Copy of `First Base Sports - Soccer terms`

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First Base Sports - Soccer terms Category: Sport and Leisure > Soccer Date & country: 27/02/2011, USA Words: 221

Advantage rule
a clause in the rules that directs the referee to refrain from stopping play for a foul if a stoppage would benefit the team that committed the violation.

Advantages
situations where a team has possession of the ball and outnumbers the opposition near the opposing goal.

American football
a term used by non-Americans to distinguish the popular U.S. sport of football from soccer which they also call football.

Assist
the pass or passes which immediately precede a goal; a maximum of two assists can be credited for one goal.

Attacker
any player on the team that has possession of the ball.

Attacking midfielder
the most forward-playing midfielder, playing right behind the forwards; he supports the offense by providing passes to forwards to set up goals.

Attacking team
the team that has possession of the ball.

AYSO
American Youth Soccer Organization

Back
a defender.

Back header
a player's use of his head to direct the ball backwards.

Back tackle
an attempt by a defender to take the ball away from a ball carrier by swinging the defender's leg in front of the ball from behind.

Ball carrier
a player that has possession of the ball.

Banana kick
a type of kick that gives the ball a curved trajectory; used to get the ball around an obstacle such as a goaltender or defender.

Beat
to get the ball through or around an opponent by dribbling or shooting.

Behind the defender
the area between a defender and his goal.

Bicycle kick
when a player kicks the ball in mid-air backwards and over his own head, usually making contact above waist level; an acrobatic shot.

Break
when a team quickly advances the ball down the field in an attempt to get its players near the opponent's goal before the defenders have a chance to retreat; also called an advantage.

Breakaway
when an attacker with the ball approaches the goal undefended; this exciting play pits a sole attacker against the goalkeeper in a one-on-one showdown.

Cap
a recognition earned by a player for each appearance in an international game for his country.

Carrying the ball
a foul called on a goalkeeper when he takes more than 4 steps while holding or bouncing the ball.

Caution
see Yellow card.

Center
a pass from a player located near the sideline towards the middle of the field; used to get the ball closer to the front of the goal; also called a cross.

Center circle
a circular marking with a 10-yard radius in the center of the field from which kickoffs are taken to start or restart the game.

Center line
see Midfield line.

Center spot
a small circular mark inside the center circle that denotes the center of the field from which kickoffs are taken to start or restart the game.

Central defender
a player who guards the area directly in front of his own goal in a zone defense; does not exist in a man-to-man defense.

Charge
to run into an opponent; legal if done from the front or side of the ball carrier; illegal against a player without the ball or from behind.

Chest trap
when a player uses his chest to slow down and control a ball in the air.

Chip pass
a pass lofted into the air from a player to a teammate; used primarily to evade a defender by kicking the ball over his head.

Chip shot
a kick lofted into the air to try to sail the ball over the goalkeeper's head and still make it under the crossbar into the goal.

Clear
to kick the ball away from one's goal.

Cleats
the metal, plastic or rubber points in the bottom of a soccer shoe used to provide a player with traction; term also used to refer to the shoes themselves.

Club
a team that plays in a league.

CONCACAF
The Confederation Norte-Centroamericana y Del Caribe de Footbal

Consolation match
a tournament game played between the losers of the 2 semifinal matches to determine the third-place team.

Corner arc
a quarter-circle with a radius of 1 yard located at each of the 4 corners of the field; on a corner kick, the ball must be kicked from inside this arc.

Corner area
see Corner arc.

Corner flag
the flag located at each of the 4 corners of the field, inside the corner area.

Corner kick
a type of restart where the ball is kicked from the corner arc in an attempt to score; awarded to an attacking team when the ball crosses the goal line last touched by the defending team.

Counterattack
an attack launched by a defending team soon after it regains possession of the ball.

Creating space
when a player from the attacking team moves without the ball to draw defenders away from the ball carrier and give him space.

Cross or crossing pass
a pass from an attacking player near the sideline to a teammate in the middle or opposite side of the field; used to give the teammate a good scoring opportunity.

Crossbar
the horizontal beam that forms the top of a goal and sits on top of the two posts; it is 24 feet long and supported 8 feet above the ground.

Cut down the angle
when the goalie comes out of the goal several feet to make himself closer and larger to an attacker, leaving the attacker less net to shoot at.

Cut off
when a defensive player keeps his body between an attacker and the defender's goal, forcing the attacker out towards the sidelines.

Dangerous play
when a player attempts a play that the referee considers dangerous to that player or others, such as trying to kick the ball out of the goalie's hands, even if no contact is made.

Defenders
the players on the team that does not have possession of the ball.

Defending team
the team that does not have possession of the ball.

Defense
a team's function of preventing the opposition from scoring.

Defensemen
the 3 or 4 players on a team whose primary task is to stop the opposition from scoring; also called fullbacks.

Defensive midfielder
the player positioned just in front of his team's defense; he is often assigned to mark the opposition's best offensive player; also called the midfield anchor.

Defensive pressure
when one or more defenders closely mark a ball carrier to harass him into losing the ball.

Deflection
the ricochet of a ball after it hits a player.

Direct free kick
a kick awarded to a player for a serious foul committed by the opposition; the player kicks a stationary ball with no opposing players within 10 yards of him; a goal can be scored directly from this kick without the ball touching another player.

Diving header
a ball struck near ground level by the head of a diving player.

Draw
a game that ends with a tied score.

Dribbler
a player who advances the ball while controlling it with his feet.

Dribbling
the basic skill of advancing the ball with the feet while controlling it.

Drop ball
a method of restarting a game where the referee drops the ball between 2 players facing each other.

Drop kick
when a goalie drops the ball from his hands and kicks it just after it hits the ground.

Endline
see Goal line.

English Football Association
an association of English soccer teams founded in 1863 to set soccer rules.

F.A.
Football Association; often used to refer to the English Football Association, who, along with FIFA and other football associations, helps maintain the rules of soccer.

Fake or feint
a move by a player meant to deceive an opposing player; used by a ball carrier to make a defender think the ball carrier is going to dribble, pass or shoot in a certain direction when he is not.

Far post
the goalpost furthest from the ball.

Field
the rectangular area where soccer matches are played.

FIFA
Federation Internationale de Football Association

FIFA World Cup
a solid gold statue given to the champion of each World Cup tournament to keep for the next 4 years.

Flick header
a player's use of his head to deflect the ball.

Foot trap
a player's use of his foot to control a rolling or low-bouncing ball.

Football
name for soccer everywhere except in the U.S.; also, what American's call their popular team sport which evolved from soccer and rugby.

Formation
the arrangement into positions of players on the field; for example, a 4-3-3 formation places 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 forwards on the field.

Forward line
the 3 or 4 forwards who work together to try and score goals; consists of two wingers and 1 or 2 strikers.

Forward pass
a pass made towards the opposition's goal.

Forwards
the 3 or 4 players on a team who are responsible for most of a team's scoring; they play in front of the rest of their team where they can take most of its shots; strikers and wingers.

Foul
a violation of the rules for which an official assesses a free kick.

Free kick
a kick awarded to a player for a foul committed by the opposition; the player kicks a stationary ball without any opposing players within 10 yards of him.

Front header
the striking of a ball in the air by a player's forehead; the most common type of header.

Front tackle
an attempt by a defender to kick the ball away from an attacker by approaching him from a head-on position.

Fullbacks
see Defensemen.

Goal
a ball that crosses the goal line between the goalposts and below the crossbar for which a point is awarded; also, the 8-foot high, 24-foot wide structure consisting of two posts, a crossbar and a net into which all goals are scored.

Goal area
the rectangular area 20 yards wide by 6 yards deep in front of each goal from which all goal kicks are taken; inside this area, it is illegal for opposing players to charge a goalie not holding the ball.

Goal kick
a type of restart where the ball is kicked from inside the goal area away from the goal; awarded to the defending team when a ball that crossed the goal line was last touched by a player on the attacking team.

Goal line
the field boundary running along its width at each end; also called the end line; runs right across the front of the goal; the line which a ball must completely cross for a goal to be scored.

Goalie
see Goalkeeper.

Goalkeeper
the player positioned directly in front of the goal who tries to prevent shots from getting into the net behind him; the only player allowed to use his hands and arms, though only within the penalty area.

Goalmouth
the front opening to each goal.

Goalposts
the two vertical beams located 24 feet apart which extend 8 feet high to form the sides of a goal and support the crossbar.

Hacking
kicking an opponent's legs.

Halfback
see Midfielder.

Halftime
the intermission between the 2 periods or halves of a game.

Halves
see Periods.

Hand ball
a foul where a player touches the ball with his hand or arm; the opposing team is awarded a direct free kick.

Hat trick
3 or more goals scored in a game by a single player.

Header
the striking of a ball in the air by a player's head.

Hook
the curved trajectory of a ball due to spin imparted on it by a kicker, such as in a banana kick.

IFAB
International Football Association Board

In bounds
when a ball is within the boundaries of the field, having not completely crossed a sideline or goal line.

In play
when a ball is within the boundaries of the field and play has not been stopped by the referee.

Indirect free kick
a kick awarded to a player for a less-serious foul committed by the opposition; the player kicks a stationary ball without any opposing players within 10 yards of him; a goal can only be scored on this kick after the ball has touched another player.