Question Number: 29661

Law 17 - Corner Kick 9/4/2015

RE: Competive Adult

Fabio of Milano, Lombardia Italy asks...

Hi,
is there any match in the history of the game ended with no corner given during the match?

Thank you so much for you help.
Fabio

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Fabio, I honestly do not know of a recent professional game with no corners I do recall matches with only 1 team getting corners? I would think at some point a match occurred with no corners at some level of play

I also recall while playing for Barcalona the Brazilian international Alves was taking a corner, someone threw a banana at him... Alves picked up the banana, peeled it and took a bite and sent in the cross lol
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Fabio
Many online betting sites offer odds on the number of corner kicks in a game. The reason I bring that up is that interestingly the average number is eleven per game so none is a very rare occasion. There are many sites covering the stats to assist with this type of betting. The spread is a typical bell curve with around 11/12 in most games and less above and below that number.
Here is one such site
http://www.pinnaclesports.com/en/betting-articles/2014-world-cup/corner-betting-strategy
So the likelihood of zero corners in a game is extremely low with huge odds. From what I can see at the highest level the game between Chelsea and Wigan in the EPL in 2010 had no corners.
http://www.chelsea.vitalfootball.co.uk/stats.asp?a=520059
Some suggestion that one has to go back to 1930s for a similar no corner game at this level?
As Referee Voshol points out at Underage the number of corners can be very low. In those games stats are never kept except the score.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I've reffed lots and lots of youth games without any corners. Generally that might be due to a lower ability to play defense; if the defenders don't get to the ball, they won't deflect it for a corner.

But that's probably not what you're considering, is it?