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3v2 Attack (Oleada Format) — Breaking Down the Defense from a Numerical Advantage

Finishing (breaking down the defense from a numerical advantage)

Players: 3 + 2 + GKArea: about 40×30 mAge: U-11 and upTime: 20 minPhase: Attack

Setup & rules

HOW IT WORKS
  • Play starts when the GK plays a long kick to a wide player
  • The central attacker must always overlap
  • The attackers aim to score from a 3v2 situation
  • The round ends when the defenders win the ball and carry it out of the pitch
RULES
  • The defenders don't drop back to form a block
TIME
  • 20–25 min

Key factors

  1. BREAKING DOWN THE FLANK
  • The ball carrier draws the defender in to make effective use of the 2v1
  • Pretend to cut inside to free up the overlapping player
  • The overlapping player increases their speed
  • The far-side player sees the defender being drawn to the flank and moves into the space
  1. CUTTING INSIDE TO CREATE A 2v1 ON THE FAR SIDE
  • When cutting inside, use a feint as if you will use the overlapping player
  • Accelerate sharply with a dribble to beat the defender and draw in the second defender
  • If the first defender guards the inside, use the overlapping player
  • The far-side player reads how the defenders react and gets past them with positioning or an oriented control (control orientado), or targets the space behind with a diagonal run (see the 2v2 breaking-down practice)

Kazu's notes FROM THE COACH

Adjust the pitch size according to how often the target situations occur. Tools: tactical concepts = fijar (pinning a defender), losing your marker, combinations / technical actions = dribble to beat a defender (regate), crossing, shooting. When you actually run it, there are many key factors, such as how to attack a cross, supporting movements, combinations and diagonal runs, so adjust on the spot to what happens.

Use this drill in your own session

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In the app: menu → “Import external data” → choose the downloaded file. No sign-up needed. The original Japanese article: junior-soccer.college.

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I'm Kazu — a youth football coach in Japan since 1995. These are sessions I actually use, shared from the Japanese coaching site I have run for years (Junior Soccer College). I also write a free weekly newsletter on how children learn the game.