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15 min
12-14 players
Technical

1v1 Duel with Chasing Defender (U12)

By giving a slight disadvantage to the defenders, this 1v1 drill helps work on both ball control at full speed for the attacker and delayed defensive situations for the defender.

Animation: 1v1 Duel with Chasing Defender
On a half-field, place two cones spaced 10m apart, about 30m from the goal. The cone closest to the goal should be 2m behind the other. Form two teams: Attackers and Defenders. The coach positions on the attacker's side with a supply of balls.

The procedure is simple:
  1. The coach throws the ball to the attacker in different trajectories.
  2. The defenders start 2m behind the attackers.
  3. The attacker must dribble the ball at full speed towards the goal and attempt to score before being caught.
  4. The defender must contain and control without diving in, maintaining balance and guiding the opponent.

Vary the ball trajectories to work on trajectory reading and reaction:
  • Bouncing pass
  • Lofted pass
  • Driven pass
  • Aerial ball

Progression

  • Variation 1: Throw the ball further to emphasize sprinting.
  • Variation 2: Ask the goalkeeper to come out high on the shooter to work on shooting under pressure.

Objectives

Work on reaction speed, high-intensity dribbling, resistance to defensive recovery, and decision-making in 1v1 situations.

Categories

U10 U11 U12 U13 U14

Sub-themes

Shooting Duels Defensive recovery / Tracking back

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