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Overview

The goal coordinate system defines a two-dimensional spatial reference centered on the goal mouth.
It is primarily used to represent shot locations and shot trajectories relative to the goal. The coordinate system simplifies spatial analysis by normalizing the goal area into a consistent frame of reference.
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Coordinate Origin

The origin point of the system is located at:(0,0). This point represents the center of the goal line. All shot locations are measured relative to this point.
AxisDirectionMeaning
X-axisHorizontalLeft and right relative to the goal center
Y-axisVerticalDistance away from the goal line

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Horizontal Range (X Axis)

The X-axis describes the horizontal position relative to the center of the goal.
CoordinateDescription
-400Far left of the shot analysis zone
0Center of the goal
400Far right of the shot analysis zone
The goal posts are positioned at:
Goal PostCoordinate
Left Post(-150,100)
Right Post(150,100)
This means the goal width in the coordinate system is 300 units.

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Vertical Range (Y Axis)

The Y-axis represents the distance from the goal line moving outward toward the field.
CoordinateDescription
0Goal line
100Goal mouth depth reference
150Maximum vertical analysis range
The full analysis zone therefore spans: Y = 0 → 150

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Goal Dimensions

The goal mouth is represented using the following coordinates:
ElementCoordinate
Left Goal Post(-150,100)
Right Goal Post(150,100)
Goal Center(0,100)
The distance between posts equals: 300 units This normalized width corresponds to the real-world 7.32 meter goal width.

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Goal Depth

The goal depth is represented by the distance between: Y = 100 and the back of the goal structure. This area represents the goal frame and net region.

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Shot Analysis Zone

The entire shot analysis frame extends across the following boundaries:
BoundaryCoordinate
Left Limit-400
Right Limit400
Bottom Limit0
Top Limit150
This larger zone allows representation of:
  • shots taken from wide angles
  • long distance attempts
  • central shots
  • shots from inside the penalty area

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Coordinate Interpretation

Examples of shot locations:
Shot LocationInterpretation
(0,120)Central shot toward the middle of the goal
(-120,110)Shot aimed toward the left side of the goal
(140,105)Shot aimed near the right post
(0,30)Shot taken very close to the goal line

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Symmetry

The coordinate system is symmetrical around the center line: X = 0 This ensures that:
  • left side shots use negative X values
  • right side shots use positive X values
This symmetry simplifies statistical analysis of shooting patterns.

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Visualization Purpose

The 2D goal coordinate system is used for:
  • shot location plotting
  • expected goals (xG) modeling
  • goalkeeper positioning analysis
  • shooting heatmaps
It provides a consistent spatial reference independent of camera perspective or stadium geometry.