Football substitutions: player change vs match event
Read substitutions correctly and check the competition's limits instead of assuming one universal number.
The competition sets the permitted number
IFAB Law 3 sets a framework for substitutions, including a maximum of five in official competitions, with competition rules determining the number permitted. There are additional provisions for opportunities, extra time and other formats. Do not assume every match uses an identical allowance.
A player change is a roster event within the match. It does not add a goal or restart the match clock. A hypothetical substitution at 1-0 leaves the score at 1-0 unless another scoring event occurs.
The change follows a procedure
The referee must be informed before a substitution. The substitute enters during a stoppage, at the halfway line, after the departing player has left and after the referee's signal. The procedure matters; a bench player does not become an on-field player merely by standing up.
Law 3 describes the substitution as completed when the substitute enters. Return substitutions exist only in the specified permitted settings. Do not assume a replaced player can re-enter an elite match because a grassroots game allows it.
A substitution does not explain its own motive
A live feed naming two players establishes the change, not necessarily an injury, tactical reason or coach's private view. Avoid inventing that story from timing alone.
ScoreZaap's score and event labels provide different pieces of context. Check the actual competition conditions for limits and additional allowances, and use the confirmed event to identify who left and who entered. This example is not a report of a named fixture.