Post-match recovery of change of direction performance in soccer: Examining change of direction deficit and asymmetries

This study aimed to analyze the influence of a soccer match on change of direction performance immediately and after a 48-h recovery period, with special focus on change of direction deficit and change of direction asymmetries. Fifteen outfield male soccer players who belonged to the same regional-level team participated in this study (age: 27.20 ± 5.30 years; height: 176.20 ± 6.46 cm; body mass: 73.80 ± 10.36 kg; tier 2). A repeated-measures observational design was used, with two data collection periods during the competitive period of one season (i.e., midseason and end-season). Each data collection period included one official match and their corresponding 48-h recovery period. The 30-m linear straight sprint test and the 505 change of direction test were conducted at pre-, post- and 48-h post-match. Findings show increased change of direction completion time at post- ( p = 0.030) and 48-h post-match ( p < 0.001), greater change of direction deficit at 48-h post-match ( p < 0.001) regardless of the method for classifying lower-limb dominance (i.e., dominant and non-dominant in the change of direction test, preferred and non-preferred kicking limb), and impaired change of direction performance with preferred kicking limb immediately after the match ( p = 0.024). Thus, the acute and residual fatigue-induced by a soccer match resulted in different alterations at post- and 48-h post-match in both change of direction deficit and change of direction asymmetries. These results may be applicable by practitioners interested in understanding the influence of a soccer match on change of direction performance.