Breakaway
A situation where an attacker gets clear of the defenders and races toward the goal with few or no opponents in the way.
Definition
A breakaway occurs when an attacking player breaks free of the defence and heads toward the goal or basket with little resistance. It usually creates a strong scoring chance because the attacker faces only the goalkeeper or a small number of defenders.
The term is common in ice hockey and football, and a similar idea appears in cycling, where a rider or small group pulls clear of the main pack. In each case a breakaway is about gaining separation and turning it into an advantage.
Where you’ll hear “breakaway”
Sports that use this term:
Ice Hockey
A fast team sport on ice that combines skating skill with quick passing and goal-scoring.
Football
The world’s most popular team sport — endless running, teamwork and community in one game.
Cycling
A low-impact endurance sport that doubles as transport, exercise and adventure.
Field Hockey
An outdoor team sport that uses curved sticks to move a ball, built on agility and teamwork.
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Commonly confused with
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Equipment
- Road bikeA lightweight bicycle built for speed and efficiency on paved surfaces.
- Hockey stickA curved-headed stick used to control, pass and shoot the ball or puck in hockey.
- Padel racketA solid, stringless perforated racket used to play padel.
- BasketballA large, inflated ball with a dimpled surface used to play basketball.
- Badminton racketA lightweight strung racket used to hit the shuttlecock in badminton.
Rules
- Drafting rulesRules that govern when a rider or athlete may sit in the slipstream of another to save energy.
- OffsideA rule that prevents an attacker from gaining an advantage by being positioned too close to the opponents' goal ahead of the ball and the last defenders.
- Badminton serve rulesThe rules for how a badminton serve must be delivered and where it must land.
Scoring systems
- How cycling races are timed and placedCycling races are decided either by who crosses the line first or by fastest time, and stage races add up cumulative times to rank riders overall.
- Football (soccer) scoringFootball is scored by goals, with each goal worth one point and the team scoring the most goals winning the match.
Skills
Tactics
- Counter-attackWinning the ball and moving forward at speed to attack before the opponent can reorganise their defence.
- DraftingRiding, running or swimming close behind another competitor to save energy in their slipstream.
- Breakaway and pelotonThe cycling tension between the main pack riding together and small groups that break clear to gain time.
- High pressA football tactic where a team hunts the ball high up the pitch to win it back close to the opponent’s goal.
- Serve and volleyAn attacking tennis tactic where the server follows their serve to the net to finish the point with a volley.
Facilities
- VelodromeA steeply banked oval track for track cycling, with sloped bends that let riders hold high speeds through the turns.
- Ice rinkA sheet of prepared ice, usually rink-boarded with rounded corners, used for skating and ice sports.
- Tennis courtA rectangular marked court, divided across the middle by a net, where tennis is played as singles or doubles.
- Football pitchThe large rectangular grass or artificial-turf field on which football (soccer) is played, with a goal at each end.
- Basketball courtA rectangular hard-surfaced court with a raised hoop and backboard at each end where basketball is played.
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Term
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-08-04
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