Finding the Right Angle

Successfully converting corner kicks into goals is a huge part of college soccer. Junior defender Matthew Henderson, who hits the majority of the Nittany Lions’ corner kicks, breaks down one of his favorite corner set pieces of the half dozen or so the team uses.

1. I’ll start by using a certain signal. Everyone starts in the middle of the box, maybe around the penalty spot.
2. One player will run by the front post to try to drag a defender...
3.  ...then a group of three or four run toward the front area, to draw more attention.
4. While that’s going on, someone who started toward the front will then spin around the back toward the back post at the last minute, and I’ll find him with the cross. You don’t want it too close to the goalkeeper, so I aim for about the 6-yard line and curling in (X), trying to just miss the back post so that it’s a tap-in.