## 4 Discussion  
The analysis of UEFA Euro 2024 revealed several key findings regarding goal-scoring patterns and match outcomes. Firstly, the study's findings indicate that scoring the first goal significantly impacts match outcomes, confirming existing literature that suggests early scoring enhances match success [15; 17; 20]. Specifically, teams that scored first were less likely to lose and more likely to win or draw. While this study did not directly analyze opponents' tactical adjustments after conceding the first goal, it is well recognized that teams often alter their strategies, either by opening their defense to equalize or by increasing their offensive pressure, as indicated in studies of previous UEFA European Championships [16; 18]. The history of scoring the first goal is a well-established predictor of success, with studies across multiple UEFA EURO Championships consistently showing that teams scoring first have a higher likelihood of winning the match [17; 20]. Moreover, \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Variable**} & **Win (\(n\) = 22)** & **Draw (\(n\) = 28)** & **Lose (\(n\) = 22)** & **H** & \(p\) & \(\eta^{2}\) \\ \cline{2-7}  & **M \(\pm\) SD** & **M \(\pm\) SD** & **M \(\pm\) SD** & & & \\ \hline Yellow cards & 2.23 \(\pm\) 2.22 & 2.36 \(\pm\) 1.45 & 2.09 \(\pm\) 1.74 & 1.108 & 0.575 & 0.016 \\ Red cards & 0.00 \(\pm\) 0.00 & 0.00 \(\pm\) 0.00 & 0.14 \(\pm\) 0.47 & 4.609 & 0.100 & 0.065 \\ Fouls committed & 11.00 \(\pm\) 3.35 & 11.04 \(\pm\) 3.21 & 11.68 \(\pm\) 3.79 & 0.303 & 0.860 & 0.004 \\ Fouls committed in defensive third & 1.59 \(\pm\) 0.91 & 2.00 \(\pm\) 1.19 & 1.95 \(\pm\) 1.62 & 1.380 & 0.502 & 0.019 \\ Fouls committed in own half & 4.09 \(\pm\) 2.16 & 4.43 \(\pm\) 1.95 & 5.09 \(\pm\) 2.47 & 1.480 & 0.477 & 0.021 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} Note: M \(\pm\) SD—mean \(\pm\) standard deviation, H—Kruskal-Wallis H statistic, \(p\)—\(p\)–value, \(\eta^{2}\)—eta squared.  
\end{table} 
Table 6: Disciplinary metrics and their impact on match outcomes (win, draw, lose). \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Variable**} & **B** & **S.E.** & **Wald** & \(p\) & **Exp(B)** & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**95\% CI for Exp(B)**} \\ \cline{2-7}  & \(-1.206\) & 0.485 & 6.193 & 0.013 \({}^{*}\) & 0.299 & 0.116 & 0.774 \\ Passes into attacking third & 0.056 & 0.027 & 4.361 & 0.037 \({}^{*}\) & 1.058 & 1.003 & 1.116 \\ Attempts on target & 1.037 & 0.320 & 10.507 & 0.001 \({}^{*}\) & 2.821 & 1.507 & 5.280 \\ Crosses attempted & \(-0.173\) & 0.062 & 7.690 & 0.006 \({}^{*}\) & 0.841 & 0.744 & 0.950 \\ Constant & \(-2.726\) & 0.959 & 8.075 & 0.004 \({}^{*}\) & 0.065 & & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} \({}^{*}p<0.05\).  
\end{table} 
Table 7: Binary logistic regression analysis results for the key predictors of match outcome (win/lose). although this study did not specifically measure the impact of fan support, prior research suggests that crowd presence could also positively influence team performance and create a psychologically challenging environment for the opposing team [34]. Secondly, the analysis of the 82 goals scored in the 36 matches from the group stage of EURO 2024 showed no significant association between goals scored in the first (39 goals) and second halves (43 goals), indicating independent goal distribution across these periods, similarly to [PERSON] et al. [17], who also observed more goals in the second half but no significant association. While no relationship was found between the timing of the first goal and match outcomes in this study, it is generally advantageous to score early to control the game's pace and force opponents into a reactive stance. However, the optimal timing may depend on the team's strategy and defensive capabilities, as seen in various UEFA tournaments [15; 17]. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [15] found a significant difference in goal frequency across halves.