Receiving
Back To Goal Receiving: Score Challenge
Receive with a defender behind
Receiving
Finishing
Dribbling
Back To Goal Receiving: Score Challenge 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, bibs, 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
Finishing
Dribbling
Skill Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Competitive
Fun
Repetition
Duration
16 min
Players
4-14
Pitch size
30 x 25 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Back To Goal Receiving: Score Challenge — Finishing set-up — serve, receive, shoot · 30 x 25 yards
Step 1 of 5Server plays into the striker who decides to turn or set.
- 1. Server plays into the striker who decides to turn or set.
- 2. If they turn, they attack the goal; if they set, they spin for a return.
- 3. Rotate every three repetitions.
- 4. Run it as a timed competition — pairs or teams count successful reps and compare scores.
- 5. Rotation: Rotate every three repetitions.
- Cones mark the area
- Full goal
- GK = goalkeeper
- C = coach / server
- Ball
- Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
- Shooter becomes the next server
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Receive with a defender behind
- -Turn or set depending on pressure
- -Finish after the turn
Setup
- 1Goal with keeper, striker thirty yards out with back to goal.
- 2Server behind the striker, defender marking tight.
- 3Cones marking the receiving zone.
Coaching instructions
- 1Server plays into the striker who decides to turn or set.
- 2If they turn, they attack the goal; if they set, they spin for a return.
- 3Rotate every three repetitions.
- 4Run it as a timed competition — pairs or teams count successful reps and compare scores.
Coaching points
- -Feel where the defender is before the ball arrives
- -Take the touch across the defender's body
- -Be decisive: turn or set, never in-between
- -Keep quality while the score matters
- -Reset quickly between reps to fit more in
Common mistakes
- -Letting the ball run across the body
- -Standing still to receive
- -Turning into pressure