where 1 goal is the difference between a win and a loss. As a fan I love it.
Allez Les Bleus!
Saw a EURO qualifier in Stade de France a few years ago. Can only imagine what it was like today.
Saw a EURO qualifier in Stade de France a few years ago. Can only imagine what it was like today.
Ronaldo is one of the best three or four players in the history of the game. He's a class above Zlatan, and I'm not sure that a better compliment is possible.
I wasn't able to go to the match, but I watched France win the Euro Cup in 2000 in Strausburg, France, and then partied in the streets until daylight with half of the population of the city.
That trip to the Netherlands and France, which occurred unplanned during the Euro Cup hosted by the Netherlands and France, is where I first got interested in soccer after growing up in a small town where we didn't play it as kids.
That trip to the Netherlands and France, which occurred unplanned during the Euro Cup hosted by the Netherlands and France, is where I first got interested in soccer after growing up in a small town where we didn't play it as kids.
Just starting on ESPN... New Zealand versus Mexico. If the score after the first leg were 2-1, it'd be intriguing. But it's 5-1.