6v5 after a Pass behind the Defenders
The coach plays a ball in behind the defensive line and it's a race — attackers try to run it down and dribble into the end zone; defenders sprint to win it back and score.
Chase down the ball in the half where the opponent builds and win it back — you're close to their goal, so the transition to scoring is short.
Starting at Core — your team is set to mixed.
Up to 30 min · 10 defenders + 5 attackers + 1 goalkeeper (built for 16)
- Ages 9–11
- 10 defenders + 5 attackers + 1 goalkeeper (built for 16)
- Up to 30 min
- Cones, pinnies in two colors, balls, one standard goal
Grab Cones, pinnies in two colors, a supply of balls, and a standard goal.
Build Mark out a field with the standard goal and a 14-yard-deep end zone.
Place Ten defenders in one color and five attackers in the other, each in their starting positions; the goalkeeper in the goal; you behind the defenders' endline with the balls.
One field with a standard goal and a 14-yard-deep end zone — the diagram must confirm where the goal and end zone sit, and the starting positions that make ten defenders and five attackers into a 6v5 race.
- 1
Organize the players
Set the field, split ten defenders and five attackers into their starting positions, and put the goalkeeper in the goal. Take the balls behind the defenders' endline yourself.
“Blues, starting spots — you're winning this ball back. Reds, you're chasing my pass down. Keeper, in goal.”
- 2
Show the jobs
Walk one rep — you play the ball in from behind the endline, the attackers run it down and try to dribble into the end zone, the defenders sprint after it to win it back and score.
“Stay compact, pressure, attack the ball. When my pass goes in, it's a race.”
- 3
Play
Run it with two breaks, the source's own way — at the first break, ask the guided question and let them keep playing to discover the answer; at the second, they share answers with you and each other.
“What are your signals to start pressing? Keep playing — show me.”
Look for The line sprinting after the ball the moment it goes behind them, then moving forward as a unit with pressure on the ball carrier the whole way.
- 4
Switch and repeat
Reset both teams to their starting positions and play the next ball in. Switch variants when the level is wrong — that is the design, not a failure.
“Back to your spots — next ball is coming in!”
Too hard? Same game on a field only 45 yards wide. Too easy? Give the attackers another way out of pressure — they can also score by passing to the coach in the end zone. Spend the thirty minutes either way.
Go deeper · 3 notes
Why it works
Pressure, cover, balance is the source's own key-words phrase for this goal, and the model answers put the press in kids' language — the signals to start pressing are missed passes, square passes, and passes that go behind their receivers. This game drills the moment after the signal, the race for the ball after a pass goes behind the defensive line: sprint after the ball, move forward as a unit, keep pressure on the ball carrier at all times.
What they learn
Pressure, cover, balance as one unit — staying compact, reading the signals to press, and stealing the ball.
What's next
8v8 on Three Goals — the same session goal, now pressing with the whole team on the field.
Where does this come from?
US Soccer — Play/Practice/Play session plans for 9v9, U11–U12.
A governing body published this — the same organization that writes the rules your league plays by.