Keith Siau suggested the drink handed to referee Felix Zwayer during USA vs Australia was probably pickle juice.
The scene was unusual because referees rarely become the focus of a late-game medical stoppage in a World Cup match.
It also showed how one quick sideline decision can explain the link between heat, fatigue and sports science.
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
In a post from Keith Siau , he said the mysterious drink was probably pickle juice after Zwayer cramped up late in USA vs Australia.
Zwayer went down in stoppage time with the United States leading 2-0 at Seattle's Lumen Field. Folarin Balogun and Australia's Aiden O'Neill helped stretch him out before fourth official Katia Garcia came over with fluids.
Siau's explanation went beyond a simple hydration fix. He said pickle juice can relieve cramp rapidly, often in under two minutes, because vinegar's acetic acid triggers sensory receptors in the throat.
That sends a signal through the nervous system and helps calm overactive muscles. It is not mainly about replacing electrolytes, because that process would take too long to explain such a quick response.
That is why pickle juice has become a sideline tool in elite sport. Tennis players, soccer players and endurance athletes have all used it when cramp hits during competition.
The cramp delay came at the end of a major Group D result for Mauricio Pochettino's side.
The United States won 2-0 after Cameron Burgess turned the ball into his own net in the 11th minute and Alex Freeman added a header before halftime. The result put the USMNT on six points from two matches.
That was enough to send the Americans into the knockout stage, even without Christian Pulisic, who missed the match with a calf injury.
Australia stayed on three points and still had a route through the group, but the night was frustrating. They pushed harder after halftime and also appealed for a penalty when the ball appeared to hit Sebastian Berhalter's arm.
Zwayer still finished the match, which made the moment easier to laugh about. The quick intervention also showed why officials need the same cramp tools as the players around them.
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