Small-Sided Games

Combination End Zone Game

Reward forward passing and running with the ball

Small-Sided Games
Attacking
Passing

Combination End Zone Game is a 16-minute small-sided games drill for 6-18 players, suitable for Under 5 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, bibs. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.

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Small-Sided Games
Attacking
Passing
Small-Sided Game
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Foundation Phase
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Combination Play

Duration

16 min

Players

6-18

Pitch size

38 x 28 yards

Ability levels

Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced

Pitch diagram

Pitch set-up: Combination End Zone Game12338 x 28 yards

Combination End Zone Game — Marked area · 38 x 28 yards

Step 1 of 5Teams score by controlling the ball inside the opposition end zone.

  1. 1. Teams score by controlling the ball inside the opposition end zone.
  2. 2. The ball must be passed into the zone, not dribbled in.
  3. 3. Restart immediately from the conceding team.
  4. 4. The first pass must go into the bounce player before the practice opens up.
  5. 5. A sequence only scores when three different players have touched the ball.
  • Cones mark the area
  • Dashed lines = zones / thirds
  • Ball
  • Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble

Objectives

  • -Reward forward passing and running with the ball
  • -Create a game that works without goals
  • -Encourage runs beyond the defensive line

Setup

  1. 1A pitch with a three-yard end zone at each end in a 38 x 28 yards area.
  2. 2Add a neutral bounce player on each side line inside a marked yard-wide channel.
  3. 3Balls with the coach, two sets of bibs.

Coaching instructions

  1. 1Teams score by controlling the ball inside the opposition end zone.
  2. 2The ball must be passed into the zone, not dribbled in.
  3. 3Restart immediately from the conceding team.
  4. 4The first pass must go into the bounce player before the practice opens up.
  5. 5A sequence only scores when three different players have touched the ball.

Coaching points

  • -Run beyond the line to receive
  • -Time the pass with the run
  • -Defend the zone, not the ball
  • -Third player movement — the pass is set up by the run before it

Common mistakes

  • -Runs made too early
  • -Passing into the zone with nobody there
  • -Two players combining over and over while the third stands still

Where this drill fits

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