[josho]

Sailors have figured this out centuries ago to travel against the wind (called tacking). Some of the same principles apply, like orienting the sail so that photons push against the sail reducing the angular momentum.

[andrewaylett]

Tacking works because you have resistance against two media (air and water) which are travelling at different velocities -- you need a keel in the water. Solar sails don't have an analogous second medium.

[UniverseHacker]

But they do! The (sort of) analogous second medium is gravity. You can “sail upwind” with a solar sail by angling it to reduce your orbital velocity.