Goal! What happens before and after the goal? The demands of competition before and after a goal are different from the average match

The objectives were: 1) compare the external load before and after a goal with average match demands, and 2) analyze differences in response of players pre and post goal scored and conceded. 23 official matches of twenty-two youth professional soccer players (age = 20.6 ± 1.8 years, weight = 73.0 ± 7.1 kg, and height = 1.80 ± 7.4 m) were monitored. With Global Positioning System (GPS) were obtained the Distance Covered (DC), DC >21 km·h −1 , DC >24 km·h −1 , Player Load, accelerations and decelerations (±2–3 m·s −2 and ±3 m·s −2 ) during the mean of the matches (Team) and in the 5 and 10 min before (Pre5 and Pre10) and after (Post5 and Post10) the goals scored and conceded. DC >24 km·h −1 was higher to the Team in all periods independently of the goal status ( p ≤ 0.05). Similarly, Team showed lower DC >21 km·h −1 than Pre5 in goals scored and Post5 in goals conceded ( p ≤ 0.05). DC, Player Load (except, Pre10), as well as much of the accelerations and decelerations periods were reduced when the goal was conceded ( p ≤ 0.05). Similarly, accelerations and decelerations were reduced in Post5 when the goal was scored, including accelerations between 2–3 m·s −2 in Post10 and higher than 3 m·s −2 in Pre5 ( p ≤ 0.05). Comparing the same period of scoring or conceding a goal, small differences were observed with higher values during goals scored ( p ≤ 0.05). Around goal moments, players’ external load change compared to the match average, varying depending on whether the goal is scored or conceded, and the period analyzed.