2v1 Attacking Rondo
Two attackers keep the ball from one defender, then pass to their teammate next door — and the passer follows the ball to keep the numbers up.
Playing with a numbers-up advantage is what makes possession work — good passing, receiving, and opening up space to find the free teammate at the right moment.
Starting at Core — your team is set to mixed.
10 min tonight · Groups of 5 (2v1 + 1v1)
- Ages 9+
- Groups of 5 (2v1 + 1v1)
- 10 min as the drill is written
- Cones, pinnies, 1 ball per group
Grab Cones, pinnies for the two defenders, and a ball per group.
Build Build two 10-by-10-yard squares side by side, sharing one edge.
Place Two attackers and one defender in one square; one attacker and one defender in the other. Ball starts with the pair.
- 1
Organize the players
Split into groups of five — three attackers, two defenders in pinnies. Two attackers and a defender in one square, one of each next door.
“Two attackers and a defender here — one of each next door. Ball starts with the pair.”
- 2
Show the jobs
Walk one sequence — the pair keeps it from their defender; the lone attacker next door keeps making runs to get free; when the pass goes over, the passer follows it in.
“Pair — keep it, then find your teammate next door. Passer — follow your pass. Next door — keep moving to get free.”
- 3
Play
Let the pattern run — 2v1, pass across, follow, new 2v1. Keep the emphasis on clean passing and receiving.
“Keep it moving — when the window opens, play it across and go!”
Look for Attackers creating space before the pass — the lone attacker working free, not standing and waiting.
- 4
Switch and repeat
Let the game flip itself — when the defenders win the ball, they hold possession and the attackers work to win it back, then the 2v1 pattern starts again.
“Defenders — won it? Now you keep it! Attackers — win it back.”
If the passes keep dying, walk the squares a few steps bigger while they play — more room buys the pair time — then bring them back in.
Go deeper · 3 notes
Why it works
The numbers-up square makes possession achievable, and the pass into the 1v1 square is the point — opening up and finding a teammate at the right moment is the skill, and following the pass is what keeps the advantage alive in the new square.
What they learn
Passing, receiving, and keeping possession in a numbers-up situation — and creating space to exploit at the right moment.
What's next
2v1 and 1v1 Possession Game — the same two squares, now with a pass count to earn the ball across.
Where does this come from?
SoccerXpert — their published drill library.
A published drill library. Useful and widely used, but not a governing body — so it fills gaps rather than leading.