Kick-In Routine: Attacking Third
Kick-ins in the attacking third are like corners in football — pre-rehearsed, direct, designed to score. Three players, one screen, one runner. Drill it cold; use it sparingly.
Most amateur squads waste attacking-third kick-ins entirely — the kicker plays it short to a teammate who is immediately closed down. The opportunity disappears. Top squads have rehearsed routines that turn the kick-in into a direct attacking move: a screen pulls a defender, a runner attacks the back post, the kick is delivered into the runner's path. The 4-second clock means the routine MUST be sharp. This drill installs one foundational attacking-third kick-in routine. Once the squad has it automatic, additional routines can be layered in subsequent rounds.
- Futsal ball, cones, bibs
FA Four Corner Model
The FA's framework for player development. This drill targets the highlighted corners.
Key coaching points
Look for & praise
- The screen-setter staying stationary and legal throughout the routine
- The runner's timing into the back post matching the kick's arrival
- The kicker reading the defenders and choosing the right release
- Recognising the late-switch cue and adjusting the run without hesitation
Watch for & correct
- A moving screen that strays into an obstruction foul
- The runner arriving at the back post before or after the ball, not with it
- Forcing the routine even when the defenders have clearly read it
- Panicking under the 4-second clock and rushing the kick before the runner is set
How to run it
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Walk the routine — no defenders (4 min): Three attackers — kicker at the corner, screen-setter near the near post, runner starting 6 yards inside. On kicker's signal, screen-setter plants stationary at the near post; runner sprints diagonally to the back post; kick is delivered into the runner's path arriving in stride. Walk pace, 5-6 reps each side.
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Add passive defenders (4 min): Two defenders — one initially marking the screen-setter, one marking the runner. Walk pace. Trains the squad to navigate the obstacle of the screen and the timing of the run. The screen-setter's job is to BE WHERE THEY ARE — they don't move toward the defender; the defender takes themselves out of the play by their own movement.
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Live, full pace (5 min): Active defenders. The 4-second clock now applies. From the moment the ball is at the kick-in line, the routine must execute — screen sets, runner runs, kick lands, all in under 4 seconds. Score: 3 points for shot on goal from the routine, 1 for possession kept in attacking third, 0 for turnover.
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Variation — late switch (3 min): Same setup, but on a coach signal, the runner aborts the back-post run and CHECKS BACK toward the kicker. Kick is now a short pass for the runner to receive in space and shoot. Used when the back-post run is closed; trains the squad to have a Plan B inside the same 4 seconds.
Player rotation
Rotate kicker, screen-setter, and runner every 4 minutes. Every player should kick at least 4 times — kick-ins occur all over the pitch and the squad cannot have a designated kicker without exposing themselves to opposition planning around it.
Make it harder or easier
Use the FA's STEP framework — adjust Space, Task, Equipment, or Players to fit your group.
TASK
Walk the late-switch variation early rather than saving it for last — squads pick up the second option faster once they've seen the first one land.
PLAYERS
Use a fourth defender if numbers allow, so the routine is tested against a fuller defensive picture than it will face in some matches.
SPACE
Mark the back-post target zone with a cone so the runner has a concrete point to arrive at, not a vague area.
What if…
What if defenders shut the routine down before it starts?
Move straight to the late-switch variation — that's exactly the situation it's designed for, and the honest notes note this routine is high-leverage but low-frequency, so one clean variant is enough.
What if the squad only gets 5-8 attacking-third kick-ins a match?
Keep maintenance reps light — 3-4 per session once installed is enough, per the honest notes, so don't over-allocate session time to a low-frequency situation.
What if the screen-setter keeps drifting into a foul?
Slow that specific role down in isolation for a few reps — the stationary requirement is a discipline habit, not a technical one, and it corrects quickly with focused attention.
Honest notes
Common mistakes
Attacking-third kick-ins are high-leverage but low-frequency. A typical match has 5-8 of them; a perfectly drilled routine produces maybe 1-2 actual scoring opportunities per match. Don't over-allocate session time — once the routine is installed, maintenance reps (3-4 per session) are sufficient.
When NOT to use
- Squad has not yet drilled the foundational kick-in routine (this builds on it)
- Squad has fewer than 6 players (the routine needs three attackers + at least one defender)
- Sole-control fundamentals are shaky — the kicker's pass technique relies on it
Safety notes
Screen contact must be brief and shoulder-to-shoulder, not bodychecks. Ensure squad is using futsal footwear; sliding on a hard surface to set a screen is asking for injury.
What this develops
- Pre-rehearsed attacking-third routines
- Kick-in pass weight and accuracy under the 4-second clock
- Stationary screening within the rules
- Timed back-post running
- Squad-wide understanding of attacking-third opportunity
What it solves
This drill is built for squads that waste attacking-third kick-ins by playing them short with no plan, for slow setups that lead to 4-second turnovers, for predictable kick-ins that the opposition shuts down after one match, and for coaches who treat kick-ins as restarts rather than attacking opportunities.FAQs
How many attacking-third kick-in routines should a squad have?
Two is the minimum, three is plenty. Beyond three, players forget which routine to run and execution suffers. Two well-drilled routines (e.g. this back-post run + a near-post variation) cover most situations.
Is the screen actually legal?
Yes, if stationary at moment of contact and not within the rules of obstruction. Moving screens are fouls. Drilling stationary screens deliberately is what makes them legal in matches.
Can a goal be scored direct from a kick-in?
No — under FIFA Futsal Laws, a goal cannot be scored direct from a kick-in. The ball must be touched by another player first. This is why the routine emphasises the pass-to-runner pattern; the runner's shot is the goal-scoring mechanism.