Welcome to the eFootball Shooting Tutorial
If you don’t shoot, you don’t score. In this tutorial, you will learn how to up your shooting game.
- Key Shooting Abilities
- The Basics of Shooting
- Executing the Different Types of Shots
- Using Stunning Shots
- Attackers Play Styles
1. Key Shooting Abilities
Get a striker with high ratings in the following abilities to increase your chances of scoring goals.
Offensive Awareness – The player reacts fast to attacking situations
Finishing – The player has the skill and composure to score when presented with a chance.
Kicking Power – The player can strike the ball with power.
These skill are useful for strikers or anyone who is often in a goal scoring opportunity.
Long Range Curler – Enables the player to hit curling shots with great accuracy from a distance.
Chip Shot Control – Enables accurate chip shots.
Long-Range shooting – The player becomes more accurate at long-range shots.
Knuckle Shot – Enables the player to hit knuckle shots with greater ease, also applies to Free Kicks.
Dipping Shot – Enables top spin shots that bounce erratically in front of the goalkeeper.
Rising Shot – Enables shots that begin with a low trajectory that rise sharply.
Acrobatic Finishing – Enables the player to shoot even from awkward positions or when off balance.
Heel Trick – Enables the player to pass and shoot using the heel, even from awkward positions or when off balance
First-time Shot – Improves technique and precision when taking first-time shots.
Outside Curler – Enables the player to shoot and pass using the outside of the boot even at long distances.
Rabona – Enables the player to execute a Rabona pass or shoot.
Field players with these attributes and skills to increase your chances of scoring.
2. The Basics of Shooting
There are 3 things to keep in mind when planning for a shot.
2.1 Shoot When No Defenders Are Near You
Shooting when defenders are around you will affect your shot accuracy and power. It is recommended to charge up your shot when there are no defenders close to you. Shake defenders off by changing your direction slightly just before you press the shoot button. This puts some distance between you and the defender, giving your striker less pressure and allows him to take a more accurate, powerful shot.
2.2 Stronger / Weaker Foot
2.2.1 Shoot with Stronger Foot
This will increase shot accuracy and power. Strikers in the game will shoot with their stronger foot when there are no defenders around him. However, when the striker is pressured by defenders, or if he runs towards goal from an awkward angle, it will be hard for him to shoot with his stronger foot.
Recognise the stronger foot of your strikers. Turn to the direction of the stronger foot before pressing the shoot button. If the striker has a dominant right foot, push the directional stick slightly to the player’s right to move him in the direction before shooting. This increases the likelihood that he will strike the ball with the right foot. Similar, shift your striker to his left if he has a stronger left foot.
When playing against strong online players with good defenders, the above may be hard to be executed. If getting into a good position is challenging, it may be better to simply attempt a shot and hope for a corner or a rebound. However, if the situation allows, turning to the direction of the stronger foot will help you score more goals.
2.2.2 Weak Foot Usage / Weak Foot Accuracy
Players will high ratings in Weak Foot Usage will not hesitate to shoot with either foot, which allows him to take shots easier regardless of the position he is in. Players with high ratings Weak Foot Accuracy will be able to strike the ball equally well on both feet. Take note of players with high ratings in these 2 attributes and use them to your advantage.
2.3 Push Ball Forward Before Shooting
Having some space between your striker and the ball, and allowing the striker to do a short run up before shooting, will lead to a higher shot power.
When you are dribbling with the ball, press the spring button R2 (PS) / RT (XBOX) fully and release it to push the ball forward. Charge up your shot, and your striker to do a short run up before unleashing his shot.
If you are receiving a pass and wish to take powerful shot quickly, direct your left analog stick in the direction of your striker’s strong foot and tap the sprint button to push the ball forward before pressing the shoot button.
You can also do a knock on – holding R1 / RB and pushing your left analog stick in a certain direction while stationary. This will knock the ball forward and allows your striker to take a few steps towards the ball. Charge up your shot as your player moves towards the ball.
3. Executing the Different Types of Shots
Here, I will like to share with you the different shot types in PES.
3.1 Controlled Shots
This type of shots focus on placement and accuracy, and less on power. To execute this, hold R1 (PS) / RB (XBOX) and press the shoot button. You might need to apply more power than usual. Controlled shots are suitable for 2 occasions.
3.1.1 One-on-One with the Goal Keeper
Slightly tilt to the direction of your player’s stronger foot and place a controlled shot past the goal keeper into the bottom corner of the net. 1/4 to 1/2 of the power bar will be sufficient.
3.1.2 Edge of Box
When you are at the edge of the box, aim for the far corner and execute a controlled shot with your player’s stronger foot. He will attempt to send a curling shot towards the top corner of the net. Charge up 1/2 to 3/4 of the power bar. It will be advisable to jog a few steps parallel to the goal line to prepare the player before taking the controlled shot. Controlled shots from the edge of the box will lead to spectacular curling goals.
3.2 Chip Shots
Hold L1 (PS) / LB (XBOX) and press the shoot button to attempt a chip shot over the goal keeper. Goal keepers tends to come out and challenge for the ball in 1-on-1 situations (unless your opponent makes a conscious effort to control the goal keeper and make him stay back), and it gives you a good opportunity to use the chip shot.
3.3 First-Time Shot
Charge up your shot before your striker receives the pass to shot first time. Any player can shoot first time. However, players with the ‘First Time Shot’ skill will be able to perform this more accurately and powerfully. Put your player in a position to shoot first time with his stronger foot.
3.4 Rounding the Goal Keeper
I use this technique if my striker has high ratings in speed, but poor ratings in shooting. In a 1-on-1 situation, the goalkeeper will usually rush out to challenge you. When you are about 2 to 3 steps away from him, quickly turn to the side of the goalkeeper (preferably in the direction of your stronger foot) and sprint pass him. Tapping the sprint button helps you do a speed burst to get past the goal keeper. Once you have sprinted past him, you can easily tap the ball into the empty net.
3.5 Flick The Ball Up Before Shooting
As you are about to receive a pass, press the right analog stick to have your player flick the ball into the air, giving you a chance to unleash a powerful volley. Although accuracy is a little compromised, the possibility of scoring spectacular goals make this a good shooting trick to try!
4. Using Stunning Shots
4.1 What are Stunning Shots
Stunning shots are a new addition to eFootball. Basically, hold R2 (PS) / RT (XBOX) while charging up your shot to unleash more powerful / special shots. The power gauge of normal shots are in yellow. If you successfully execute a stunning shots, the power gauge will be purple in colour.
Stunning shots are more powerful than normal shots, but requires more time to charge up. Thus, ensure that you have space and time before using this.
For players with certain skills, stunning shots allow you to execute special shots, as explained below.
4.2 Knuckle Shot
Knuckle shots are powerful with an unpredictable flight path. If your player has the skill card, use stunning shot and charge up to 1/2 power. He will be able to execute a powerful knuckle shot. Practice this in training mode to get familiar with the power required. Knuckle shots are ideal for shots outside the box.
4.3 Rising Shot
As the name suggests, these shots will rise gradually, ideally towards the top corners of the net, making them hard to save. If your player has the skill card, use stunning shot and charge up to 3/4 power. Rising shots are ideal for shots outside the box.
4.4 Dipping Shot
Dipping shots travel in a loop, rising initially and dipping quickly to escape the goal keeper’s reach. If your player has the skill card, use stunning shot and charge up to 1/4 power. I like to use dipping shots in the box, as I find the shots not powerful enough to trouble the goal keeper over long distances.
5. Attackers Play Styles
eFootball strives for realism by including a play style for all players. Play styles influence the positions a player will take up in game, as well as the types of runs he will make. In this section, we will explore the different play styles of attackers and how to leverage on each type.
5.1 Goal Poacher
A predatory striker who plays off the shoulders of the last defender.
This is my personal favourite. Play through passes in front of the striker for him to chase after. Goal poaches are usually fast and reacts well to passes and loose balls in the box.
5.2 Dummy Runner
A player who attracts the defence to create space for other players to exploit.
I have not had much success scoring with these players. That said, as the description suggests, they are useful for opening up space for other players to score. They are useful to have in your squad, but I would suggest using another play style as your main attacking option.
5.3 Fox in the Box
A striker who lurks in the opposition 18 yard box just waiting for the ball.
This player will stay in the box to finish any chance presented to him. He makes less forward runs than goal poaches, so you need to send passes directly to him. Such players are ideal as you can be confident that you have options in the box.
5.4 Target Man
A player that positions himself in the frontlines as a target man, and protects the ball with his physique.
This player is physically strong and heads the ball well. During build up play, he may stay outside the box to provide link up support. When you are at the flanks near to the goal line, he will be in the box waiting for the ball. Send high crosses for him to head towards goal or knock down to another team mate to finish. He is also ideal for the typical route-one long-ball-forward approach.
5.5 Deep-Lying Forward
A forward player that is willing to fall back to receive the ball and help create plays.
Such players may not get much goals since he likes to drop back to provide support, but they are one of my favourites as they draw defenders out of position, and usually have good through passing skills to send the ball forward to wingers who are exploiting the open space left by defenders.
6. Conclusion
Shooting and scoring is the key to winning, and I hope these shooting techniques will help you score more goals and win more games.
All images credit: Konami