ENGLAND RIDE ON SET- PIECE STRATEGY
Kane & Co. are main beneficiaries of set- piece goal glut
St. Petersburg, July 9: After more goals came from set- pieces in this World Cup’s group stage than any other, dead- ball strategy has continued to have a huge impact in the knockout phase, with five of the 11 goals scored in the quarter- finals coming from free kicks or corners.
Raphael Varane headed France on their way to a 20 win over Uruguay from a free kick while Fernandinho deflected a cross from a corner into his own net to put his Brazil side behind in their eventual 2- 1 defeat by Belgium.
England continued their prolific use of set- plays to break the deadlock in their 2- 0 win over Sweden when Harry Maguire headed home from a corner.
Denis Cheryshev’s wonder strike in Russia’s 2- 2 draw against Croatia was the only opening goal in the quarters not to come from a set play, although Croatia’s Domagoj Vida later struck from a corner in extra time and Mario Fernandes headed in a free kick to force a shootout in which Croatia triumphed.
Fernandes’s header was the 66th set- piece goal scored at the 2018 World Cup out of 157 in total.
Overall, 42 per cent of goals in the World Cup have come from set plays
or penalties, beating the previous record of 36 percent from the 1998 World Cup and smashing the portion of goals from these situations in 2014 ( 27 per cent), 2010 ( 24 per cent), 2002 ( 29 per cent) and 1994 ( 33 per cent).
This trend has powered the rise of teams that traditionally do not do well in World Cups.
England, meanwhile, reached the semi- finals for the first time in 28 years with the help of eight goals from setpieces, more than any other side in the tournament, including three penalties.
They also won a shootout for the first time in four World Cup attempts by knocking out Colombia in the last 16, a sign of their progress in preparing for every possible outcome.
Gareth Southgate’s side’s potency from setpieces was certainly on the minds of Croatia after they were forced into penalties by Russia.
“We watched the game today and saw how good they are from dead- ball situations,” captain Luka Modric said.