Fast-starts are often crucial in football and it’s been an increasing trend in the Hyundai A-League 2017/18 Season.
Over the first two rounds of the season, we’ve seen six goals scored in the opening 10 minutes of a match, accounting for 18% of the goals scored so far this campaign.
That figure is a significant jump on recent seasons.
Over the previous three Hyundai A-League campaigns, the percentage of goals scored in the first 10 minutes of matches was just 7%.
And it’s been the new faces in the competition which have proved to be the masters of the early goal.
Imports Johan Absalonsen, Massimo Maccarone and Asdrubal have lived up to their pre-season hype by netting inside the first 10 minutes for their respective clubs.
So how important is it to grab an early goal?
Since the start of last season, there have been 37 goals scored inside the first 10 minutes in 31 different matches.
And it’s proved decisive with 42% of teams scoring early going on to win the match.
History also suggests an early goal leads to an open content, with an average of four goals per game scored when a side finds the net inside 10 minutes.
From the five games we’ve seen this season with early goals, there have been a total of 19 goals scored and none of those matches have seen a side keep a clean sheet.
While they remain unbeaten after two rounds, Adelaide United are the only side in the Hyundai A-League to have conceded early in both matches.
