GUIDES · BETSLIP DOCTOR
How does Opta classify blocked shots, last-line blocks and shots off the post?
Opta separates a goal-preventing last-line block from other blocked attempts. A shot that hits the frame and stays out is off target under its definition; if it enters the net, it is a goal and a shot on target.
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The blocker’s position changes the label
Opta’s labels describe how an attempt was recorded in its event data. A shot on target includes a goal, a shot saved by the goalkeeper, and an on-target attempt stopped by the last defending player before it crosses the goal line.
A blocked shot is a different category. Opta includes an on-target attempt stopped by an outfield defender when other defenders or the goalkeeper are behind that blocker. It also includes an attempt accidentally blocked by the shooter’s teammate. A block is not automatically an off-target shot.
- Last defender prevents the ball entering the goal: shot on target under Opta’s definition.
- Outfield defender blocks with a goalkeeper or other defenders behind: blocked shot.
- Shot hits the frame and stays out: shot off target; if it subsequently enters the net, it is a goal.
A frame hit is not always the end of the play
For Opta, a shot that hits a post or crossbar and remains out is off target. The definition changes if the ball enters the net as a direct consequence of the frame contact: the attempt is then a goal, and goals are included among shots on target.
Keep the event sequence intact when reading a match line. The first contact with the post does not settle the label by itself; whether the ball goes in, stays out, or is stopped by a defender matters.
Read the provider’s category, not just the word ‘blocked’
These are Opta’s published event definitions. They explain how the categories in an Opta-based table relate to one another; they do not establish that every football data feed uses the same labels or boundaries. When comparing tables, check which provider and definition each one uses.
Four fictional attempts, four outcomes
Imagine four attempts with no real match or player attached. First, a shot headed into the goal is cleared by the last defender on the line: Opta counts it as on target. Second, an outfield defender blocks a shot while the goalkeeper remains behind them: that is a blocked shot. Third, a shot hits the post and rebounds out: off target. Fourth, a shot hits the post and enters the net: a goal and a shot on target. The illustration changes one event detail at a time so the labels are easy to compare.
Related questions
Does every blocked shot count as off target in Opta data?
No. Opta treats a last-line block that prevents an on-target attempt from entering the goal as on target, and it has a separate blocked-shot category for other attempts.
If a shot hits the post, is it always off target?
Not if the ball subsequently enters the net. Opta classifies a frame hit that stays out as off target; a goal is included among shots on target.