X may mark the spot, but in our game, a cross is way more valuable.

When you want to set up a goal for a teammate across the field, you’ll need to know how to cross the ball. It’s how you get the ball from an outer area of the field into the middle of the field — in front of the goal — to create an opportunity to score with one touch.  

Prior to the cross, get your head up to see where your teammates are, then open the hips and strike with the instep, below the center of the ball. It’s somewhere between a chip and a drive — you want some air under it, and speed, to get it over defenders who might be in the way. And you want to land the ball slightly away from the goalie. Your teammate, meanwhile, is en route to finish the job.