SPORTING INDEX PLAYER PERFORMANCE MARKET
EXPLANATION OF SCORING RULES
Updated: 29 July 2013
Sporting Index offers a unique Player Performance market for selected individual players
on a large number of football fixtures. Each Player Performance market is adjudicated
by OPTA on the following basis:
(i)
GOAL SCORED: 25pts
The points are awarded to the attacking player who is accredited as the goalscorer. In the
event of any doubt over the identity of the goalscorer, the points will be allocated to the
goalscorer as used by Sporting Index to settle their goalscorer markets. No ‘Shot On
Target’ points are awarded for any goal.
(ii)
GOAL ASSIST: 10pts
The points are awarded to the attacking player who, with any action, delivers the ball to
the goalscorer who then scores without further loss of the ball to the opposition. The
assist action can subsequently have no more than a small deflection which doesn’t change
the direction of the trajectory of the ball before it finds its intended target. There are no
assists awarded for goals scored from penalties or direct free kicks or own goals. No
‘Attacking Pass’ points are awarded for any deflected assist.
(iii)
SHOT ON TARGET: 5pts
The points are awarded to an attacking player whose intended shot would have been
heading to the goal but for a save by the opposing goalkeeper or a last line defender. If
the shot takes a small deflection or any block still requires a save by the goalkeeper/last
line defender then this remains a shot on target. A deflection that takes the sting out of the
shot and, as a result, the ball is easily collected by the opposition goalkeeper may be
deemed a ‘Blocked Shot’ according to (iv) below. For clarity, ‘Shot on Target’ points and
‘Blocked Shot; points cannot be awarded for the same shot. What the referee decides will
count – therefore, for example, if the goalkeeper tips a shot over the bar but a goal kick is
awarded that shot will be adjudicated as a shot off target and no points will be awarded.
Shots that hit the woodwork are also deemed off target and no points will be awarded.
(iv)
BLOCKED SHOT INSIDE SIX YARD BOX: 5pts
The points are awarded to an attacking player whose intended shot would have been
heading to the goal but for a block by the defensive team which deflects it away from
goal or takes the sting out of the shot. The defensive block must be made inside the
defending own six yard box for the points to be awarded. For clarity, ‘Blocked Shot’
points and ‘Shot on Target’ points cannot be awarded for the same shot.
(v)
CORNER WON: 3pts
The points are awarded to the last attacking player to touch the ball before a corner is
awarded, whether that player is taking a shot or not. However, if two separate defenders
touch the ball before a corner is awarded then no ‘Corner Won’ points will be awarded. If
a shot takes a minor deflection but is then saved directly by the goalkeeper resulting in a
corner, the deflection will be ignored and ‘Corner Won’ points will be awarded to the
attacking player whose deflected shot resulted in a corner. If a corner is awarded but then
subsequently not taken because of the end of the first half or second half or match
‘Corner Won’ points will still be attributed.
(vi)
FREE KICK WON: 3pts
The points are awarded to the player who has been fouled resulting in a free-kick or
penalty, No ‘Free-kick Won’ points are awarded for handballs, dives, dissent, back passes
or for the goalkeeper holding the ball for longer than six seconds.
(vii)
ATTACKING PASS: 2pts
The points are awarded for any pass including flick-ons, launches and crosses that are
COMPLETED (touched by a team-mate) in the opposition half, inclusive of goalkeeper
passes completed in the opposition half. Such an ‘Attacking Pass’ can be initiated in the
passer’s own half. The ‘Attacking Pass’ does not have to have any intention (so, for
example, if the ball merely hits a player Attacking Pass points will be awarded), but any
touch by an opposing player (although not the referee) will mean no pass is adjudicated
to have been completed and no ‘Attacking Pass’ points awarded. Any deflection no
matter how small will result in no points being awarded for an ‘Attacking Pass’ (as
opposed to scoring rule (ii) above for a Goal Assist where a small deflection is
allowable). If the referee’s whistle is blown or a foul committed before the pass is
completed no ‘Attacking Pass’ points will be awarded. Throw-ins do not count as an
‘Attacking Pass’.
(viii) FREE KICK CONCEDED: -3pts
The points are awarded for any player who commits an offence that results in the referee
awarding a free-kick to the opposing team. This includes handballs, dives, dissent, back
Passes and for the goalkeeper holding the ball for longer than six seconds.
(ix)
YELLOW CARD: -10pts
The points are awarded for a yellow card given by the referee for any offence on the pitch
during the playing time of the match. In the situation where a player is given a second
yellow, 25 points for the red card will be added to the original booking points (in other
words a maximum of 35 points can be awarded per player who is booked twice).
(x)
RED CARD: -25pts
The points are awarded for a red card given by the referee for any offence on the pitch
during the playing time of the match
(xi)
OFFSIDE: -3 Pts
The points are awarded to a player that has adjudicated offside. A free kick must be
awarded for ‘Offside’ points to count.