Skip to main content

USWNT Posession Style Soccer - Goal vs New Zealand

The US Women's National Team is the #1 ranked female soccer team in the world. They are the defending champions of the Women's FIFA World Cup, and various other competitions.

The below example from their match vs New Zealand on May 16, 2019 is an excellent example of their style of soccer using possession and build-up tactics.

Rather than doing everything in their power to force the ball to the goal, they are patient and make possession of the ball their priority.

Gradually the New Zealand defense becomes less-compact and openings appear. This is the time the USWNT makes their move.

But until then, patience team-oriented possession of the ball including:
  • Turn the dribble backward to shield the ball, then make a drop pass back to a teammate behind.
  • Dribbling back away from pressure, then making a long drop pass to the left back.
  • Drop pass back to the center back.
  • Center back switch fields forward to the right back.
  • Right back with pressure send drop pass back to center back.
  • Center back switched fields back over to the left back.
  • Left mid drop pass to center mid
  • Center mid dribbles backward away from pressure
The rest is just a beautiful attack. But the patient team-based possession of the ball helped stretch the defense out, creating the openings needed for the attack to happen.

It is imperative that players have the technical proficiency to control the ball well in dribbling & passing under pressure, and that they have the tactical savvy and soccer I.Q. to use their teammates to create better attacking opportunities through possession based build-up of the attack.

Here is the video clip:



And notice these screenshots from the first time USWNT had the ball near the touch line in the final third, and the second time they had it there. Notice the differences that allowed their attack to happen?


1st time (when they decided to play back & keep possession):




2nd time (just before goal was scored):



Popular posts from this blog

The value of 4v4 & small-sided games

Small-sided games like 4v4 are highly valuable for player development at all levels. These games require players to increase their technical skills & tactical understanding, rather than simply rely on their physicality. Finding solutions to congestion and tight-space is extremely useful in full-sided soccer. 4v4 forces this scenario. Consider the following: The US Womens National Team (the US World Cup team) is the best professional Womens Soccer Team in the world. See the USWNT Training in Portugal playing 4v4:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8uF2w5k3zQ FC Barcelona (Messi's team) trains using 4v4 possession activities in small spaces: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1ElfXRFIhA Futsal: Futsal is a 4v4 (+ goal keeper) adaptation of soccer played indoors in a smaller space. The benefits of outdoor 4v4 are very similar to Futsal. Consider the following statements from world-class professional soccer players on these small-sided games: Lio...
Read more

"The Lunge" dribbling move

"The Lunge" is one of the most simple and effective dribbling moves. It is sometimes also called the "Body Feint", or some simply refer to it as "drop the shoulder". Many regard Lionel Messi as the best soccer player in the world, and he has heavily relied on this simple move to help him accomplish this. Below is an instructional video on this move. It is truly simple, and extremely effective. The move is performed by: Slowing the dribble of the ball as you approach an opponent. 3-4 feet before reaching the opponent you perform the move by: Stepping forward alongside the ball with your right foot (there should be 1-2 feet of space between your right foot at the ball). Perform a partial lunge with the right leg by: Bending the knee nearly to a 90-degree angle and leaning the upper body forward to the right (this causes the opponent to think you are going to the right). Then quickly before straightening your right leg, bring your left foot be...
Read more