Goal (sport) Goals can be disallowed if there is an infraction by the offensive team. The goal in lacrosse is tall and wide and a net is used to prevent the ball from reentering the field of play. Lacrosse goals are not positioned on the end boundary line, play often occurs behind the goal. In netball, a goal is scored when the ball is shot through a goal ring on a pole. In polo, a goal is scored if the ball passes completely between the goal posts, regardless of how far off the ground the ball is. The ball must be between
Goal difference Goal difference Goal difference or points difference is a form of tiebreaker used to rank sport teams which finish on equal points in a league competition. Either "goal difference" or "points difference" is used, depending on whether matches are scored by goals (as in ice hockey and association football) or by points (as in rugby union and basketball). Goal difference (or points difference) is calculated as the number of goals (or points) scored in all league matches minus the number of goals or points conceded. Goal difference was first introduced as a tiebreaker in association football, at the 1970 FIFA