How to Use Halftime to Win
What does turning a half-time deficit in a soccer game into a victory take?
Your coach will likely make some tactical adjustments, including tweaking the game plan, substituting, changing the tempo, or making a formation change.
However, sometimes, a team’s lack of mental toughness gets in the way of executing those tactical adjustments.
For example:
- Inability to manage negative emotions – Some players have difficulty managing their anger or frustration.
They may feel the referee ignored hard fouls by opposing players. They may be unable to resolve their anger with teammates who were careless with the ball or caught out of position.
- Mental and physical fatigue – Some players may feel physically and mentally exhausted by the fast pace of the first half or circumstances that did not go their way.
- Lack of Belief – Some players may feel there is no chance of turning the game around or lack overall confidence in their team. When you lose focus, confidence, and motivation, no amount of tactical adjustments will help turn the game around.
The key is to accompany the tactical reset with a mental reset. A mental reset includes:
- Relax – Take a few minutes to chill out, clear your mind, and allow your emotions to settle
- Review – After your mind is clear, you can evaluate how you and your team performed. Your coach will help point out trouble areas and potential solutions.
- Refocus – This is the time to let go of the first half, focus on the revised game plan, and how you can execute the plan to the best of your ability.
- Ready – In this stage, preparing for the second half of the game is important by continuing with your halftime routines.
- Re-Immerse – When you take the field in the second half, it is crucial to immerse yourself fully in the present, so you are not overthinking during the second half.
This mental reset and response to adversity is the very definition of mental toughness. Let’s examine AC Milan and how they respond to halftime deficits.
AC Milan completed a come-from-behind victory by scoring two goals in the second half to beat FC Como, 2-1 in a 2025 Series A matchup. The win was Milan’s second consecutive comeback victory after losing their previous three games.
The win keeps Milan in the hunt for a Champions League playoff spot. Christian Pulisic scored the game-tying goal against FC Como and commented on the importance of resetting and refocusing on what needs to be done to turn the game around.
PULISIC: “I can’t give you a reason [why we get off to slow starts]. We want to start the game stronger, and I don’t know why this season we’re always in trouble in the first half. The important thing is to do better in the second.”
Overcoming a half-time deficit in soccer requires a blend of tactical adjustments, emotional control, mental toughness, and fully engaging in play during the second half.
Teams that know how to reset mentally have the best chance of turning a game around and securing a comeback victory.
The best way to learn and feel comfortable mentally resetting is by practicing the strategy.
You can practice mental resets in several ways: creating game-time scenarios in practice, visualizing a game where you successfully implement the mental resetting strategy, or developing individual mental skills that contribute to effective halftime resets.
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