How to keep score in football (soccer)
A goal is 1. More goals wins, level is a draw, then extra time and penalties.
In football, every goal is worth 1, and the team with more goals at the end wins. If the score is level, it's a draw, unless the match needs a winner: then come extra time and a penalty shoot-out.
At a glance
Players: 11 a side, or any number in the park
Who wins: More goals at the final whistle
A match: Two halves of 45 minutes
Cup ties: Extra time, then penalties
What counts as a goal
What happens | Score |
|---|---|
The whole ball crosses the goal line, between the posts and under the bar | 1 goal |
Part of the ball is still on or above the line | No goal |
A penalty or a free kick goes in | 1 goal |
A player puts the ball in their own net | 1 goal to the other team |
In league tables, a win earns 3 points, a draw 1 and a defeat 0.
Extra time and penalty shoot-outs
When a match must have a winner, like a cup final, a draw goes to extra time: two halves of 15 minutes. Goals in extra time count like any other.
If it's still level, there's a penalty shoot-out. Each team takes 5 kicks, in turn, and the shoot-out stops early if one team can't catch up. Level after 5 each, it goes to sudden death: one kick each until one team scores and the other doesn't.
Shoot-out goals don't go into the match score. A 1 to 1 draw won 4 to 3 in the shoot-out is written 1 to 1, 4 to 3 on penalties.
Small games at home or in the park
House rules for a kickabout. The scoring is the same: a goal is 1.
First to a target: play to 5 or 10 goals instead of watching the clock.
Next goal wins: when it's nearly time to go home.
Winner stays on: with more than two teams, the winners stay on and play whoever's waiting.
Five-a-side: the same scoring, on a smaller pitch with smaller goals.
A scoring example
A cup tie that needed a winner.
Team A | Team B | |
|---|---|---|
First half | 1 | 0 |
Second half | 0 | 1 |
Extra time | 1 | 1 |
Final score | 2 | 2 |
Still level after extra time, so it went to penalties. Both teams took 5 kicks, Team A scored all 5 and Team B 4, so the result is written 2 to 2, with Team A winning 5 to 4 on penalties.
Keep score in Tallynight
Football is set up for you: a running score, most goals wins. Add each team as a player and tap + when it scores.
Tallynight keeps the score, not the match clock, so tap End game at the final whistle. Keep a penalty shoot-out as a game of its own, so the match score stays as it was.
A big score for each team, easy to read from the touchline
Undo for a goal that's ruled out
The score on the Lock Screen while you play
The belt for whoever wins most, game after game
Get Tallynight on the App Store: free, no ads.
Questions
How many points is a goal in football?
1. Every goal counts the same, whether it's a penalty, a header or an own goal.
What happens if a football match is a draw?
In a league it stays a draw, worth 1 point to each team. When a winner is needed, play extra time, then a penalty shoot-out.
How long is extra time in football?
Two halves of 15 minutes. If it's still level after that, the match goes to penalties.
How does a penalty shoot-out work?
Each team takes 5 kicks in turn. If they're level after 5 each, it's sudden death: one kick each until one team scores and the other doesn't.
Do penalty shoot-out goals count in the score?
No. The match score stays as it was after extra time, and the shoot-out is written next to it, for example 1 to 1, 4 to 3 on penalties.
How many points do you get for a win in football?
In a league table, 3 for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a defeat.
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