Goal Flood Ends as Things Get Serious in Brazil

While the group stage of this year's FIFA World Cup in Brazil proved immensely entertaining and delivered the highest goals-per-match average since Mexico 1970, the matches in the round of last sixteen turned out surprisingly dull. The goal average dropped from 2.83 to 1.38 (2.25 incl. extra-time) as the high stakes seemed to stifle the teams' willingness to take risks. Five out of eight matches played had to be decided in extra-time, two of them went to penalties. Let's hope the goals start flowing again in the round of the last eight, when several football heavyweights face off for a place in the semis.