Receiving
Two-Touch Back-to-Goal Receiving
Hold the ball up with a defender behind
Receiving
Attacking
First Touch
Two-Touch Back-to-Goal Receiving is a 16-minute receiving drill for 4-14 players, suitable for Under 9 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, full goals. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.
Back to drill libraryReceiving
Attacking
First Touch
Skill Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Two Touch
Duration
16 min
Players
4-14
Pitch size
30 x 22 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Two-Touch Back-to-Goal Receiving — Finishing set-up — serve, receive, shoot · 30 x 22 yards
Step 1 of 5Midfielder passes into the striker who has a defender behind them.
- 1. Midfielder passes into the striker who has a defender behind them.
- 2. Striker either sets the ball back or spins in behind.
- 3. The move finishes with a strike on goal.
- 4. Ball enters from the coach and the first receiver is on two touches from that moment.
- 5. Count completed sequences under the touch limit — best of three 3-minute rounds.
- Cones mark the area
- Full goal
- S = server
- Ball
- Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
- Shooter becomes the next server
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Hold the ball up with a defender behind
- -Decide between setting, spinning or turning
- -Link the striker to runners from midfield
Setup
- 1A central receiving zone in front of a goal in a 30 x 22 yards area.
- 2Place a marker at every receiving position so players know where to set the ball before it arrives.
- 3Balls at the midfield start cone, bibs for defenders.
Coaching instructions
- 1Midfielder passes into the striker who has a defender behind them.
- 2Striker either sets the ball back or spins in behind.
- 3The move finishes with a strike on goal.
- 4Ball enters from the coach and the first receiver is on two touches from that moment.
- 5Count completed sequences under the touch limit — best of three 3-minute rounds.
Coaching points
- -Feel the defender before the ball arrives
- -Strong base, arm out to hold the space
- -Set with a firm, accurate ball
- -First touch out of the feet and into the direction of the next pass
Common mistakes
- -Standing still waiting for the pass
- -Taking a touch straight into the defender
- -Taking a settling touch that kills the tempo
Where this drill fits
- More football receiving drills
- More football attacking drills
- More football first touch drills
- football drills for U10s
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme