to cope with pressure : to deal successfully with the negative feeling you get in a difficult situation.
The Liverpool manager thinks his team have the mental strength to win the Premier Leauge:
Brendan Rodgers: Liverpool boss tips his side to cope with pressure.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26813709
Other words that often combine with ‘pressure’ in a football context
To feel the pressure: to show signs that pressure is affecting you
To handle pressure: synonym for ‘to cope with pressure’
To come under pressure: to experience pressure (= to be under pressure)
A high pressure situation
Brought to you by Football English, the vocabulary workbook for soccer.