Football can be a cruel sport. On many occasions throughout football’s history, strong performances and dominance have failed to produce victory and to prevent elimination from tournaments. Such instances remind the football world that at the end of the day, only goals claim victories and victories, success.
However, this mentality is rare during the opening weeks of the season. Performance, rather than outcome can boost a side’s confidence and even to a certain degree, provide a feel-good factor. The final score does little in the early stages of the season whereas the performance can either provide confidence or cast doubt over success throughout the remainder of the season.