By Kieran Pike
Among the many soccer stats, soccer shots are one of the most important ones. But what is a shot in soccer? The answer to this question is pretty obvious, but you might also be surprised by what’s considered a soccer shot.
If you want to learn more about shots in soccer, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about soccer shots, including the difference between shots and shots on target and the difference between shots on target vs shots on goal. Keep reading!
What is a shot in Soccer?
In simple terms, a shot in soccer is every clear attempt by a player to score a goal, as long as the player is using an allowed body part, such as a foot, head, or chest. The moment the player makes deliberate contact with the ball and shoots it towards the opponent’s goal, it counts as a shot, and it is recorded as such.
However, there is a minor difference between a shot, an attempt, and a goal attempt, even though these terms are often used interchangeably. A shot and a goal attempt are pretty much the same thing, but an attempt is a broader term. Apart from deliberate attempts, it also includes accidental balls that ended up heading towards the goal.
If a player tries to kick the ball toward the goal and misses the ball completely, that doesn’t count. Also, an autogoal doesn’t count either. It is a defensive error that caused a goal for the opponent’s team, but it isn’t credited as a shot to either of the two teams.
How to read soccer shot statistics
If you’re looking up soccer statistics on platforms such as 180Score, you probably wonder what they mean. Here are the basic shot stats and their short definitions:
- Total shots: The aggregate sum of all shot attempts made by a team or one single player (On Target + Off Target + Blocked + Woodwork)
- Shots on target (SoT): Shots that enter the net or would enter the net if they weren’t stopped by the goalkeeper or last defender.
- Shots off target: Shots that miss the goal frame without making contact with the posts, crossbar, goalkeeper, or any opposing player.
- Blocked shots: Shots that were on the way to the goal frame but were stopped by the opponent’s player before reaching the goalkeeper.
- Shots inside the box: Any shot attempted from inside the 18-yard (16.5 meters) penalty area.
- Shots outside the box: Any shot attempted from beyond the penalty area.
- Shot map: A graphic that shows the exact coordinates on the pitch where every shot was taken, usually color-coded to show their outcome.
- Team and individual player statistics: These soccer shot stats can be presented for the entire team, or broken down by individual players.
What counts as a shot on target in soccer?
So, what counts as a shot on target in soccer? In short, shots on target in soccer are all shots that end up in the goal net, or would end up there if the goalkeeper didn’t intercept them. But does a goalkeeper save always indicate a SoT?
Yes, as long as the ball was reaching the goal’s frame. If the goalkeeper caught the ball while it was traveling far outside the goal’s frame, it’s not counted as a SoT. The same goes for blocked attempts. If the defender blocks the ball on the goal line, it counts as a SoT, but not if the ball is blocked further up the pitch.
Obviously, every goal is automatically counted as a SoT on target. The ball has entered the goal net after it was kicked by an opponent’s player.
Shots on target vs shots on goal
Some fans get confused when it comes to shots on target vs shots on goal (SoG). They basically mean the same thing: the ball entering the net or being prevented from entering the net by the goalkeeper or a defender.
The only difference is where each term is more commonly used. SoT is a term used in Europe and international football (Opta, UEFA, Premier League). SoG is mostly used in American sports broadcasting and media.
Overall, every goal is considered a SoT or SoG, as long as it came from an opponent’s player shot.
Do shots that hit the post count as shots on target?
This depends on what happens after the ball hits the post. If the ball enters the goal after hitting the woodwork, it counts as a SoT. If the ball rebounds from the woodwork to the goalkeeper or a defender, it doesn’t count.
Does a penalty count as a shot on target?
A penalty counts as a SoT if it ends straight into the goal net. It will also count as a SoT if it hits the post or crossbar (woodwork) and crosses the goal line or bounces into the net. Basically, if the penalty ends up in a goal, it counts as a SoT.
However, if the penalty was saved by the goalkeeper, but it would end up in a goal otherwise, it counts as a SoT. When the penalty ball misses the goal or hits the woodwork but bounces out, it counts as a shot off target.
In other words, if the penalty shot doesn’t end in a goal, or if it wouldn’t end up in a goal even if it wasn’t intercepted by the goalkeeper, it counts as a shot off target.
Penalty shootout attempts are normally excluded from standard match shot statistics. Official statistics usually cover only the official 90 minutes and 30 minutes of extra time.
How shot statistics are calculated
A high number of shots does not necessarily mean that a team created high-quality scoring chances. Sometimes, a team keeps shooting at the opponent’s goal, but these balls don’t end up in the net, and they wouldn’t end up there even if they weren’t blocked by the goalkeeper or defensive player. It often happens with long-distance shots.
Why shot numbers differ between statistics providers
Different statistics providers can have different shot numbers. This happens for two main reasons. The first one is simply a human error. When someone makes a mistake recording shots, it creates a difference.
The other reason comes from the differences in definitions of what qualifies as a shot. For example, if a player tried to pass the ball to another player, but it ended up as a goal instead, some statistics providers will count it as a goal, but others won’t.
Conclusion
In this article, you have learned all about soccer shots, including what a shot on target in soccer is. Hopefully, it has helped you understand soccer stats a bit better.
This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. AFP editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.
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