STATS CORNER | Safe Hands

Jacksonville Armada FC enters another weekend in the top spot in the Spring Season Standings, in large part, due to its defense and goalkeeping play. It is, however, a long-time NASL veteran that again is leading the way in many goalkeeping statistics so far.

Follow below for some key stats heading into Week 7:

Scoring Early, Conceding Late

North Carolina FC has been fast starters, sitting just a point back of first-place Jacksonville Armada FC, tied on points with Miami FC and the New York Cosmos. Goals have come early for the club as well. Of North Carolina’s seven goals, which is tied for most in the NASL, five of them have come within the first 30 minutes. The club leads the league in goals scored between 16 and 30 minutes (3).

While the club has been finding the back of the net early, the club has been conceding goals in the final moments of games. North Carolina has conceded six times this year with three of them coming between 76 and 90 minutes into the contest. That is the most goals conceded in that timeframe by any NASL club.  

Ends Of Each Half

The San Francisco Deltas suffered their first loss last weekend in a 1-0 loss to the New York Cosmos, but despite that, the first-year club has been built from the back to the front and that organization has shown. The club has allowed just three goals through Week 6. At the attacking end, the club will hope to add more goals, scoring four times so far, with forward Tom Heinemann bagging both of his goals in the same game, When the Deltas have found the back of the net, it has either been at the end of the first or second half. San Francisco leads the NASL with the most goals between 31 and 45 minutes into a game and between 76 and 90 minutes. The club’s goals have been split two apiece during those timeframes.  

Keeping Goals Out

Cosmos goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer has brought a steady presence to the Cosmos since taking the No.1 jersey in 2014. This year has been no different for the veteran shot-stopper. Maurer has a save percentage of 84 percent, which is the best in the NASL. He is currently third for goals against average (0.80) – only Jacksonville Armada FC ‘keeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell (0.40) and San Francisco Deltas shot-stopper Romuald Peiser (0.60) are better. Maurer, though, is tied for the league lead in saves with Brian Sylvestre. Both players have saved 21 shots.

Patterson-Sewell has faced the least amount of shots on target, with Jacksonville allowing just 10 through Week 6. The veteran ‘keeper has a save percentage of 80 percent, while Peiser’s save percentage is 82.35 percent.