uitdoelpuntenregel

The uitdoelpuntenregel, or away goals rule, was a tie-breaking method used in two-legged football (soccer) matches. When the aggregate score over two games was level, the team that scored more goals away from home would be declared the winner. This rule aimed to encourage attacking play by both teams and reward the one that demonstrated more prowess on the road.

The rule was commonly applied in competitions like the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. For example, if Team A drew 1-1 at home against Team B, and then drew 2-2 away, both teams would have scored three goals on aggregate. In this scenario, Team B would have won the tie because they scored two away goals, while Team A only scored one.

The uitdoelpuntenregel was a source of much debate among fans and managers. Proponents argued that it added an exciting strategic layer to ties and prevented overly defensive performances. Critics, however, felt it could unfairly penalize the home team in the second leg, forcing them to score multiple goals while their opponents might be content with a narrow defeat or a scoreline that favored their away goals.

In June 2021, UEFA announced the abolition of the away goals rule for all its club competitions, starting from the 2021-2022 season. The rationale was to promote fair competition and prevent teams from being disadvantaged by the fixture list. Following this change, any ties that remain level on aggregate after both legs are now decided by extra time and, if necessary, a penalty shootout.