Does match phase affect high-speed running and sprinting peak period performance and recovery kinetics in professional male football players?

This study examined whether match phase influences peak high-speed running distance (HSRD) and sprint distance (SpD) during 5-, 2- and 1-min peak periods and the subsequent post-peak periods. Match data from 480 Danish Superliga players were analysed in 9054-9671 full-time match observations across three seasons (2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18) using Prozone tracking system and rolling averages methods. Peak periods of HSRD and SpD were much more frequent (P < 0.05) in the beginning of each half (21-28%), compared to the final 15-min periods of each half (5-11%). HSRD and SpD per min increased as peak period duration shortened (HSRD: ~23, ~39 and ~64 m/min for 5-, 2- and 1-min peaks, respectively; SpD: ~16, ~31 and ~54 m/min; P < 0.05), with no meaningful differences between 15-min intervals (P > 0.05). Recovery was faster (P < 0.05) following shorter peak durations and in the initial phase of the match, however differences in recovery kinetics were trivial to small beyond the first 15 min. Overall, players maintained similar HSRD and SpD in peak periods across all match phases. The post-peak declines were not systematically affected by the timing of the peak periods, but the decline was less affected in the initial phase, where the highest number of peak periods occurred.