The 'Soccer' Tournament

[Mr Dean]

Over in the USA, there was an interesting football competition, imaginatively named 'The Soccer Tournament', featuring teams such as Wrexham and West Ham.

The tournament was notable for an innovative rule change: at the end of regulation time, a final period is played. The team in the lead needs to score one more goal to win; the losing team needs to score one goal more than their opponents to win. If the scores are level, next goal wins.

I know a similar system is used in 'The Basketball Tournament' but I didn't think it would work in a low scoring sport like football. However, after watching a few matches, I quite found it quite entertaining. Matches lead to an endgame where every match ends with a goal (cue wild celebrations as the winning goal is scored). Another thing I've noticed is that time wasting is less useful than it normally is because the match ends with an untimed period. Further, a comeback is always a possibility - it ain't over 'till it's over.

FIFA have for a while been looking for a replacement to kicks from the penalty mark. I don't think it's out of the question for this ending format to become more of a thing in the future, particularly in recreational leagues.

 

[socal lurker]

I didn't watch, but I believe that they also take a player off every so often after some period time so the field starts to open up more, don't they? I think the removing of players helps make goals more likely, as does the fact that you can't "play for kicks," as you play until someone scores.

When I as much younger, I reffed in a youth league that used a variation on golden goal. After the first 5 min OT period, there were no GKs (but one would be appointed in the event of a PK). I thought it worked well for youth, but don't think it would work too well for adults, who would be shooting regularly from 40 yards out (and a high likelihood of DOGSO to stop a sure goal).

 

[RefIADad]

@socal lurker is correct-in the “Target score” time, an outfield player was removed every five minutes. In the final, the winning goal was scored when the teams were 5v5 (four outfield players and a keeper).

Other rules of note :

• Kick-ins from the touchline
• 7v7 on a “cross field” sized field, so something like 75 yards long by 50-55 yards wide.
• Goals were 6 1/2 feet high by 18 feet wide
• No offside
• For most games, there was a single referee in field with a second referee in a fourth official style position. For the later knockout rounds, two assistant referees were stationed on the goal line like AARs used to be in UEFA competitions.

MLS referee Ted Unkel was the referee director. Former MLS referee and current PRO senior referee manager Alan Kelly was the referee for the final. All told, it was an entertaining event to watch. Certainly not Champions League level football, but no one was expecting that. The game reminded me a fair amount of what you’d see in a futsal match.