Soccer High Line

(aka "Pushed Up"). A "high line" is when the Fullbacks push up toward the halfway line. They may do this to support their team's attack, in which case they are vulnerable to a fast "counterattack" by their opponent. Fullbacks may also push up and play a "high line" when they are on defense in order to create an "offside trap", but they are vulnerable to "through balls" played into the open space between them and their Goalkeeper that the opposing fast forwards can run onto. In the 2006 World Cup, Ghana played a "high line" and lost to Brazil 3:0 by giving up 2 goals on "breakaways" to Ronaldo and Ze Roberto. Brazil left their great forwards pushed up so they were even with the high line and passed balls through the Fullbacks that the forwards ran onto. (See "Push Up")