Goalkeeping positioning in 1v1/2v1

Pascal Zuberbühler has been very impressed with the standard in this area during the opening 24 games. The bravery, positioning, timing and focus on the ball in 1v1 situations has improved significantly since the last U-20 Women's World Cup in 2018.

Goalkeepers need to have the courage to stand tall in 1v1s. However, when a goalkeeper has to commit to these situations, it is imperative that their recovering or supporting defenders also understand where to position themselves in relation to their keeper.

This firstly ensures the defenders can position themselves in a way that further reduces the angles for any attempts at goal and, secondly, that they find a position where they can put pressure or block any attacker who may be looking to become a passing option for the attacker in possession.

The goalkeeper's relationship with their defenders in 2v1s is also an area where Zuberbühler has identified growth. Again, Zuberbühler stresses that these situations must be coached in sessions with the goalkeepers and outfield players involved. These relationships and understanding must be developed on the training pitch.

A goalkeeper that really stood out in 1v1 and 2v1 situations was Germany's Julia Kassen. Her confidence to stand in 1v1s and the bravery she demonstrated to put the pressure back on the attacking player was notable, as was her strong relationship, understanding and communication with her defenders.

For Zuberbühler, this is an area that has clearly been trained because Kassen's relationship with her defenders in 1v1s and 2v1s was cohesive. Her defenders clearly understood how to support her when she had to commit to 1v1s and knew exactly what their role was and where to make their recovery runs in relation to the angle of commitment from Kassen.

The body language demonstrated by Kassen in the clips below puts pressure on the attacking players. She was confident and was able to commit fully to the situation she was in. The understanding and positional awareness of her fellow defenders is also crucial in these situations because they know where they need to be to give Kassen the support she needs.

Outfield players must know the strengths of their goalkeeper and the goalkeeper must know the strengths of their defenders. The synergy between all players must be impenetrable in moments of chaotic and instinctive defending. These relationships must be developed together on the training pitch, never in isolation.