Corner Combinations
Two teams play keep-away in a big square and score by playing into a corner teammate — who must one-touch it to a third player.
The point only counts as a three-player combination, so passing turns into thinking ahead — every ball into the corner needs the next pass already planned.
Starting at Core — your team is set to mixed.
20 min tonight · Two teams of up to 8
- Ages 9+
- Two teams of up to 8
- 20 min as the drill is written
- Cones, pinnies, balls
Grab Cones, pinnies in two colors, and a few balls.
Build Build a square about 40 by 40 yards — grow or shrink it for your numbers and skill level.
Place Each team posts a player in two diagonally opposite corners — one team takes two corners, the other team takes the remaining two. Everyone else starts inside.
- 1
Organize the players
Split into two even teams in pinnies, no more than eight a side. Post one player from each team in each of their two diagonal corners.
“Reds — those two corners. Blues — the other two. Everyone else, inside.”
- 2
Show the jobs
Walk one score — the ball goes into a corner player, the corner player plays it first-time to a third teammate, and the passer runs out to take over that corner.
“Corner players — one touch, back to a teammate. Make the pass in? You take the corner.”
- 3
Play
Keep score to 10. Watch for early balls — the diagonal corners exist so the point of attack can swing before the defense sets.
“Play it early! Think ahead — who's next after the corner?”
Look for Early balls into the corners — the point of attack changing quickly instead of the ball circling under pressure.
- 4
Switch and repeat
The scoring does the rotating — every point trades the passer into the corner. Remind corner players they can move along their corner to fix their angle.
“Corners — don't stand still. Slide over and open the angle!”
If the one-touch layoff keeps dying, give the corner players two touches until the combinations flow, then go back to one.
Go deeper · 3 notes
Why it works
A goal here is a combination, not a pass — into the corner, out first-time, on to a third player — so a team can only score by playing together and thinking a pass ahead. The rotation keeps it honest: everyone takes a turn being the corner outlet.
What they learn
Combination play, switching the point of attack, and thinking ahead to support the attack.
What's next
2v2 Plus 4 — the same corner outlets, now serving a 2v2 in a tight square.
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.