The 2022 Women’s European Championships have started today and on this football language post for learners of English we look at the expression ‘loft the ball (over)‘. You can also read the transcript for this post below, while you can also check out our glossary of footballing phrases here and visit our site to access all our previous posts and podcasts. If you have any suggestions or questions then you can contact us at admin@languagecaster.com.
Loft the ball over
The opening goal of the 2022 Women’s European Championship was scored by England forward Beth Mead in the 16th minute after a lofted pass from Stanway. A lofted pass is a pass that is lifted over the defence and this kind of pass is effective when there is a packed defence. In order to loft the ball, the player raises it – maybe the player lobs or chips the ball over the defenders. In this example from the opening game, the English midfielder Georgia Stanway lofted the ball over the Austrian defence and into the box where the onrushing Mead then lifted the ball over the advancing keeper. We could also say that she lofted the ball over the keeper. Loft the ball over.
- Example: ‘…Stanway, I think, lofts the ball over the Austria defence towards Mead’ (Guardian.co.uk, July 6 2022)
- Example: If you look at footage of corners taken in the 60s and 70s there was more of a tendency to loft the ball into the box (Guardian.co.uk, March 27 2017).
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