Stage 4 · Two legs
Two matches, one aggregate
In a two-legged tie each team plays at home once and the goals from both matches are added together. The invented Coast Shield is a two-legged cup for clubs from the league and the Harbour Cup. Its rules: the higher aggregate goes through; if the aggregate is level after the second leg, there is extra time in the second leg, then penalties.
A clear aggregate
| Leg 1, at Lime FC | Lime FC 3–1 Sable FC |
|---|---|
| Leg 2, at Sable FC | Sable FC 1–1 Lime FC |
| Aggregate | Lime FC 4–2 Sable FC |
Lime FC goes through (decided on aggregate).
Lime FC scored 4 over the two legs and Sable FC 2. The second leg being drawn does not matter: only the total counts.
A level aggregate
| Leg 1, at Cobalt FC | Cobalt FC 2–1 Onyx FC |
|---|---|
| Leg 2, at Onyx FC | Onyx FC 1–0 Cobalt FC |
| Extra time in leg 2 | Onyx FC 0–0 Cobalt FC |
| Penalties | Onyx FC 2–4 Cobalt FC |
| Aggregate | Cobalt FC 2–2 Onyx FC |
Cobalt FC goes through (decided on penalties).
After two legs the aggregate was 2–2. Extra time in the second leg was goalless, so penalties decided it.
What an away-goals rule would have changed
An away-goals rule breaks a level aggregate in favour of the side that scored more goals away from home. The Coast Shield does not use one. If it did, Cobalt FC scored 0 away and Onyx FC scored 1 away, so Onyx FC would have gone through after 180 minutes, with no extra time or penalties.
The same two results lead to a different team going through. That is why a tie can only be read with its competition's rules beside it.