Drills / Team practice

1v1 to the gates

An attacker scores by dribbling through either of two gates. If the defender wins it, they attack the other two.

Players
Pairs, any number
Space
20 × 15 m per pair
Kit
1 ball per pair, 8 cones per pair
Time
15 minutes
Age
All ages
AD
  • Us
  • Them
  • Pass
  • Run
  • Dribble

Set up

  • Mark a 20 × 15 m area per pair, with a 2 m gate in each corner of the two short ends.

How it works

  1. The defender passes to the attacker to start.
  2. The attacker scores by dribbling through either gate at the defender's end.
  3. If the defender wins the ball, they attack the gates at the other end.
  4. Swap roles every three goes.

What to work on

  • Run at the defender. Make them choose a side.
  • Fake one way, go the other.
  • Burst away after you beat them.
  • Two gates means the attacker can switch: if one is blocked, the other is open.

Easier

Bigger gates.

Harder

Add a time limit of six seconds to score.

Skills this works on: the step-over, the body feint, the double touch, jockeying. Each one has a close-up drawing of the feet.

Especially good for: full-back and wing-back, winger and wide midfielder.

Planning a whole session? The session planner builds one around this kind of practice.

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