Third-player runs

Organisation

• Organise mini-pitches for 3v3 matches, no goalkeepers
• Let each team play against each other for three minutes
• The team that scores the most goals in all of its matches wins

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Use bigger goals

 Ways to make the exercise harder

• Use smaller targets instead of mini-goals
• Limit the number of touches
• Every time someone scores, it has to be a different player to the last scorer

Great questions to ask the children

• Can you try to block the goal as a defender?
• Can you break quickly to score when your team wins the ball?
• Can you try to get between the ball and your own goal quickly when your team loses possession?

Safety tips

• Create a safe playing area

Organisation

• Organise two teams of three plus two target players
• The two target players play beside each of the goals and act as servers
• Each team has to combine with target players before it can score
• The servers can play the ball back in different ways
• Make sure you rotate the target players after each goal scored

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Servers can play the ball back in by hand

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Players have to score in the air from the servers
• Players have to score with their first touch from the servers
• Add goalkeepers

Great questions to ask the children

• Can you try to play the ball early to the target players?
• Can you try to time your run to receive a shooting opportunity from the target player’s pass?
• Can you try to finish using just one touch when you receive the pass from the target player?

Safety tips

• Create a safe playing area

Organisation

• Organise two teams of six plus two target players
• The two target players play beside each of the goals and act as servers
• The target players can play close to the goal, five to ten metres or 15-20 metres away
• Each team has to combine with target players before they can score
• The target players can vary the way the ball is played or crossed depending on the distance from the side of the goal
• Make sure you rotate the target players after each goal scored or every few minutes

 Ways to make the exercise easier

• Servers can play the ball back in by hand

 Ways to make the exercise harder

• Players have to score in the air from the servers
• Players have to score with their first touch from the servers
• Add goalkeepers

 Great questions to ask the children

• Can you try to play the ball early to the target players?
• Can you try to time your run to receive a shooting opportunity from the target player’s pass?
• Can you try to finish using just one touch when you receive the pass from the target player?

 Safety tips

• Create a safe playing area