Reports suggest Wilson believes teams should treat a shootout as a scenario to organise, not simply endure. That means choosing takers before the pressure peaks, rehearsing breathing patterns and giving players a clear routine for the walk from the centre circle to the spot.
“You do not have any given right to be successful. But my view is, work on the things that make it more likely that you are going to do well,” Wilson says.
For Canada and South Africa, the crucial work may happen long before Sunday. Players must know where they want to place the ball, how they will speak to themselves and who will take responsibility if the order changes.
The statistical evidence cited in the report offers guidance rather than certainty. Low efforts towards the taker’s left have historically been among the more productive choices, while medium-height penalties down the middle have proved less effective.
That does not remove the goalkeeper from the equation. Emiliano Martínez’s influence during Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph showed how a goalkeeper can alter the emotional balance, while Roberto Baggio’s miss in the 1994 final remains a reminder that technique and reputation cannot guarantee the outcome.
Accuracy, timing and commitment may be more valuable than simply striking the ball harder.
A shootout is also a test of the players waiting behind the penalty taker. “Send somebody out, bring them back. That is a long walk,” Wilson says. “It is a longer walk back if you have missed.”
That support could define the response to an error. Julia Grosso has previously recalled telling herself to “stay calm, treat it as a game” before a decisive Olympic penalty - a simple message that captures the challenge.
If Canada and South Africa reach the spot-kicks, the decisive edge may belong to the team whose routines, support network and emotional control were settled before the pressure arrived.