Overlap in soccer

An overlap in soccer is a run by a teammate around the outside of the player on the ball, usually a full back going past a winger near the touchline. It turns a one against one on the wing into two against one: the defending full back can stop the player on the ball or cover the runner, but not both. The winger's job is to draw the defender in, and the full back's job is to arrive at the right moment.

How the overlap works in soccer

Say your right winger has the ball near the touchline with the other team's left back in front of them. On their own, the winger has to beat that defender. If your right back runs past on the outside, the defender has a choice. If they stay with the winger, the pass goes down the line to the runner. If they go with the runner, the winger has room to come inside and shoot or pass.

What makes it work is the winger carrying the ball inside, toward the defender. That pulls the defender a step infield and opens the space along the touchline for the run. A winger who stands still or drifts toward the line closes that space themselves.

The timing of the run matters more than its speed. The full back starts from behind the ball and runs past the winger's outside shoulder as the winger draws the defender, so they receive the pass running forward into space. A run that starts too early arrives before the defender has committed, and the runner can end up offside. A run that starts too late arrives after the winger has been closed down. A short call from the runner tells the winger they are coming without the winger having to look.

When the full back goes forward, someone has to cover the space they leave. Usually the nearest center midfielder or center back shifts across, so that a lost ball doesn't leave the wing empty behind them. Agree on who covers before the game, not during it.

Step by step

In this play O attacks to the right. O8 is the right winger and O4 the right back, D4 is the defender facing them, and D8 is tracking back from midfield.

O8 has the ball wide and carries it inside toward D4. D4 steps inside to stay between O8 and the goal, and O4 starts running up the touchline behind them.

O4 runs around the outside of O8. D8 is chasing but a step behind, so D4 now faces two players.

D4 stays with O8 to block the way inside. That leaves the line open, and O8 slides the ball into O4's path.

O4 carries the ball toward the end line. As soon as the ball goes wide, O9 runs to the near post, O10 to the far post, and O8 moves to the edge of the box.

O4 crosses low to the near post, where O9 has got ahead of D3.

O9 meets the cross. If it is cleared, O8 is in place at the edge of the box for the second ball.

If D4 goes with O4 instead, the space is inside: O8 keeps carrying the ball and can shoot or pass to O9. The overlap gives the winger a choice, and the winger reads which way the defender goes before deciding.

To practise it, start with a winger, a full back and one defender in a channel along the touchline, with a coach in the box as the target. Walk it through first: the winger carries inside, the full back runs around, and the defender chooses. The winger passes to whichever player the defender leaves. Then play it at full speed, and add a second defender once the timing is reliable. Overlaps are also a good way to use the space on the far side after you have opened up the other side.

The full play

You can copy this play into your own account and change it for your team, for example to run the overlap on the left or with a central midfielder making the run.

If you coach a youth or rec team, game day on Playspedia helps you set your lineup and keep playing time fair. Set up your team here.