Finish When It Hurts

The last ten minutes win games — clear heads and clean strikes on tired legs.

Soccer
Adult
75 min
14–22 players
1 coach
Effort 5/5
Half pitch with two goals
adult
finishing
fitness
composure
game-realistic

The PitchPlans coaching teamGAA Award 1 & 2 coaches

Kit: 16 footballs, 30 cones, two goals, keepers, bibs in two colours

Warm-up12 min

Raise and Strike

Setup: Pairs, one ball, working across a 30m width. Keep it flowing — the player-coach calls the changes, minimal standing.

How it works: Build the body up in stages while the ball is always involved. Two minutes of jogging exchanges of pass with dynamic stretches between. Then longer driven passes, plant foot set, clean contact. Then a touch to set and a firm strike into the partner's cone goal. Last three minutes: a short sprint out and back before each strike, so the heart rate is already up when the ball is hit. Both feet throughout.

What to say

“Tell them: 'clean contact even now — plant foot beside it, head steady.'”
“Say: 'the ball moves faster than you can run, so pass it and follow.'”
“Build the tempo honestly so nobody hits the finishing work cold.”

Easier

Shorter distances and drop the sprint before the strike.

Harder

Longer strikes and a full sprint before every contact so quality has to survive fatigue.

Activity15 min

Repeat Sprint Finishing

Setup: A goal with a keeper. A starting cone about thirty metres out, a served ball waiting near the edge of the box, a stack of balls with the server. Two lines so one recovers while the other works.

How it works: On the go, the player sprints from the cone, receives the served ball just outside the box, takes one touch and finishes, then sprints to touch a far cone and immediately gets a second ball to finish again. Two finishes back to back before a rest, so the second strike is made on a full tank of effort. This is exactly the ninetieth-minute chance. Keep the reps quick and honest; count goals per player over the block.

What to say

“Say: 'tired legs, clear head — pick your spot and trust the technique.'”
“Tell them: 'get the shot away early, before the keeper and your legs both set.'”
“Reward the low, accurate finish under fatigue over the tired blast over the bar.”

Easier

One finish per go, and a shorter sprint in.

Harder

Three finishes back to back, with a defender recovering to pressure the last one.

Activity16 min

Combine and Finish

Setup: A goal with a keeper. Two servers set as wall players near the edge of the box, a work station of two cones ten metres apart just outside. A stack of balls with the first server.

How it works: The attacker does a short work bout — five hard shuttles between the two cones — then immediately plays a one-two off the first wall player, a second one-two off the other, and finishes first time from the return. The combinations force decisions and clean touches while the lungs are burning. Alternate which side you start, use both feet, and keep the queue short so the rest stays realistic. A first-time finish counts double.

What to say

“Tell them: 'sharp one-twos — pass and go, do not admire it.'”
“Say: 'open your body on the return so the finish is already lined up.'”
“Demand composure: 'side-foot it into the corner, do not lash at it.'”

Easier

Fewer shuttles and allow a touch to settle before the finish.

Harder

Add a recovering defender who starts as the attacker takes the second one-two.

The rest of this session is free — along with 3 more this week.

PitchPlans coaching team

Free on PitchPlans — new sessions weekly.