The one on one battle the exits between the offensive and defensive player is fundamental to soccer. If you are the defender your goal is to win the battle.
In the clip below John Walker , Head Coach at the University of Nebraska, discusses the keys to individual defense. His keys are to: Travel when the ball travels, make the play predictable, be side on, make contact, use your arms, rotate hips, win the ball and transition.
Coach shows a simple 1v1 and 2v1 drill that illustrates his key points. The clip is from World Class Coaching. You can also view other videos by visiting their YouTube Channel
The video has sound, so please make sure your sound is turned on and that you have access to the site (Some schools block access to YouTube )