There are lots of different phrases in soccer, many of which can seem a little confusing to beginners and those that aren’t involved in the beautiful game.
One such phrase is “getting a result,” which is often used by players and fans as they go up against their opponents. But what exactly does it mean? Let’s find out now.
So, what does it mean to “get a result” in soccer?
The phrase “getting a result” in soccer refers to a team’s efforts to win a match. Although every scoreline is technically a result, the phrase is widely understood to refer to positive results only.
So, if your team wins a match or holds a tough opponent to a tie, it’s accurate to say that you got a result. But if you lose the game, you wouldn’t share the sentiment.
Let’s take a look at what this common soccer term means in more detail and explore what it means to get a result in the beautiful game of soccer.
Isn’t every scoreline a result?
Technically, any scoreline is a result in soccer. If the game finishes 0-0, 4-0, or 5-3, the result is the final scoreline between the two teams, and it will be recorded as the end result.
But the phrase “to get a result” in soccer infers that you have achieved something positive from the game. Therefore, a result, in this case, is most commonly a win.
However, in some instances – particularly when you go up against a much stronger team – you might consider a tie to be a good result, but it really just depends on your expectations.
Here’s an example to show you what we mean.
If a lowly team in the EPL like Fulham went up against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in a league match, then they might decide that a good result for them would be a 0-0 tie.
After all, keeping a clean sheet against the English champions is a great achievement for a recently promoted team. As such, if the game ended in a tie, Fulham would likely say that they got a result from the fixture.
Man City, on the other hand, would be really disappointed that they didn’t win the match and would consider the tie to be detrimental to their season.
So, although the result is the same for both teams, it’s the perception of the result in this instance that is important to understand the phrase.
What’s the best result you can get in soccer?
The best result you can get in soccer is a win. When you win a soccer match, you are awarded three points, provided that the win is in league competition.
If you win a soccer match in a knockout tournament, you advance to the next round and eliminate your opponents.
Regardless, you cannot achieve a better result in soccer than a win, and when teams say that they have gotten a result, they typically mean that they have won the game.
One thing that influences the quality of a victory is how many goals are scored and conceded in the fixture. For instance, a 4-0 victory is better than a 2-1 victory.
This is because goal difference is extremely important in soccer, particularly in league matches. At the end of the season, your team’s goal difference is tallied, and it will influence the final standings.
So, the best result you can get in soccer is a clean sheet victory. In other words, a win to nil (i.e., 4-0, 5-0, etc.). This sees you score several goals while conceding none, which works wonders for your goal difference throughout the season.
However, as mentioned, a tie is sometimes seen as a favorable result, but it really just depends on the opposition and the circumstances surrounding the match.
But the bottom line is that if you hear a player say that their team “needs a result,” they usually mean that they’re going to try and win the match.
Can a tie be a result in soccer?
There’s no doubt that a tie can be a good result in soccer. When a match finishes in a tie, both teams receive one point.
Of course, this isn’t as good as the three points you receive for a win, but it’s much better than the zero points that you receive for a defeat!
Sometimes, when teams set up to play against better teams, they often park the bus or at least maintain a defensive shape to try and make it difficult for the opposition to win.
At the same time, this type of setup limits their creativity and their own chances of scoring goals, meaning that a tie is a more likely result.
But again, every team is different and has their own priorities throughout the soccer season, which will determine whether or not they regard a tie as a good result.
What is the match result?
In soccer, the match result is just another way of saying the final result. It’s the scoreline when the referee blows the final whistle to signify the end of the game.
There are three possible match results in soccer: a win, loss, or tie. The winning team is issued with three points, while the losing team gets zero points. If the match is tied, both teams receive one point each.
In certain knockout competitions where a winner must be decided, a tied game goes to extra time and penalties until one team triumphs over the other.
In this case, the match result will be determined after an extra period of thirty minutes, plus penalty kicks if required, and not just at the end of the standard ninety minutes.
But generally, and in most soccer matches, the match result is confirmed as soon as the referee blows the final whistle after ninety minutes of game time.
Recap: Getting a result in soccer
As explored, the term “getting a result” in soccer suggests that a team is trying to win a match. Sometimes, teams will be content with a tie, but more often than not, they set up to win the game.
Although every scoreline is technically a result, the phrase only makes sense when you consider that it is meant as an expression of a positive score, and it has long been a common phrase in soccer parlance.