Image from Soccer by Ives
Very soon, the UEFA Champions League Final will take place at the Estadio Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain. By then, I will be supporting my favourite football team Inter Milan battling against Bayern Munich. Let's hope that Inter Milan wins and fulfill their 40 years' dream! While watching the match in English, which I doubt anyone of you would, there will be many juicy commentary lines. Do you know what they mean?
Image from PC Game Trek
Remember long time ago I wrote an article on Common Terms in Football? I still think I wrote very well as I have done a lot of researches, but those are not all the terms yet. Today, I will share with you some very common expressions commentators use. I learn them by playing the above Football Manager game. See what I mean by learning English through having fun?
Ready for the kick-off, football fans?
Understanding the structure of the Goal
Image from Soccer Tackle
Post = Upright = Goal post = the vertical part of the goal
Crossbar = the horizontal part of the goal
Near post = with respect to the ball-kicker, the near post is the post nearer to him
Far post = with respect to the ball-kicker, the near post is the post further away from him
Net = the net of the goal
Riquelme's free-kick at Near Post
No-Goal Situations:
Off the post = the ball hits the posts of the goal and then bounces away
Hit the crossbar = the ball hits the crossbar and bounces away
Fire wide of the left/right upright = shoot the ball so that it flies away from the post
The ball skied / went straight to the fans = ball flies above the crossbar
David Beckham skied the ball straight to the fans
Goal is disallowed / Goal won't stand = the ball went into the net, but later judged as "no goal"
Goal ruled out for foul / handball / offside = the ball went into the net, but later judged as "no goal" due to foul / handball / offiside
Italy's Goal ruled out for offside in World Cup Final 2006
Goal Situations:
He scored to cap an impressive debute = he scored on his first appearance for the club / country.
Fire / Net home a goal = score a goal with the foot
Head home a goal = score a goal with the head
Fire a double = score his second goal
Score a hat trick = score his third goal
In off the post / upright / frame of the goal = the ball hit the post of the goal but bounced into the net
In off the post
The goalkeeper was rooted to the spot / was motionless / could only watch = The goalkeeper didn't move at all as the ball went into the net
Watch how the France goalkeeper could only watch
The goal stands = the ball went into the net, despite having some doubts, the referee judged it as a valid goal
Score a fluke goal / score a total fluke / Lady Luck shines on him = a goal is scored due to pure luck
Score an own goal = a player kicks the ball into his own net
Substitutions:
He earns a standing ovation = This is used when a player who has done well in the game is being substituted, when the spectators stand up to clap because they liked the player's performance so much
Player B is coming on for Player A / It is Player B for Player A / Player B replaces Player A = Player B stops playing and leaves the football pitch while Player A goes in and play
There are so many more that I can't possibly list them all out. You'll learn more if you try to watch the game with English commentary.
Enjoy the game and the learning, guys!
Resources:
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/05/sport-common-terms-in-football.html
http://www.ayso418.org/page.aspx?id=106
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/standing-ovation