Recovery Defending Drill – Half-Pitch 1v1 Pressure Duel

-June 22, 2025

Struggling to stop fast wingers in transition? This recovery defending drill trains your players to chase back, delay, and contain attacks in wide areas — just like in real matches. By utilizing a full-length half-pitch channel, this drill effectively simulates game-like scenarios where a defender must chase back and contain a winger breaking forward down the flank.

Setup

Field Design: Mark a wide lane from around 35 to 40 meters long or, if you have a football field available, from the halfway line to the edge of the penalty area and 15 meters wide. Use flat cones to create two mirrored channels on opposite sides of the pitch. Place a mini goal at the end of each channel, near the top of the penalty box.

Team Formations: The drill can be played with as few as two players. However, the ideal numbers are 8 players, with 4 attackers versus 4 defenders. Attackers start at the halfway line with the ball. Defenders begin near the edge of the penalty area, on the opposite end of the channel.

Equipment:

Cones for channels
2–4 mini goals
6–8 footballs
Training bibs in two colours

Instructions

Flow & Transition:

Phase 1 – Defender Attack:
- The defender begins by dribbling at full pace toward the opposing mini-goal with the ball under control.
- The defender must shoot to the goal from behind the red cone mark and then touch the mini-goal crossbar.
Phase 2 – Attacker Response:
- Once the defender touches the crossbar, the waiting attacker — starting from a static position — bursts forward with the ball toward the opposite mini-goal.
- The striker must score from behind the red cone closer to their target goal.
Phase 3 – Recovery Defend: The defender must recover diagonally, cut off the lane, and delay or dispossess the attacker before they reach the goal.
Phase 4 – Counter-Attack: Once the defender recovers the ball, they can attempt to score again (this time, the goal is counted towards their team tally).
Players switch roles or rotate after each round.

Scoring System:

The first goal scored by the defender doesn’t count
A striker’s goal is worth 1 point
A defender’s goal after recovering the ball is worth 2 points
Each player rotates through both attacker and defender roles. The drill concludes once all players have completed both phases. Add up each team’s total to determine the winner.

Key Benefits and Takeaways

Develops Match-Realistic Recovery Defending: Players learn to respond to sudden transitions by recovering into defensive shape and applying pressure from behind or the side — a crucial skill in wide-area defending.
Teaches Diagonal Pressure and Channel Management: The defender must angle their recovery run to close down the attacker’s path while containing them within a limited channel, improving tactical discipline and defensive awareness.
Reinforces Timing and Body Positioning: Players are challenged to judge the moment to engage, using proper body shape to delay or direct the attacker away from the goal rather than diving in recklessly.
Builds Physical Resilience and Match Fitness: The sprint-and-recover action, followed by a second attacking opportunity, mimics real game fatigue, encouraging defenders to stay focused and composed under pressure.
Encourages Game Intelligence in Transition: The drill replicates moments when possession is quickly turned over, training players to scan, react, and execute defensive decisions with urgency and control.
Promotes Competitive Mindset Through Scoring: By allowing players to attack and defend with a scoring system, the drill motivates intensity, sharpness, and accountability on both sides of the ball.

Get Involved!

Have you tried this Recovery Defending Drill with your team? Share your setup, adaptations, or training clips with us on Facebook or tag us on Instagram!

Pablo Matamoros

I am a software engineer with 25+ years of experience across diverse industries. I've climbed the corporate leader over the years, which has some benefits but means I moved away from my love for tinkering with technology. So, I build the odd website or application to keep learning and stay in touch with technology. FootballTechniques allows me to combine my programming knowledge with my passion for football.

To find out more about my professional experience, visit PabloMatamoros.com