In June 2009, the U.S. men's national soccer team was in South Africa in the Confederations Cup against a sublimely talented Spanish team that would win the World Cup a year later. Marylander Oguchi Onyewu and Wisconsin's Jay DeMerit anchored the American defense to a shocking 2-0 upset of the European elites. Angered by their defeat, most of Spain's players refused to exchange jerseys after the final whistle. Every defensive method in the book, from blocks to clearances to shadowing, was on display by a determined, disciplined American team.
Interceptions
Defensive players try to win the ball by tackling it away, slide tackling or intercepting a pass. At the highest international and professional levels, defenders win balls mainly by blocking passes and only to a lesser extent by tackling the player with the ball, writes Danish sports scientist Jens Bangsbo in "Defensive Soccer Tactics." You need to be aware of the opponent's next passing option and anticipate ways the game might develop to effectively intercept the ball. In a textbook example, the Americans did this in the Spain contest, patiently seeking to interrupt passing lanes, according to Steve Davis of ESPN SoccerNet.
Tackling
As for tackling, this term has a different meaning in soccer compared to American football. In soccer, a tackle involves winning the ball from the feet of a rival by nudging it away, but allowing the defender to stay standing to avoid a foul call. A slide tackle, where the defender skids in feet-first to try to poke the ball to a teammate or out of bounds, represents a gamble in professional soccer. You cannot defend while you are on the ground. You also risk giving up a penalty kick for slide tackles that lead to fouls in the penalty box, so they are more safely done on the fringes of the field, Bangsbo says. The American team displayed superb tackling against Spain, according to the New York Times' account of the match, with desperate slide tackles smothering shots.
Containing the Offense
Defenses must come up with a containment strategy, especially against a superior opponent. The U.S. team focused its battle with Spain on the penalty box in front of the goal. Here Onyewu and DeMerit thumped the ball away with diving headers or blocked it and sent it away with clearance kicks. The team used the header to clear away threats in the air and swept out low crosses by foot. Midfielder Ricardo Clark came back to help, such that goalkeeper Tim Howard had fewer dangerous shots to block. To emulate this tactic, a solid line of four midfielders can work to disrupt the opponents' midfield, while the two central defenders and the goalkeeper attempt to create a bunker defense that cannot be penetrated.
Transition Play
The U.S. team recovered immediately to changes in possession versus Spain and used its muscularity and size to thwart scoring chances. Transition play involves reacting immediately to a change of possession, with everyone including forwards helping out on defense. Young players react slowly to transitions, while pros switch gears instantly as they must avoid gaps in the defense. In Major League Soccer, the pro league in the U.S., the 2010 championship was won by the Colorado Rapids, who used solid transition play to down FC Dallas 2-1.
References
- The New York Times: "Americans Stun Spain and the Soccer World"; Jere Longman; June 24, 2009
- "Defensive Soccer Tactics"; Jens Bangsbo, et al.; 2002
- ESPN SoccerNet: "U.S. Sends Shockwaves Across Europe with Win against Spain"; Steve Davis; June 2009
- BBC Sport Football: "Spain v. US As It Happened"; Jonathan Stevenson; June 2009
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