Late-goal trend continues at EURO 2016
Saturday, June 18, 2016
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Nothing beats late drama. Of the 42 goals scored at UEFA EURO 2016 so far, nearly 30% have come in the 87th minute or later, with half of those in second half added time.
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UEFA EURO 2016 may not have been blessed with too many high-scoring encounters, but there has been no shortage of drama thanks to the incredible number of late goals.
Despite Spain's best efforts to buck the trend against Turkey, the pattern continued on Friday, with two of the three group encounters decided by last-gasp goals. Italy beat Sweden courtesy of Éder's 88th-minute strike and the Czech Republic salvaged a point against Croatia by virtue of Tomáš Necid's penalty at the last.
Indeed, just short of 30% of the goals in the entire tournament have come in the 87th minute or later, with six scored in second-half added time. Good for excitement, not so good for EURO2016.com match reporters looking to finish their articles on the final whistle ...
TOTAL GOALS: 42
In second-half added time: 6 (14.3%)
Vasili Berezutski v England (90+2)
Bastian Schweinsteiger v Ukraine (90+2)
Graziano Pellè v Belgium (90+3)
Dimitri Payet v Albania (90+6)
Daniel Sturridge v Wales (90+2)
Niall McGinn v Ukraine (90+6)
After the 87th minute: 12 (28.6%)
3: 90+2
2: 90+6
2: 89
2: 87
1: 90+3
1: 90
1: 88
In last 15 minutes: 15 (35.7%)
In second half: 29 (69%)
In comparison ...
Teams have been finishing strongly, certainly, but the opening salvoes have often been tentative. Indeed only four goals so far have been registered inside the opening half-hour – just 9.5%!