Objective
This crossing and finishing drill focuses on attacking within the 18 yard box. This soccer drill mainly focuses on crossing, shooting, and heading.
Equipment Needed
Setup
- Create five lines across the field about 5 yards from the penalty area.
- Place your crossing players on the outside lines and your attacking central players in the middle three lines.
- Instruct the middle three lines to attack a particular area of the goal (i.e.,. back-post, near-post).
Instructions
- The first player in the crossing line steps out in front of the lines facing the crossers to become a passing player.
- The next player in the crossing line is the crosser.
- The crosser passes the ball to the passing player who plays the ball back to the crosser.
- The crosser then plays a ball (to himself) past the passing player into the corner of the field.
- He then sprints past the passer and crosses his pass into the middle players who should be running onto the cross.
- The crosser now becomes the passing player and play repeats.
- Alternate the crosses from the right and left sides.
Coaching Points
- Focus on proper body position from the crossing players assuring they are getting their hips facing the middle of the field.
- Make sure attackers are properly timing their runs and not getting in too quick or too slow.
- Finishers should be composed in front of the goal and look to redirect the ball past the keeper.
Variations
- Play in 1-touch on every ball.
- Add defensive players in the middle of the field to create defensive pressure.
- Specify the requested finishing style (ie. score on headers, volleys)
- Have the crossers drive the ball low.
- Have the crossers drive the ball in hard.