Narrowing the angle

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"Narrowing the Angle" is a technique used by goalkeepers especially in association football.

A goalkeeper advances towards an attacker who has the ball so as to show less of the goal, making it more difficult for the attacker to place an accurate shot.

The disadvantage is that the attacker can lob the ball over the goalkeeper or compromise the goalkeeper by passing the ball to another player. If the attacker does shoot, the goalkeeper has less time to react.

In spite of these drawbacks, "narrowing the angle" is a staple goalkeeping technique, and is particularly effective if the attacking player is shooting from an acute angle.

The technique is also used by defenders to limit shots on goal and to force attackers to pass or give up the ball.