Soccer Shooting Drills You Can Do on Your Own
For lots of players, the only soccer shooting practice they do each week is either during the game at the end of team training, or in a team shooting drill where they spend 90% of their time waiting in line. And in these environments, the conditions are chaotic. Half the time you're tired, you're sharing the ball, and you're not thinking about your technique. You're just hitting it and hoping.
If you want to actually improve your shooting, you need repetition in a controlled environment. Just you, a ball, some cones, and a goal. No pressure, queue, or distractions. This is where you can focus on your technique, practise from different angles and distances, and build the kind of finishing confidence that comes from repetition.
The drills below are ones I use with my players regularly. All you need is a ball, a few cones, and a goal with a net. If you're not sure where to find one near you, check out my guide to the best soccer fields in Melbourne, which highlights which grounds have netted goals available for public use.
Key Takeaways
Most players don't practise shooting enough outside of team training, and team training rarely provides the focused repetition needed to genuinely improve
All of these drills can be done completely on your own with a ball, a few cones, and a goal
Adjust the position of the setup based on your position. Wingers should work from wide angles, strikers and attacking midfielders from central positions. Every attacker should practise from multiple angles
Focus on picking your target before you shoot. Aim for specific areas of the goal, not just "on target"
Start each drill at a comfortable pace and build speed as your technique becomes consistent
A Note on Setup and Position
Every drill below can be moved around the edge of the box depending on where you play. If you're a right winger, set up approaching from the right. Left winger, from the left. Striker or centre attacking mid, set up centrally. Attackers in the modern game move across the pitch constantly though, so although you may primarily focus on your specific area, don't completely disregard other spots. Move the setup around and get comfortable finishing from everywhere. The more positions you can score from, the harder you are to defend.
These drills are about building the habit of shooting with purpose and creating realistic game scenarios you can practise alone. Make sure you work on going both ways. This will not only give you more options in a game, but also make you stand out to scouts and other coaches.
Drill 1: Simple Gate Dribble and Shoot (Central)
Two cones on the edge of the box, a couple of steps apart. Zig zag between them, get your last touch out of your feet and shoot. Focus on the detail here: fast, sharp cuts through the gate and then a touch out of your feet so you can move into the ball and strike freely. Work on your placement from this position. Practise placing the ball low into the corners, then try driving it with power. Alternate feet. Do 10 from each side, then move the cones to a different position and go again. At the end of the video below you'll see a simple progression where you dribble up to the gate rather than starting from a standing position. When you're comfortable, try incorporating that.
This is your foundation drill. A great place to start for every shooting session.
Drill 2: 1v1 Dribble and Finish
Setup: One cone as your starting point, a second cone 5 metres or more away (closer to the goal). Play around with this distance: try it further to build up more speed on your approach, try it closer to focus on tight control and a quick change of pace after the skill. The second cone, the one closer to the goal, is your defender. Dribble at the defender cone, use a 1v1 skill to go either left or right, then shoot. If you need ideas on which skills to use, check out my post on 1v1 dribbling.
This simulates one of the most common finishing scenarios in a game: you've got the ball, there's a defender in front of you, and you need to create a half-yard of space to get your shot off.
Progression 1: Change your angle.
Move the whole setup to a central position (mimicking a striker or attacking mid running at a centre-back) or to the right wing. The approach angle changes which corners of the goal open up. See my video below showing both the central and right wing positions for this drill.
Progression 2: Aerial control into 1v1.
Same setup, but instead of starting with the ball at your feet, kick it up in the air, control it, and then dribble at the defender cone and shoot. Your first touch here is critical. This practises receiving out of the air under pressure and finishing in one sequence, which is a common match situation that most players never train. You can do this from any angle.
Drill 3: Beat Two Defenders
Setup: Same as Drill 2, but add two more cones. One placed level with the first defender cone but wider to the right (if you're approaching from the left). One placed wider to the left, down the line. These represent a second defender, or more realistically, a situation where your first skill didn't completely beat the first defender and they're still with you.
When you beat the first cone, you have to make a second move to create the space for a shot. Go right past the first defender and you meet the second one. In this case, try to quickly take another touch along the line of the box to beat them too. Go left down the line past the first defender and at the second cone you choose: keep going outside, or cut back inside. See the video below for examples of all of these options.
This trains the reality that in a game, beating one defender is often only half the job. You need to be ready for what comes next.
Drill 4: Dribble Through Traffic and Finish
Setup: Place 5 cones in a line leading towards the defender cone from Drill 2, spaced evenly (about two feet apart, heel to toe). The wider cones from Drill 3 are still there, but now they act as guide cones showing the point past which you should shoot.
Weave through the tight cones (this is your ball mastery and close control under pressure), then take a big touch out to either side past the guide cones and shoot. The big touch needs to be decisive. Too small and you won't get past the guide cone. Too big and you'll be shooting from a difficult angle. The reason a big touch matters here is that you're breaking out of traffic and at the same time getting the ball out from under your feet so you can produce a clean strike.
This drill combines everything: close control in traffic, an explosive touch to create space, and a composed finish. It connects directly to the ball mastery work I cover in my post on ball mastery drills.
Make the Most of Every Shooting Session
A few tips to get the most out of these drills:
Start by picking your target before every shot, and even before your dribble. Think about how you're going to weave through the cones, which way you're going to go, which corner you're aiming for. This builds the habit of finishing with intent, which translates directly to games.
Collect your own balls. Training alone means retrieving your shots. Use this time to reset mentally and think about what you want to do differently on the next rep.
Film yourself occasionally. You might notice things you wouldn't have otherwise caught. Standing foot too far back, not following through, closing your hips too early, lifting your head through contact. A quick video review can reveal patterns that are hard to feel in real time.
Practise with both feet. You won't always have the luxury of shooting with your preferred foot in a game. Even if your weaker foot feels awkward at first, the reps will build comfort over time.
Keep sessions focused and professional. Warm up first. Start simple and controlled, then progress and lift the intensity as you go. 20-30 minutes of intentional shooting practice is worth more than an hour of mindlessly hitting balls at the goal.
Ready to Sharpen Your Finishing?
If you want to take your shooting to the next level with personalised coaching and feedback, I offer private training sessions across Melbourne. We work on technique, positioning, and the decision-making that turns chances into goals.
I offer a free trial session so you can see what focused, individual development looks like. Get in touch to book yours, or visit cdprivatesoccercoaching.com.au to learn more.
Soccer Shooting Drills Frequently Asked Questions
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All you need is a ball, a few cones, and a goal. The drills in this post are all designed to be done completely solo, working on finishing from different angles and game-realistic scenarios. If you're not sure where to find a ground with goals near you, check out my guide to the best soccer fields in Melbourne.
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Even one focused 20-30 minute session per week will make a noticeable difference over time. The key is intentional practice: picking your target, varying your angles, and working on both feet. Quality reps are worth far more than volume. Of course, if you can find the time to do this 2 or 3 days a week that might be even better (just don’t overdo it, listen to your body).
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Pick your target before you shoot, every single time. Aim for specific areas of the goal rather than just hitting it "on target." Practise from different angles and distances so you learn which corners open up from each position. Film yourself occasionally to check your technique.
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Yes. Start with your stronger foot to build confidence in each drill, then do the same number of reps on your weaker foot. The best finishers can score with either foot, which makes them unpredictable and far harder to defend against.