Coaching tools › Activities › Possession and passing

Switch and Score

By Gabe Ramos · U.S. Soccer Coach Educator · Updated November 2026

4v4 with a neutral on each side line and two mini goals on each end. A goal counts double if the ball switched sides in the last three passes. With two goals to attack, the open one is always the far one.

Setup

A 30x20 with two mini goals on each end line, one in each corner. 4v4 with a neutral on each side line.

How it works

• Score in either mini goal on your attacking end.
• A goal counts double if the ball switched sides in the last three passes.
• Neutrals have two touches.

Scoring

First to five doubles.

Make it easier or harder

• Progression 1: Neutrals have one touch.
• Progression 2: Take the neutrals away: switch through your own players.

Coach’s notes

• If It Stalls: Everyone attacking the same goal? For one minute, a goal in the goal nearest the last pass counts nothing.

Why it works

Two goals make the reason for switching obvious. Defenders crowd one goal, and the other one sits open. Players stop switching because a coach said so and start doing it because it works.

Early is the key word. A switch played after the defense has moved across is just a long pass.

Where it sits

This is activity 43 of 100 in 100 Possession Activities (Theme 5 · Switching the Play). The book is ten themes of ten rungs each, from a 3v1 square to a full 9v9 transition game, and every activity has its setup, rules, scoring, two progressions, three coaching points and an animated video like the one above.

All switching the play drills ›

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Seven against six, and a switch after halfway doubles the goal.

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