{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,22]],"date-time":"2025-12-22T04:33:14Z","timestamp":1766377994327,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"13","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,28]],"date-time":"2025-06-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1751068800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["UID04045\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID04045\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study investigated the impact of varying the number of small goals on elite female soccer players\u2019 decision-making, technical\u2013tactical skills, running performance, and perceived exertion during game-based situations (GBSs). Sixteen national female players (aged 22.33 \u00b1 2.89 years) participated in three conditions within an 8vs8 game without a goalkeeper (45 \u00d7 40 m), each featuring a different number of small goals (1.2 \u00d7 0.8 m): (i) 1 small goal (1G); (ii) 2 small goals (2G); and (iii) 3 small goals (3G). Sensors to track players\u2019 positioning, perceived exertion, and notational analysis were used to evaluate player performance. The results indicated that players covered a greater distance at low intensity during the 2G condition compared to both 1G (p = 0.024) and 3G (p \u2264 0.05). Conversely, the 3G condition promoted a higher distance covered at high intensity compared to 2G (p \u2264 0.05). The 1G condition resulted in fewer accelerations (2G, p = 0.003; 3G, p &lt; 0.001) and decelerations (2G, p = 0.012) compared to conditions with additional goals. However, there were no statistically significant effects on technical\u2013tactical actions. Notably, a trend toward improved decision-making was observed in the 1G condition compared to 2G (ES = \u22120.64 [\u22121.39; 0.11]) and a longer ball possession duration compared to 3G (ES = \u22120.28 [\u22120.71; 0.16]). In conclusion, coaches working with elite female soccer players can strategically vary the number of goals to achieve specific physical aims (i.e., using 2G to emphasize acceleration and deceleration or 3G to promote high-intensity distance) with minimal effects on their perceived fatigue, technical\u2013tactical variables, and decision-making.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s25134035","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,30]],"date-time":"2025-06-30T12:10:31Z","timestamp":1751285431000},"page":"4035","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["How Does the Number of Small Goals Affect National-Level Female Soccer Players in Game-Based Situations? Effects on Technical\u2013Tactical, Physical, and Physiological Variables"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"25","author":[{"given":"Dovydas","family":"Alaune","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, 44221 Kaunas, Lithuania"}]},{"given":"Audrius","family":"Snieckus","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, 44221 Kaunas, Lithuania"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2165-2687","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bruno","family":"Travassos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Portugal Football School, Portuguese Football Federation, 4711-852 Oeiras, Portugal"},{"name":"Department of Sports Sciences, University of Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4211-0393","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pawe\u0142","family":"Chmura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Individual and Team Sports, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, 51-612 Wroc\u0142aw, Poland"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0859-0709","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"David","family":"Pizarro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Education and Humanities, Faculty of Social Sciences and Communication, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain"},{"name":"Faculty of Education, Camilo Jos\u00e9 Cela University, 28692 Madrid, Spain"},{"name":"Don Bosco Center for Higher Studies (CES Don Bosco), Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040 Madrid, Spain"},{"name":"Faculty of Life Sciences and Nature, University of Nebrija, 28015 Madrid, Spain"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6605-9505","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Diogo","family":"Coutinho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Maia (UMAIA), 4475-690 Maia, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"912","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0b013e3181d09f21","article-title":"Elite female soccer players perform more high-intensity running when playing in international games compared with domestic league games","volume":"24","author":"Andersson","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. 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