What is a corner kick?
A corner kick occurs when the attacking team is awarded a direct kick from the corner of the field closest to the defending team's goal. This situation arises when the ball passes over the touchline and goal line, and the last touch was not by an attacking player. The corner kick rule was first proposed in 1867 in Sheffield, England. A few years later, it was officially adopted by the European Football Association and has been popular worldwide ever since.
Corner kicks are a frequent occurrence in every soccer match. They present a good scoring opportunity for the attacking team. The player taking the corner needs to have effective long-shot skills. This, combined with a good understanding with teammates positioned in front of the goal, aims to create a scoring difference.
To make it easy for spectators to recognize this situation, the assistant referee will raise their arm high and use the flag to point directly to the corner arc on the field side to signal to the teams. Upon receiving the signal, the teams quickly get into position, ready to execute the corner kick.
The latest FIFA rules on corner kicks
Just like all other free-kick situations, corner kicks also have their own set of rules. We will summarize these for you in an easy-to-understand manner through the following three key points. Perhaps, before learning how to properly take a corner kick, you need to adhere to the soccer rules as a basic introduction.
The first principle is that players are not allowed to move the corner flag's position. It is fixed. The ball must be placed within the corner arc and close to the corner flag's position.
The player taking the corner kick is not allowed to touch the ball a second time until it has touched another player. If this rule is violated, the opposing team will be awarded an indirect free kick at the spot of the violation. All other players must stand at least 9.15 meters away from the ball until it is in play.
In the case where a goalkeeper is taking the corner kick and intentionally touches the ball with their hands before it has touched another player, the opposing team will be awarded a direct free kick at the spot of the offense. Or an indirect free kick at the spot of the offense within the goalkeeper's 16.5m penalty area.
Though it might seem complicated at first glance, if you practice in a few matches on the field, you can quickly master it without getting bogged down in theory. Since this sport is meant for everyone, the rules set forth are also easy to understand and play for all. Read more: won 1x2 tips today Soccer - Sourcing from Over 100 Top Websites Worldwide
100% successful corner kick tactics
Taking a free kick is one of the moments that can easily result in a goal, giving the home team an advantage. Therefore, the person taking the kick needs to have experience in executing precise corner kicks. It's crucial to fully capitalize on every opportunity to score against the opponent.
Crossing the ball directly into the central area
The player who takes the corner kick will raise their arm before kicking. And right after lowering their hand, they unleash a kick with as much force as possible, driving the ball into the most dangerous area. That is the 5.5-meter box in front of the opponent goalkeeper's goal. When the team's main striker moves to the highest position in the formation to receive the pass, the central midfielder must move to the penalty spot to perfectly judge the corner kick.
The team's defenders stand at the center slightly shifted to the right wing. The main goal is to receive the ball from a teammate. Then, they pass the ball into the area in front of the goal. At the same time, a midfielder on the field can receive back passes from players within the penalty area. Or timely intercept the opponent's aerial balls. The remaining wing-backs have the task of guarding the midfield area. They ensure the team's safety in case of sudden changes or if the opposing team makes a quick advance.
This approach is often trained by coaches for their players. In real combat, the most important thing for a player is to remain calm. The team must coordinate smoothly and cohesively. However, in some situations, the ball's roll may be unpredictable. Therefore, flexibility in controlling the ball as best as possible is also needed. At this time, being able to read the ball's trajectory and situations on the field will help players control the ball faster.
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Sending the ball out wide beyond the 16.5m area then crossing it in
The second corner kick approach involves the player delivering the ball to an open area, executing a precise finish, or passing the ball into the central lane for a teammate. The designated receiver stands right in the central area, aiming to catch the pass from a teammate and then making a surprise shot at goal to create dangerous situations.
The attacking team's forward needs to leap as high as possible to spot any defender trying to mark them. Upon receiving the ball, the main task is to lock down the opponent and then make a surprise pass to the waiting midfielder behind. If a defender can intercept the pass, they should make a surprise kick, carry the ball along the sideline, and then make a direct pass to the central defenders who are ready and waiting.
If the opponent deploys an additional two defenders to gain an advantage on both sides, the home team's defender must push up even higher to assist. This balances the 3-2 clamp strategy. At this point, if the team has a fast-moving striker, they can run into the penalty area right away to create a better receiving position. This strategy should only be applied to teams with tall defenders and midfielders, those who have an advantage in aerial duels.
Conclusion
Wintips has recently guided rookies on the essential corner kick rules they need to know, along with two commonly applied tactics. These include crossing the ball into the central lane or executing a surprise play from the 16.5m area. To provide our readers with a deeper understanding of the various types of football free kicks, we have prepared the most detailed articles on this series. We hope the newcomers will master these playing methods, and the experienced players will gain a better understanding to accurately soccer odds analysis corner kick outcomes.