South River Youth Athletics

Goal Kicks - Defensive end

The goal kick is the most dangerous set play for lower level teams. The attacking teams score more goals from the defending team's goal kicks than any other opportunity until a team learns how to successfully clear the ball from it's defensive end.

The biggest problem is set up. All too often, the defending team moves too far away from the goalie. Anyone who watches pro soccer sees the players all move to mid field and the goalie kick it over their heads. Alas, most keepers don't develop the leg strength or skill to kick the ball that far until they reach high school. Hence, the keeper ends up kicking it at his teammates (and the opponents) who are all facing the goal. It's only natural that the ball is played back towards the goal on the first touch and the other team is off to the races.

To prevent that scenario, here's a few basics to minimize the other teams chance of scoring after your goal kick:

• Have your teams players start closer to the goalie:
  • Backs should be at the edge of the penalty area and turned sideways:
    • Being turned sideways allows them to see what the other team is doing.
    • It's also easier to play the ball up field and/or evade the opposition.
  • Midfielders should only be as far away as the goalie can kick the ball (or a few yards closer):
    • Midfielders should also be turned sideways.
    • The midfielders should strive to get to the ball before the other team.
    • The midfielders can work as a group to overload an area and kick their goalie a target.
    • Midfielders can play the ball forward, to the side, or even back to a defender (when they get good enough).
    • If the goalie can't kick the ball far, the midfielders should go to the side of the penalty area for a short play.
  • One forward can/should play out in an attacking position:
    • Gives the kicking team the opportunity to attack after a few good passes.
    • Gives the other team's defense something to worry about and prevents them from overloading in attack.


• The goalie should attempt to play the ball to the midfielders:
  • If the ball goes past the backs, the backs are now in a good defending position.
  • If the goalie can't kick far, have them tell the midfielders to make a run to the side of the penalty area.
  • Last, it's better for the keeper to kick the ball out of bounds than to kick it up the middle to the other team.

Here's a quick listing of the rules pertaining to goal kicks (FIFA Soccer Law #16) :

• A goal kick is taken by the defending team any time the ball crosses to end line, last touched by the attacking team and a goal is not scored.
• Any player on the defending team may take the goal kick from any point within the goal area.
• All players on the opposing team must be outside the penalty area.
• The ball is not in play until it leaves the penalty area. If any player touches the ball before it leaves, the goal kick is retaken.
• The player who makes the goal kick can not be the first person to play the ball after it leaves the penalty area.
  • Considered a second touch and results in an indirect kick from the spot of the infraction (second touch).
  • Not very likely to happen since the kicker would have to out run the ball and all other players.
• If the kicker kicks the ball into his own goal (by accident, mistake, etc.) the kick is retaken since the ball never entered play (left the penalty area).
• A goal may be scored directly from a goal kick (very long kick though).
• A player is not offside if they receive the ball directly from a goal kick.