First-half and second-half statistics
SoccerSTATS.com - updated on: 26 Jun 2024
Objective
Half-time and second-half statistics offer valuable insights, allowing users to:
- Focus team performance analysis specifically on either the first or second half of matches.
- Analyze how match outcomes differ based on whether a team was leading or trailing at half-time.
Description
The first-half and second-half tables exclusively consider goals scored within their respective halves. For each team, these tables present:
- Games played
- Matches won, drawn, and lost
- Goals scored, goals conceded, and goal difference
- Total points
Below is a partial view of the first-half table:
The following 1st-half/2nd-half tables are available for most leagues tracked at the goal-events level:
- 1st-half table, 2nd-half table
- 1st-half table (home), 2nd-half table (home)
- 1st-half table (away), 2nd-half table (away)
- Match goals statistics at half-time
- Goals scored and conceded at half-time
- Leading at half-time
- Trailing at half-time
- Goals by half
- HT/FT (Half-Time/Full-Time) at home, HT/FT away
Calculations
The 1st-half table and 2nd-half table rank teams by points, using goal difference and goals scored as tie-breakers.
The Match goals stats at half-time and Goals scored and conceded at half-time are calculated identically to their full-time counterparts (e.g., the main Total match goals stats table), with the key difference being that only goals scored before half-time are included.
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Leading at Half-time
This table provides team statistics exclusively for matches where the team held a lead at half-time. It displays the following for each team:
- Matches: Number of matches where the team was leading at half-time
- Perc.: Percentage of matches where the team was leading at half-time
- W: Number of matches won after leading at half-time
- D: Number of draws after leading at half-time
- L: Number of defeats after leading at half-time
- Goals: Goals scored and conceded in matches where the team was leading at half-time
- Points: Points accumulated in matches where the team was leading at half-time
- Avg Pts: Points Per Game in matches where the team was leading at half-time
A similar table, structured identically, is also presented for matches where teams were trailing at half-time.
Half-time/Full-time Outcomes
These tables resemble the Home and Away tables but include additional columns to illustrate, for each team, the number of matches that align with specific half-time/full-time result patterns.
For instance, the "1/1" pattern signifies that the home team was leading at half-time and subsequently won the match. Another example, the "X/2" pattern, indicates that the score was level at half-time, and the visiting team ultimately won the match.
Such half-time/full-time outcome analyses reveal, for example, which teams excel at maintaining a half-time lead or at recovering from a losing position at half-time.
Example
An illustrative example can be found on the First-half / second-half stats page for the Bundesliga.
Avoiding Pitfalls
It is crucial to understand that second-half statistics are computed within a different context than first-half statistics. For example, a team entering the second half trailing by a goal or two might adopt a different playing style than if the score were level.
Consider a team adept at preserving an early lead. They face less pressure to score in the second half compared to a team that is trailing. If they maintain their lead by keeping a clean sheet in the second half without scoring, each such goalless second half would be counted as a draw in this context.
This scenario does not necessarily indicate underperformance in the second half; instead, it might suggest that the team effectively secured their advantage in the first half and dedicated the second half to defending their lead.
Therefore, when examining second-half tables, it is beneficial to note the number of draws and remember that draws in these tables may not carry the same implications as those in the first-half table.
Related Statistics
An overview of 1st-half/2nd-half tables for several major European leagues is available on the 1st half / 2nd half page within the Featured leagues overview section.
