Women's Champions League Performance Insights: 1v1 actions as tools
Friday, December 19, 2025
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UEFA Technical Observer Lluís Cortés examines different 1v1 scenarios in Chelsea's win at Wolfsburg on Matchday 6 of the UEFA Women's Champions League.
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Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor lauded her team's "mentality" and ability to "be brave under pressure and to hold the ball a little bit better" as a fine second-half showing in Wolfsburg secured a top-four finish in the league phase of the UEFA Women's Champions League, with 1v1s featuring prominently.
"Being comfortable in 1v1 situations is essential because it provides solutions when the build-up is under pressure and passing options are limited," explains UEFA Technical Observer Lluís Cortés.
"Against high pressing, players are often forced to receive the ball in uncomfortable positions, and the ability to protect it, carry it forward or engage a defender becomes a key tool to escape pressure."
As the graphic above shows, Cortés highlighted that one interesting aspect from the match "was that most 1v1 actions came from players introduced as substitutes in the second half, yet they were already among the players with the highest number of attempts. This underlines how freshness, confidence, and intent can immediately influence the dynamic of duels."
That notion was shared by Chelsea's Sam Kerr, who felt the half-time tweaks made by Bompastor shifted the momentum. "All the subs that came on did an amazing job," Kerr said. "Sjoeke [Nüsken] was outstanding and helped us a lot as we fought our way back in."
"The majority of these 1v1s occurred in wide areas, where players had clearer reference points and more space to attack," continues Cortés.
"However, several duels also took place in both teams' own halves, which tells us that these actions were not only used to create attacking situations, but also to escape pressure and secure progression."
This highlights an important coaching point: the risk-reward balance of 1v1 actions depends heavily on the zone.
"While losing the ball in certain areas can be costly, a successful 1v1 to beat high pressure can create a significant advantage, as shown in the examples involving Edemann and Carpenter," Cortés adds.
"In these situations, eliminating the defender not only relieves pressure but also destabilises the opponents' pressing structure, opening space for the next action. Being comfortable in 1v1s is therefore not about individual expression, but about using the duel as a tool to solve pressure and gain a collective advantage."
Players with the ability and nous to unlock the opposition are essential, particularly when faced with a low block where space is reduced and the defensive lines are compact.
Cortés points to Chelsea's second goal as a clear example: "Sandy Baltimore uses her 1v1 ability to beat her direct opponent and generate uncertainty in Wolfsburg's defensive reorganisation. It is a clear individual action that destabilises the block and creates the conditions for the next advantage."
Another key aspect is the ability to recognise when a 1v1 represents an advantage for the team, as was the case with Lucy Bronze's tactical decision making and movement.
"The main benefit of having players capable in these moments is their capacity to transform static possession into dynamic attacking situations," explains Cortés. "A single 1v1 can shift the defensive block laterally, creating hesitation or forcing defenders to step out of line and opening spaces that did not previously exist.
"The main benefit of having players capable in these moments is their capacity to transform static possession into dynamic attacking situations."
"From a coaching perspective, this underlines how unlocking a low block is rarely about one decisive dribble. It is about players being comfortable engaging defenders, understanding when to attract pressure and when to release the ball and using individual actions for a collective objective."
Cortés explains: "Not every 1v1 situation requires the attacker to dribble past the defender; in many cases, the objective is simply to create enough space to execute the next action, rather than to eliminate the opponent completely.
"The goal example involving Johanna Rytting Kaneryd illustrates this principle clearly. She does not look to beat her defender decisively; instead, she manages the distance and timing of the duel.
"To create a momentary advantage is sufficient to open the space needed to deliver the cross. At the crossing moment the defender is still present but no longer in a position to block the cross effectively and both crosses ended with a clear chance of scoring.
"This highlights a key coaching message: success in 1v1s should not be measured only by whether the attacker beats the defender."
Recognising and responding to each situation is an essential part of a player's decision-making process in 1v1 situations, knowing when to attempt a dribble or when to seek the support of surrounding team-mates.
"Decision-making in 1v1 scenarios is largely shaped by context rather than individual preference," says Cortés. "The key factor is not whether a player can dribble but whether dribbling is the best solution in that specific game situation.
"The examples from both teams show several moments where players choose to combine with team-mates instead of engaging in a direct 1v1 against the defender in front of them."
Players choose between 1v1 dribbling and combination play based on body orientation, space, pressure and support. Facing forward with space to attack encourages direct engagement while back-to-goal receptions, tight pressure or strong defensive positioning increase risk and push players towards quicker, safer combinations.
Effective decision-making is therefore not about dribbling frequency, but about recognising when individual action offers a clear advantage versus when collective play better maintains momentum and ball security.
Decision-making key factors
- Body orientation, space and pressure
- Individual qualities
- Support positioning
- Risk-reward balance
Coaching Focus: Developing players' confidence to go into 1v1 dribbles and stay on the ball under pressure
"Developing players who are comfortable in 1v1 situations starts with technical mastery. Players must feel confident in their ability to dribble, protect the ball, and execute changes of direction at speed.
"Without this technical foundation, players will rarely even consider the dribble as an option. However, technical ability alone is not enough; it is equally important to teach when to use the dribble.
"Players need to understand the context: the zone of the pitch, the level of pressure, the positioning of team-mates, and the potential risk-reward balance. A confident player who cannot read these cues may become inefficient; a player who reads the game but lacks confidence will become predictable."
"The objective is not to produce players who always dribble, but players who can dribble and know when to do so."
"For this reason, training should combine the execution of the dribbling action with guided decision-making. Players must be exposed to scenarios where dribbling is the best solution, as well as situations where combining or retaining possession is more effective.
"This helps them build an internal reference for choosing the right action. Creativity also plays a central role. Players must feel free to express themselves and to attempt 1v1 actions without the fear of immediate punishment for mistakes.
"If we over-control their decisions, we risk creating rigid players who rely only on pre-defined patterns. Such teams quickly become predictable and easier to defend against.
"From a coaching perspective, the objective is not to produce players who always dribble, but players who can dribble and know when to do so. Encouraging creativity within a clear tactical framework allows teams to remain unpredictable, adaptable, and difficult to defend – all qualities that are essential at the highest level."
Lluís Cortés led Barcelona to unprecedented success, including a UEFA Women's Champions League title in 2021. He has since continued to make his mark internationally as a progressive and sought-after coach and is currently in charge of the Saudi Arabia women's national team.
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