Attacking in Football!

I want my team to score goals. To do this, my team needs to be able to move the ball forward and create chances.”
— East African Coach

In football, every coach talks about attacking, but few break it down into its true essence. From the grassroots fields in Jinja to packed stadiums in Nairobi, the same truth applies: if you want to score goals, your team must understand how to find openings and how to create them.

Let’s explore this idea from an East African football lens.

🔍 1. Find Openings

Sometimes, the space is already there, you just need to see it and use it quickly.

• Quick decision-making: Most football players are known for their natural flair and instinct. Recognizing gaps in the opposition’s defense early is a key strength.
  
• Off-the-ball movement: Strikers making diagonal runs, midfielders arriving late into space—these moments help exploit already existing gaps.
  
• Switching the play: If the right side is crowded, Tanzanian teams like Simba SC often switch the ball quickly to the left to find space.
  

✨ 2. Create Openings

When the opponent is organized and compact, you have to force them to move—to open the door yourself.

• Use of width: Wingers stretching the game wide (e.g., Kenya’s fast wide players) pull defenders out of shape.
  
• Combination play: One-two passes and give-and-go moves in tight spaces are common in Ugandan and Rwandan club styles.
  
• Decoy runs: A striker dragging a defender away to create room for a midfield shot—a tactic often seen in regional club tournaments like CECAFA.
  

🧠 East African Insight

In CECAFA competitions and national qualifiers, we often see attacking football shaped by creativity, instinct, and athleticism. But to take it to the next level, teams are now adding structure to their natural flair—understanding space, timing, and coordinated movement.

Understanding Attacking Principles

1. “Finding Openings” – Showing how to spot and move into open spaces.
   

2. “Creating Openings” – Illustrating team movement patterns to pull apart defenses.

⚽ Coach’s Corner…

Attacking football is not just about speed or skills—it’s about intelligence, timing, and teamwork. East African teams have the talent. Now it’s about mastering the strategy.