Brain freeze during a tournament / I just watched the ball roll in and didn't move. Why?
Hi everyone,
I was playing in a 7v7 tournament recently (on a pitch with 5.5m / 18ft goals). I’ve been a goalkeeper for years (i’m 18) but I hadn't played in quite a while. I made some great saves during the games, but one specific play is completely messing with my head.
We had a throw-in, but my defender threw it straight into the central axis. The opposing striker intercepted it and found himself completely unmarked, about 25m (27 yards) out. He started driving forward, and since he was completely alone, I squared up and got ready for a 1v1.
Then, out of nowhere, he took a snap shot from about 20m (22 yards) out, right along the ground. It wasn't very powerful, nor was it perfectly placed. It wasn't exactly an easy catch, but if I had been ready, I definitely could have dived and saved it. Instead... I just stood there and watched it roll into the net. I literally didn't move an inch, even though I probably had enough time to just step over and block it.
That goal got us eliminated from the tournament. In the heat of the moment, it didn't feel like a massive blunder, but looking back, I just cannot understand what happened to me. I guess I just didn't expect him to shoot without taking another touch, but freezing like that is driving me crazy.
Has anyone ever experienced this kind of "brain freeze" after a long break? Why did my brain just shut down?