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Defending & Winning the BallDecision MakingMovement Off the BallIntermediateAdvancedFocused Drill
1v1 Defensive Angle Challenge
15 minutes Partner, Group 1 soccer ball, 4 cones, pinnies
Listen to your Coach
Coach Carter
A short spoken walk-through of this drill.
Goal
The defender wins if they force the attacker out of bounds or steal the ball. The attacker wins by crossing the end line.
Setup
Create a 15x20 yard grid. Place a starting cone for the defender on one end line and a starting cone for the attacker on the opposite end line.
Drill Instructions
1. The defender passes the ball across the grid to the attacker. 2. As soon as the pass is made, the defender sprints to close the space. 3. The defender must angle their body to 'shade' the attacker toward one specific sideline. 4. The attacker tries to dribble past the defender to reach the opposite end line.
Coach Tip
Keep a low center of gravity and stay on the balls of your feet so you can react to sudden changes in direction. Triggers to try to take the ball: heavy touch or the attacker looking at their feet.
Avoid
Do not dive in or lunging for the ball too early, which allows the attacker to skip past you.
Adjust on the fly
Make it easier
Reduce the width of the grid so the defender has less ground to cover.
Make it harder
Add two small gate goals on the end line that the attacker can score in, forcing the defender to protect specific targets.
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.
Setup
Create a 15x20 yard grid. Place a starting cone for the defender on one end line and a starting cone for the attacker on the opposite end line.
Drill Instructions
1. The defender passes the ball across the grid to the attacker. 2. As soon as the pass is made, the defender sprints to close the space. 3. The defender must angle their body to 'shade' the attacker toward one specific sideline. 4. The attacker tries to dribble past the defender to reach the opposite end line.
Goal
The defender wins if they force the attacker out of bounds or steal the ball. The attacker wins by crossing the end line.
Coach Tip
Keep a low center of gravity and stay on the balls of your feet so you can react to sudden changes in direction. Triggers to try to take the ball: heavy touch or the attacker looking at their feet.
Avoid
Do not dive in or lunging for the ball too early, which allows the attacker to skip past you.
Adjust on the fly
Make it easier
Reduce the width of the grid so the defender has less ground to cover.
Make it harder
Add two small gate goals on the end line that the attacker can score in, forcing the defender to protect specific targets.
Watch the Drill
Video coming soon.
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Court diagram coming soon
Listen to your Coach
Coach Carter
A short spoken walk-through of this drill.
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.