Prepare for a long game
Unlike in the group stage, when games can end in ties, there has to be a winner in knockout games. If a game is tied at the end of regulation, there will be 30 minutes of overtime, broken up into two halves. If the score is still tied after that, it goes to penalty kicks. That means teams could be on the field for 120 minutes – even longer given the “generous” penalty time we’ve seen at this World Cup. So even more thought needs to be given to fresh legs and fitness when making substitutions, and players need to be prepared to gut through cramps, physical exhaustion and mental fatigue to get a favorable result.Players off the bench also need to be prepared to provide a psychological boost in addition to doing their jobs tactically.
“I knew, being a sub, I had energy to give,” said Walker Zimmerman, who came on in the 82nd minute against Iran and made a game-saving clearance at the end of stoppage time. “I wanted to continue to reinforce that energy amongst the guys who’d been out there suffering through 90 minutes. I wanted to let them know, 'Hey, we’ve got an influx of energy through our subs. We’re going to see this game out. You guys have got to keep pushing and we’ll get the job done.
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