Real Salt Lake defender Aaron Herrera long range strike – and Herrera scores from deep in his own half. This is what’s called striking a ball on a rope. Or maybe even striking a ball on a frozen rope – as it flys in the air with perfect trajectory up and over the keeper. Herrera sees the Atlas goalkeeper out of his box and goes for it. Surely the goal has to be one of if not the goals of the year for Real Salt Lake. When Herrera strikes the soccer ball he is deep in his own half.
How do you work on this in soccer training? Practice via the crossbar challenge. Try to hit the crossbar with the soccer ball from the half way line or from your own defensive third as Herrera nearly does. Notice how Herrera strikes under the ball and doesn’t follow through but stops short of the ball so it’s driven in the air. Yes, on a rope!