Scan frequency and timing in relation to performance in elite youth female football players during 11v11 match play

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Background: In the fast-changing game of football, effective scanning is crucial to performance, as it enables players to gather essential information about their surroundings. Therefore, this study expands the current understanding of scanning by investigating the influence of scanning frequency (SF) before ball reception (SFb) and during ball possession (SFd), as well as scan timing on subsequent pass and dribbling performance, while controlling for opponent pressure and interindividual differences. Methods: 39 female players (age: 17.45 ± 0.88 years) from two elite teams in the Swiss U19 women's national league were recorded during two official 11v11 championship matches. Scanning behavior was assessed through video analysis. A scan was defined as an active, self-initiated head movement away from the ball. In total, 819 events, defined as the last 10 s before ball reception until the execution of the subsequent action, were identified and examined using multilevel logistic regression models. Neither SFd nor SFb were significantly associated with dribbling success. Direct play was positively associated with tighter opponent pressure but not SFb. Scan timing showed no significant associations with any performance indicator. Conclusion: This is the first field-based study to examine multiple scanning predictors in relation to performance during 11v11 matches in female players, while accounting for opponent pressure and interindividual differences. SFd and opponent pressure were identified as key factors in understanding scanning behavior in women's 11v11 football. These findings emphasize the importance of research on female players.