How to Score on a Breakaway in Soccer

It's often said that during a breakaway in hockey, the goalie, not the shooter, has the advantage. That is not the case in soccer. A breakaway can be a dream-come-true for a soccer forward. In fact, a play will probably be booed off the field if he doesn't convert on a breakaway. For that reason, though, a breakaway can also be a stressful event for an offensive player. Here are some tips for scoring on a breakaway in soccer.

Instructions

1. Keep the ball no more than a few inches away from you. You may have to make a quick move with the ball, especially if the goalie advances towards you. If the ball is further away from your feet, he could either throw you off your move or even get to the ball before you can get off an accurate shot.

2. Pay attention to what the goalie does. The positioning of the goalie will determine where you try to place the ball on the breakaway. It's also important to know if and when the goalie decides to make a move towards you in order to attempt to break up the play.

3. Try to get the goalie to make the first move. During most breakaways in soccer, you'll want the goalie to come out and try to make a play on the ball. Once this happens, you can simply bury a gentle shot past him in either direction. The easiest way to get the goalie to make a move is to wait as long as you can to take a shot. The closer you get to him, the “bigger the goal gets,” which simply means that the chances that you'll miss the net on a shot decrease the closer you get. Since the goalie knows this, he will have no other choice but to come out and attempt to make a play.

4. Attempt the simplest shot on net possible. In hockey, a shooter needs to try to fake out the goalie in order to score during a breakaway. In soccer, though, you have a much larger net to work with. Many soccer forwards will try to chip the ball over the goalie's head during a breakaway. Unless you're coming in on an awkward angle, this probably isn't necessary. If you handle the breakaway correctly, you should have plenty of room on at least one side of the net to bury your shot.

5. Don't kick the ball hard during a soccer breakaway. For the most part, players mess up on a breakaway because they send the ball either over the net or off to the side. This is done because they wind up and kick the ball with all their strength. This isn't necessary. If you do plan to put the ball in the air during your shot, do so with a controlled kick and follow-through. Because of the size of the net, a “medium shot” should be more than enough to score during a breakaway in soccer.

6. Remain calm. This goes along with the previous step. It's obviously exciting to know that you have an easy opportunity to score. The last thing you want to do is mess it up because you're overly anxious, causing you to send the ball into the fourth row. Stay relaxed, remain focused and concentrate on sending your shot into the back of the net.