Most common movements preceding goal scoring situations in female professional soccer
A summary of the research:
The article "Most Common Movements Preceding Goal Scoring Situations in Female Professional Soccer" by Martínez-Hernández, Quinn, and Jones examines movement patterns in the Women’s Super League, focusing on actions leading up to goals. The study found that linear advancing motion, including walking, jogging, running, or sprinting, was the most frequent movement preceding a goal, particularly among attacking players. Defenders displayed more lateral and ball-blocking movements to counter these attacks. High-intensity actions were common, with defenders, especially those marking the scorer, engaging in at least one high-intensity movement in nearly every scoring sequence.
The study suggests that attackers and defenders require tailored training to improve movements critical to goal-scoring situations. Attackers should focus on straight-line speed and cuts, while defenders would benefit from exercises emphasizing lateral movements, sharp turns, and rapid decelerations. The findings highlight the importance of specific conditioning to optimize performance and effectiveness in crucial moments of the game.
Key Takeaways
Linear advancing motion was the most common movement before a goal, especially for attackers, while defenders used more lateral and ball-blocking actions.
High-intensity movements, particularly among defenders marking scorers, were crucial in almost all goal-scoring situations.
Training tailored to role-specific movements, such as straight-line speed for attackers and rapid deceleration for defenders, can enhance performance in critical game moments.
Authors: David Martínez-Hernándeza,b, Mark Quinna and Paul Jones
You can read the entire article here.
