How to Improve Shooting and Finishing in Soccer
Your dream scenario as a soccer forward has come: After shaking off the last defender, you wind your foot back, strike the ball and watch as it sails far over the net. There's nothing more frustrating for a goal scorer than missing a wide open net, but with a little bit of practice on shooting and finishing, you can bury your next opportunity with ease.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Keep the ball at a comfortable distance from your striking foot. A good rule of thumb is to keep the ball one stride in front of you when preparing to shoot. This way, you will be able to plant your weak foot and hit the soccer ball at a moment's notice. If the ball is too far from you, a defender or the goalie may intercept it before you can shoot. When the ball is too close, you cannot aim properly.
-
2
Improve your short distance shots by working on your push pass. This is the most simple shot in soccer. Lock your ankle and turn your foot so that the side of it is facing the soccer ball. Plant your weak foot slightly in front of the ball and pointed towards the net. Strike the middle of the ball and follow through with your foot going in the direction of your intended target. This is a good rebound and “one-timer” drill as it allows you to strike the ball quickly and accurately.
-
-
3
Run to the ball at an angle when attempting to drive it on net. Running straight on will cause you to miss-hit the ball with your foot. You should be at a slight diagonal when approaching the ball. For example, a right-footed player would approach the ball from his left diagonal.
-
4
Learn how to position your feet when driving the soccer ball. The toes of your plant foot should be pointed towards the target. Your striking foot should be pointed down towards the ground so that you strike the ball with the laces of your shoe.
-
5
Practice the proper tempo and follow-through when striking the soccer ball. Just like tennis and golf, you can over-swing when shooting on net, too. This will cause you to miss the target every time. To improve this facet of shooting, place the ball at the 18 and practice shooting. While practicing, ask a teammate or coach to stand a yard or two beside the ball. Your spotter will be able to watch your leg and determine if you're under- or over-kicking.
-
6
Hit the ball just below the middle when driving it at the net. Hitting the ball too low will cause it to fly up and over the target. If you hit it too high, you will shank \the shot and may even injure your foot.
-
7
Practice penalty kicks without a goalie in net. This is the best way to improve your overall form. When doing this, imagine targets in the net. Force yourself to hit a target five times before moving onto the next one. This will greatly increase your accuracy.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Plan your shot before you take it. Visualize where you want to plant your foot and how you want to strike the ball. Imagine yourself finishing the shot as you plant your non-shooting foot. Do so and you'll bury almost every opportunity.
Be patient. Learning how to hit the ball takes time and practice. Spend an hour a day 3 to 4 days a week working on your technique. You'll be putting away shots in no time.
Don't be fancy until you've learned the basics first. Many young players want to "Bend it Like Beckham." Before you can, you must first learn how to correctly hit the ball with your foot.
