Sit back

England... fell back into old habits after the break as they sat back, their reduced intensity allowing Serbia... (BBC.co.uk June 17 2024)

When a team sits back it suggests that they want to protect what they have (either a win or maybe even a draw). It means that they defend deeply and not really attack so much as the opposition try to break them down. We might also hear the phrase 'low block' to describe teams that sit back as their players are positioned closer to their own net than the opposition's. 

Sometimes the fans of a team that sits back become frustrated as they feel their team is not proactive enough and that the opposition attack more.