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Playing without goalkeeper: The use of an empty goal in high-performance men’s handball
Citation
Macedo, L., Volossovitch, A., Carita, A. I., & Komar, J. (2024). Playing without goalkeeper: The use of an empty goal in high-performance men’s handball. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2024.2354109
Abstract
The study aimed to 1) assess the risk of conceding a goal in an empty net; 2) characterise the context when using the empty goal (EG) rule (4:1) in handball and 3) identify the performance variables that influence the EG attacks’ efficacy. A total of 974 EG attacks were sampled from 65 matches of the 2022 European Men’s Handball Championship. An observational tool was developed to analyse all EG attacks. Frequency analysis and the chi-square test have been performed to analyse the use of EG according to the match context. The binomial logistic regression was used to identify the variables that influence the EG attacks’ effectiveness. The results demonstrated that the goalkeeper was replaced mainly to maintain numerical equality. To create offensive superiority, the teams mostly used EG during the last quarter of the match playing under a small score disadvantage. The risk of conceding a goal in the empty net was higher if a team failed to score in previous possession. No relationship was found between the team’s final classification and the frequency of EG use, nor the efficacy of EG situations. Two variables have been identified as significant for the 6 × 6 + GK possession outcome: 2nd pivot position and shot zone.
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Journal
International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport