STATS CORNER | Goalscoring Prowess At Home

Photo credit: Rob Kinnan/Carolina RailHawks

Home-field advantage has been in full swing for NASL sides and it shows in the number of goals scored, particularly for the league's top clubs in 2016. Also, the Carolina RailHawks look to use a good goalscoring run at home to extend their homw unbeaten streak.  

Here's some key statistics heading into Week 14 of the Fall Season:

Streaking At WakeMed: The Carolina RailHawks currently have a nine-game unbeaten streak and the side has shown its attacking impetus in front of the home crowd. From the stretch that the RailHawks’ streak started in May, Carolina has scored 14 of its 20 goals at home. The club has created 94 chances and have taken a total of 99 shots. Away from home, the club has only taken 71 shots with 75 chances created. Tiyi Shipalane has created the most chances at WakeMed Soccer Park during the streak with 18. Nazmi Albadawi, leading the NASL in assists with nine, has created 16 chances. Matt Fondy has scored the most goals at home with four.

The RailHawks have also been stronger at the back while playing at home. The club has five clean sheets, but only one clean sheet in games away from home during that stretch.

Goals In Friendly Confines: Heading into Week 14, both Indy Eleven and the New York Cosmos have scored 31 goals at home during the course of the 2016 to date. Minnesota United is the only other side to have at least 20 goals at home, scoring 25 times so far. Indy and New York have both scored 20 goals using a right foot, which is more goals with that foot than nine teams have scored total in front of their home supporters. Minnesota United’s Christian Ramirez and Indy’s Eamon Zayed have both scored in double digits at home. Ramirez has scored 12 of his 15 goals at NSC Stadium, while Zayed has found the back of the net 11 times at Carroll Stadium – he has 13 goals on the year. New York’s Adam Moffat has scored all seven of his goals at Shuart Stadium while teammate Juan Arango as well as Rayo OKC’s Michel have also scored seven goals at home.

Goals away from home have been hard to come by for many sides with Miami FC scoring the most with 19.  Indy and New York have scored nine and 14 times, respectively, during their travels. Miami’s Dario Cvitanich and Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Georgi Hristov have bucked the trend of scoring a majority of goals at home – Cvitanich has scored five of his nine, while Hristov has scored five of his eight in opposing venues.

From The Spot: Michel has scored a league-leading six times from the penalty spot, amounting for 60 percent of his 10 goals on the year. Only three other players have scored more than two penalty kicks – Moffat (four) and Cvitanich (three). Both Moffat and Cvitanich have converted an all of their attempts, while Ramirez is the only other player to take more than two penalties, scoring two of his three chances..

Other Notes: Three players in Week 13 had 10 clearances – Jacksonville Armada FC’s Mechack Jérôme and Indy’s Colin Falvey and Cory Miller. The Eleven’s Dylan Mares won the most tackles during the weekend as he was successful on six of his seven attempts. Mares also won 10 of his 12 duels, which was tied with Puerto Rico FC’s Héctor Ramos for the most duels won in Week 13. Tampa Bay’s Joe Cole had the most chances created (five) and was one of nine players that had an assist.