Receiving & First TouchBall Control Under PressureDribbling & Beating DefendersIntermediateFoundationalU9-U10Focused Drill

1v1 Shield & Escape Challenge

5-10 minutes Group 1 soccer ball, 8 cones

Listen to your Coach

Coach Carter

A short spoken walk-through of this drill.

Goal

Shield the ball effectively for the full duration and successfully dribble through a gate without losing possession.

Setup

Create a 5x5 yard square. Place two 'escape gates' (cones 1 yard apart) on opposite sides of the square.

Drill Instructions

1. Coach or 3rd player passes the ball to player in the center of the grid; Defender starts directly behind them. 2. The attacker must shield the ball for 3 seconds while the defender tries to poke it away. 3. After 3 seconds, the attacker can turn in any direction to burst through either of the two side gates.

Coach Tip

Keep your body between the ball and the defender, use your arm for feel, and sit low like you're in a chair for better balance.

Avoid

Standing too upright or keeping the ball stuck under your feet where you can't move it.

Court diagram coming soon

Ready to train?

Add this drill to your Active Drills to start tracking time and progress.

AI Coach feedback

Upload or record a clip of yourself on this drill and your AI coach will spot what's working and what to fix next.