The World Cup matches in Foxborough have been great, but a little more scoring would be nice
I promise, I don’t want to be the brash American who rips on soccer because there isn’t enough scoring compared with other sports.
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The World Cup matches held in Foxborough entering Friday have been terrific. We have been treated to some of the game’s biggest stars, four entertaining matches, and an electricity from the international fans that has made for a unique sporting experience in Boston history. I’m all in on this World Cup.
But with France and Norway coming Friday, a simple ask — could we please get a few more goals?
Scoring has been a bit spotty through the first four Foxborough matches, with just seven goals. Five came in Norway’s 4-1 win over Iraq in Match 2. The others have been a couple of 1-0 results — Scotland over Haiti and Morocco over Scotland — and a 0-0 draw between England and Ghana.
Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland did his part, notching two goals in the first half against Iraq. But England sniper Harry Kane attempted just three shots as he was smothered by Ghana’s defense, and misfired on his one golden chance, sending a rebound over the crossbar in the 86th minute, which his manager said Kane converts “99 out of 100 [times].”
The two most recent matches in Foxborough have been essentially goal-less. Since Morocco’s Ismael Saibari scored in the second minute of Game 3, local fans haven’t witnessed another goal over 205 minutes.
Seven goals in four games isn’t a drought, but it is the same number Germany scored in one match against Curacao. In the World Cup’s first 60 matches, 14 ended with one or fewer goals. Foxborough has hosted three.
“Oh, that’s just soccer, and of course you don’t understand it, you ignorant American,” I hear you say.
While often true, that’s not the case here.
Through Thursday night, Boston’s 1.75 goals per match tied for 14th out of the 16 tournament sites. Only Toronto (1.75) and Guadalajara (1.67) have had equal or fewer.
What’s the name of Houston’s MLS team, the Dynamo? The fans in Houston have been treated to fireworks, with 21 goals through four matches (5.25). But to be fair, not all scoring is the same. Three of Houston’s matches have been blowouts of 7-1, 5-1, and 5-0. At least New Englanders are watching tight affairs.
Dallasites have been witness to 3.5 goals per match, entertained by a 2-2 draw between Netherlands and Japan, a 4-2 England win over Croatia, and a 2-0 Argentina win over Austria, with two goals by Lionel Messi.
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New Yorkers also have seen 3.5, including wins over Senegal by France (3-1) and Norway (3-2), with two more goals from Haaland.
And outside of Belgium and Iran’s 0-0 draw on Sunday, Los Angeles has been on a roll. Angelenos saw 19 goals in four matches, with a pair of five-goal affairs involving the United States — the 4-1 win over Paraguay and Thursday’s 3-2 loss to Turkey — plus Iran and New Zealand playing to a 2-2 draw and Switzerland defeating Bosnia-Herzegovina, 4-1.
Yes, I am fully aware that more scoring does not necessarily mean better soccer, so save your nasty emails and tweets. There can be a lot of beauty in a nil-nil or 1-0 match, and England-Ghana on Tuesday night was packed with action and drama despite no scoring.
New Englanders also have been treated to three close matches and a fourth, Norway over Iraq, that was tighter than the score suggests.
Still, goals are what the fans come to see. There’s a reason Messi and Kylian Mbappé are the most popular players in the world, and it’s not because of their defensive prowess. Local fans shelling out $1,200 (and often a lot more) for tickets deserve a little more excitement.
The final three matches in Foxborough should bring more scoring. Friday’s France-Norway match could be explosive, with Haaland taking on Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and the French scoring machine. Then again, with both teams holding 6 points and having already clinched a spot in the Round of 32, I fear one or both teams may not go full-tilt in its final group match.
Germany comes to Foxborough for the Round of 32, and the stadium hosts one more match, a quarterfinal, which should feature two elite teams.
Again, we have been treated to quality soccer in New England, and the World Cup has been a hit in every sense.
But it’s summer in the USA. We do fireworks here. A few more goals and a little more action over the final three games would be fun.
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