Score First and Win
du Nord, September 11, 2010
The First GoalAs the Philadelphia fans counted down the number of beers Peter Vermes drank in one night before being over the limit and subsequently under arrest, I nervously sat on my couch, and thought over and over again about the one stat that rules all of soccer.The Wizard this season have been a slave to the rule. Almost every 2010 World Cup game bowed down. The whole of MLS, and Europe follows it. What is this ghastly stat that I so feared? Not who took the most shots on goal, not who was getting the most yellow card, nor was it who was going to get the most corner kicks (as if!).No, the one stat that matters most is: Who scores the first goal. The first goal rings a loud and clear death toll for the team who has a big 0 after the celebrations are complete. Oh sure, they might get one point in the end, but those elusive three points have been knocked completely out of reach.Take my home team, the Wizards. Not once have they won a game this season when the other team score first. Of course conversely,