sports
Cross examination: is old-fashioned wing play making a comeback?
What is behind the glut of goals from crosses at this World Cup? And will teams continue their aerial bombardments?
TL;DR
- The World Cup is seeing a record number of teams scoring goals within five seconds of a cross.
- The number of goals scored from completed crosses per game is approaching 2002 levels, a significant increase from recent tournaments.
- Despite a record low in the number of crosses per game, the expected assist value of these crosses is at a historic high, indicating more dangerous deliveries.
- Semi-automated offside technology and strategic exploitation of space behind full-backs are potential reasons for the increase in successful crosses.
- While goals from crosses are frequent, teams recording 30+ crosses in a game have a poor win record, suggesting effectiveness is not guaranteed.
- The trend of goals from crosses may decrease as the tournament progresses and weaker teams are eliminated.