Few goals frustrate a goalkeeper and a coach more than a shot that beats the keeper at the near post. From a tight angle the gap between the keeper and the post looks small, so a goal there usually means the keeper was in the wrong place, moved too late, or was already thinking about the cross. The good news is that near-post defending is very trainable. It is mostly about starting position, short steps and a calm, clear decision.
In this guide we share eight goalkeeper near-post drills: tight-angle shots, low drives, driven crosses to the near post, cutbacks and wide 1v1 situations. Each drill has coaching points, a regression and a progression, so you can use it with young keepers and senior keepers alike.
Why the near post matters
When the ball is wide, the near post is the shortest and fastest route to goal. A shot there arrives quickly and gives the keeper very little time to react, while a shot across the keeper to the far post travels further and gives defenders and the keeper more time. That is why most coaches ask their keepers to take the near post away first and make the attacker choose the harder option.
Protecting the near post does not mean hugging it. If the keeper stands too close to the post, a cutback or a shot across goal becomes easy. The job is to find a position on the line between the ball and the centre of the goal, a little towards the near post, set before the shot, and stay ready to move across. Our goalkeeper positioning drills explain angle play in more detail, and our guide to the goalkeeper set position covers the ready stance these drills rely on.
Safety first
- Train diving and low saves on soft grass or a padded surface, never on hard, frozen or stony ground.
- Warm up fully with mobility, footwork and easy handling before any shots from tight angles.
- Teach keepers to land on the side of the body (thigh, hip, shoulder) and never go head-first, especially when the post is close.
- Use padded post protectors or a mini goal if you can, and keep the keeper a safe distance from fixed posts during fast drills.
- Build intensity step by step: start with throws, then side-foot shots, then full shots once the technique holds up.
- With children, use lighter balls, shorter distances and fewer repetitions, and tell attackers never to follow in on the keeper.
8 goalkeeper near-post drills
1. Near-post starting position walk
Place three cones in an arc on the left side of the box, from the byline out to the edge of the box. The server stands with a ball at one cone. The keeper walks to the position that protects the near post for that cone, sets, and the coach checks the angle by standing behind the ball. Then the server moves to the next cone and the keeper moves with short side steps and sets again. No shots at first: the aim is to learn where to stand.
- Coaching points: stay on the line between the ball and the centre of the goal, slightly towards the near post; small side steps, not a cross-over; set with the weight on the front of the feet.
- Regression: let the keeper use a rope or a line of flat markers from the ball to the goal as a guide.
- Progression: add a soft throw at the near post each time the keeper sets, then repeat on the right side.
2. Tight-angle shots
Set up two or three shooting cones near the byline, about six to ten metres from the near post. The server dribbles a few steps to one cone and shoots, mostly at the near post, sometimes across goal. The keeper adjusts with the ball, sets before the shot and makes the save with the body behind the ball. From a tight angle the keeper should stay big and on their feet for as long as possible rather than diving early.
- Coaching points: near post first; set early because the shot comes fast; stay big with the hands in front; push any save wide or behind for a corner, never back across the goal.
- Regression: use throws or side-foot shots from the cone furthest from goal.
- Progression: use the closest cone, mix near-post and far-post shots, or let the server choose the timing.
3. Low near-post drives
The server plays firm, low shots towards the near post from just outside the box on a wide angle. The keeper takes a short step towards the ball with the near foot and goes down sideways (a collapse save), landing on the side of the body with the hands in front and the ball pinned to the ground or pushed wide. Low near-post shots are hard to catch cleanly, so a strong, safe parry is a good result.
- Coaching points: short step first, then go down; hands lead, body behind; land on the side; push wide of the post if you cannot hold it.
- Regression: roll the ball by hand from a kneeling or seated start on a soft surface.
- Progression: increase the pace, or add a second ball straight after the save so the keeper must get up quickly.
4. Driven cross to the near post
A server on the wing plays driven, low crosses into the near-post area, between the six-yard box and the penalty spot. The keeper starts in a starting position for crosses, reads the flight early and decides: attack the ball and catch or smother it, or stay and guard the goal. Add a passive attacker who runs to the near post to make the decision more real. For high, floated crosses, see our goalkeeper crossing drills.
- Coaching points: start a step or two off the line, body slightly open to see the ball and the box; call early and clearly; if you go, go strongly and take the ball in front of the attacker.
- Regression: use underarm throws from the side with no attacker.
- Progression: add a defender and a second attacker, or let the server choose between a near-post cross and a cutback.
5. Shot or cutback
An attacker starts wide on the edge of the box and drives towards the byline. A second player waits around the penalty spot. The attacker can shoot at the near post or cut the ball back for the second player to finish first time. The keeper must guard the near post first, then move across quickly and set again if the ball is cut back. This is one of the most common goal patterns in matches.
- Coaching points: take the near post away but not by hugging the post; watch the ball and the attacker’s body; when the cutback comes, step across and set before the finish rather than diving while moving.
- Regression: the second player stands still and the cutback is slow.
- Progression: add a defender who can block the cutback, or let the attacker dribble closer to the goal line.
6. Wide 1v1
The attacker starts in the wide channel about 18 metres from goal and dribbles in at an angle. The keeper closes the distance in small steps while protecting the near post, sets when the attacker is about to shoot, and blocks with a big shape. If the attacker takes the ball across goal, the keeper follows and stays between the ball and the goal. Remind attackers to play the ball and never kick through the keeper.
- Coaching points: move forward when the ball is away from the attacker’s feet, set when it is close; keep the near post covered; stay on your feet as long as possible.
- Regression: the attacker starts further away and is only allowed to dribble at walking pace.
- Progression: add a recovering defender, or start the attacker from a wider and closer position.
7. Near-post reaction gate
Make a small gate with two cones about one metre inside the near post. The keeper starts in the middle of the goal. On the coach’s signal, the keeper shuffles quickly to the gate and sets, and the server shoots or throws at the near post straight away. This trains the keeper to arrive early and set, instead of arriving while the ball is already on its way.
- Coaching points: quick, short steps; arrive and set before the shot; head still and eyes on the ball; hands ready in front of the body.
- Regression: the server waits for a clear set before serving.
- Progression: the server serves as the keeper arrives, or the coach calls “near” or “far” so the keeper must move to either side.
8. Near-post goals count double
Finish with a small-sided game (for example 4v4 plus keepers) on a short pitch with wide channels. Goals scored from wide areas at the near post count double for the attackers, and saves at the near post earn a point for the keeper. The scoring rule makes players attack the near post and gives the keeper many real decisions in a short time.
- Coaching points: keep adjusting the starting position as the ball moves wide; talk to defenders (“show outside”, “block the near post”); after a save, look to restart the game quickly.
- Regression: make the pitch wider so the keeper has more time to read each attack.
- Progression: make the pitch smaller or limit attackers to two touches so the game speeds up.
How to build a near-post session
A near-post session works well in 60 to 75 minutes. Start with a full warm-up and the starting position walk, then add tight-angle shots and low near-post drives. In the middle of the session, use the driven cross and shot-or-cutback drills. Finish with the wide 1v1 or the small-sided game. Keep the number of dives sensible, give rest between sets and stop a drill when the quality drops. For a full template, see our goalkeeper session plan guide, and for pushing low shots safely wide, our goalkeeper parrying drills.
Plan your session with KEEPIX
We built KEEPIX so goalkeeper coaches can plan clear sessions in minutes. Use the KEEPIX session designer to draw these near-post drills with keepers, servers, cones and shot arrows, add your coaching points, and share the plan with your keepers or staff. For more ideas, download our 50 Essential Goalkeeper Drills free PDF, follow our daily GK drills on Instagram, and keep track of every session in KEEPIX Diary. You can find all our guides on the goalkeeper drills hub.
Key takeaways
- When the ball is wide, take the near post away first, but do not hug the post.
- Stand on the line between the ball and the centre of the goal, slightly towards the near post, and set before the shot.
- From tight angles, stay big and on your feet for as long as possible.
- Push near-post saves wide or behind, never back across the goal.
- Always be ready to step across for the cutback and set again before the finish.
- Train on soft surfaces, land on the side of the body and never go head-first near the post.
Frequently asked questions
Should a goalkeeper always cover the near post?
When the ball is in a wide area, the keeper should protect the near post first because it is the shortest route to goal. But the keeper should not stand on the post. Stand on the line between the ball and the centre of the goal, slightly towards the near post, so you can still move across for a cutback or a far-post shot.
How far from the near post should a goalkeeper stand?
It depends on the angle and distance of the ball. From a very tight angle the keeper is close to the near post, with only a small gap. As the ball moves further out and more central, the keeper moves away from the post and further off the line. A coach can check the position by standing behind the ball and looking at the gaps on both sides of the keeper.
What should a goalkeeper do if a near-post shot cannot be caught?
Push it wide of the post or behind for a corner with strong hands. Never parry it back into the middle of the goal, where attackers are waiting. After the save, get up quickly and be ready for the next action.
50 Essential Goalkeeper Drills — free PDF
A complete drill library from warm-up to game situations. 64 pages, 6 chapters, U-8 to senior level. Coaching points, progressions and regressions for every drill.
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