Fifty-fifty is a term used in football which defines a type of challenge between two players that allows equal chances of acquiring the control of the ball.
Winning a Fifty-Fifty
When two players are in a fifty-fifty position, it would require a great amount of skill for one of them to take the possession of the ball. This is why it is important for players to know how to win this challenge.
Experts say that a fifty-fifty can be won when a player takes into consideration two important factors and these are strength and balance. Both of these can be used to an advantage with the help of proper techniques. It is also said that players do not need to be big in order to be strong and maintain a good balance, they only need to be in the right position and in doing so will need the employment of some techniques.
When it comes to employing a technique or a set of techniques during a fifty-fifty, concentration is very important. If a player losses concentration, he or she cannot maintain balance, allow the ball to run too far and send an inaccurate pass as well as well as losing focus on what is going on despite looking at the ball. In order to prevent these, several simple techniques can be used, which include showing a committed attitude, maintaining balance and solidly locking the ankle and knee.
In addition, players can also bend their knees, eye the ball, and get all their weight and strength behind the ball in order to increase chances of winning the fifty-fifty. While using some or all of these techniques, players must also remember that the middle of the ball should be touched by the tackling foot and that the non-tackling foot should be firmly anchored on the ground. Doing so can help a player break away from the fifty-fifty and take possession of the ball as well as prevent possible injury.
While mastering all the above mentioned techniques and concentrating on using these to win a fifty-fifty, a player must also remember not to allow their tackling foot to make contact with the top of the ball. The reason behind this is to prevent fouling the opponent and cutting off a good amount of energy when it comes to the ball’s movement.