As Real Madrid continue to build their new dream team, other teams are beginning to make moves in the transfer market, World Cup qualifiers continue – good news for North Korea (a 0-0 draw against saudi Arabia sees them through to the World Cup), not so good for Argentina (they lie fourth in the South America table after losing 2-0 away to Ecuador), and of course, in South Africa, the Confederations Cup is in full swing. In other news, politics and football get mixed up as some of Iran’s football team wear green wrist bands in support of Mir Hossein Mousavi who recently lost an election in Iran in controversial circumstances.
_________________________________________________________________________
Check out this week’s featured post – The Confederations Cup
And listen to something from our back catalogue –The Copa Libertadores
Automatically receive the podcast each week by clicking on the icon 
_________________________________________________________________________
PREDICTION
Last week, we looked at a game from the Confederation Cup, South Africa v Iraq:
Damian’s prediction: S. Africa 2-0 Iraq – a home banker
Damon’s prediction: S. Africa 1-1 Iraq – a return to Asian-Championship winning form
The result – South Africa 0 – 0 Iraq – Damon 1 – 0 – Damian
This week, we turn our eyes to the World Cup qualifier between Tunisia and Nigeria.
Damian’s prediction: Tunisia 2-0 Nigeria – Tunisia on fire
Damon’s prediction: Tunisia 1-0 Nigeria – Tunisia to win comfortably but unspectacularly
_________________________________________________________________________
FOOTBALL CLICHE
This week’s featured cliche is ‘it was a game of two halves’ which is one of the biggest football clichés. Of course football is a game of two halves! The first half and the second half. But sometimes this cliché is true. For example, in the Confederations Cup, Spain beat New Zealand 5-0. Four goals came in the first half, while in the second, New Zealand tightened their defence and only conceded one goal. A game of two halves – the first full – fantastic goals from Spain, and the second – good defence from New Zealand.
Click here for more football cliches and football phrases.
_________________________________________________________________________
This week’s QUIZ QUESTION:
This week, North Korea qualified for the World Cup in South Africa. When was the last time this country went to a World Cup?
a) 1962
b) 1966
c) 1990
d) 2002
Answer next week.
The answer to last week’s question about which country won the first ever FIFA Confederations Cup in 1997? was – Brazil.
_________________________________________________________________________
This week’s POLL
This week’s poll asks which team do you think will win the 2009 Confederations Cup that is taking place in South Africa? Go to the site, click on your choice in the side bar and leave a comment.
_________________________________________________________________________
Write to us at admin@languagecaster.com if you want to have your say on our weekly podcast.
You can also follow us at Twitter
Come along to our online shop and browse books and DVDs related to football and English language teaching and learning.
For all students of the beautiful game
