Costly mistake

Midfielders should NEVER try to catch their breath when they're on defense. If you are a midfielder and you need to catch your breath, you should come off the field when your team is on offense, not when your team is on defense. Your team's offense doesn't necessarily need all 6 offensive players in order to score a goal. Your team can score even if there are only a few offensive players who are playing hard. However, your team absolutely needs all 6 defensive players playing hard and being alert in order to stop the other team from scoring. That means slacking off on defense in order to catch your breath will likely allow the other team to score a goal. If you are going to rest and catch your breath, make sure to do it while your team is playing offense, not on defense.