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Tap in – Football Language: 2021-22 Season: Leeds vs Liverpool

This football language podcast looks back at one of the matches from match week four in the Premier League 2021-22 season. We focus on the the three goals scored by Liverpool, including Mo Salah’s 100th goal in the Premier League. You can read a transcript for this podcast 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. (DB=Damon)

Tap in – Football Language: 2021-22 Season: Leeds vs Liverpool

DB: You’re listening to languagecaster.com’s football language 2021-2022 season podcast. Hello there everyone, my name’s Damon, one half of the Languagecaster team. Of course, regular listeners know that Damian is the half of the team, and while I am based in Tokyo, he is based in London.

Right, today I’ll be talking about some football language from the Leeds versus Liverpool match from last Sunday. The reason I chose this is that Mo Salah reached an amazing landmark by scoring his 100th Premier league goal, and he is the 5th fastest to ever do that.

Of course, the Return of Christiano Ronaldo was also big news this weekend, and Damian has taken a look at that story and some football language. Check out that post – Golden return of Ronaldo – by coming along to our site at languagecaster.com.

Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Urdu).

DB: OK, let’s turn to the football language and we’ll use the BBC match report and start with this paragraph.

Egyptian forward Salah was perfectly placed to tap in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s low cross and give the Reds a 20th-minute advantage, with Fabinho bundling home the second following a corner five minutes after the break.

Tap in

DB: So, according to this report, Mo Salah’s 100th goal in the Premier League was a tap in. Now, a tap in can be used as a noun – it was a tap in – or, as in this report, we can use it as a verb, to tap in a cross:A Salah tapped in Alexander-Arnold’s cross. This means Salah had an easy job of just touching the ball, guiding the ball, towards the net. We might also say he turned it in, meaning he changed the direction of the ball so that it went in the goal. using the preposition ‘in‘ in both phrases indicates a goal. To turn it in or tap it in means the ball goes ‘in‘ the goal.

Embed from Getty Images

Bundle home

DB: OK, so that was the first goal. The second goal of three was scored by Fabinho and is described this way – Fabinho bundling home the second – The player bundled home the ball, pass, or cross. To bundle home means to score from close range by pushing, knocking, poking, kicking the ball into the net. The nuance is that the goal is not very skillful but a bit chaotic.

Now, I have to disagree with the BBC’s description of Fabinho’s goal. He took a touch – ie, controlled the ball – before smashing the ball home. That would be my description. Anyway, now Liverpool were two-nil up.

Low finish

Let’s take a look at the last goal and how it was described in the BBC report.

Sadio Mane had missed a number of chances in the game, but made absolutely certain of the points with a low finish into the far bottom corner in injury time.

Tap inMane had a hatful of chances in this match, a lot of chances to score, many were blocked but one was blazed over the bar from close range. When he scored it was with a powerful shot, here described as a low finish. So the ball was hit low, close to the ground, and powerfully. Adding ‘finish’ implies a goal was scored.

Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Spanish).

Good Bye

DB: Yes, you are listening to languagecaster.com and that was in Spanish! Right, that brings us to the end of this short football language podcast. We looked at how three goals were described – to tap in orA tap home, to bundle in or bundle home, and a low finish.

Drop us a line anytime at admin@languagecaster.com. Remember, you can read the transcript for the show by coming along to our website at languagecaster.com. Enjoy all the football.A Ta-ra!

Learn English Through Football Podcast
Learn English Through Football Podcast
Damian Fitzpatrick

Learn English Through Football Podcast: A show for football fans to improve their English language skills

Hosted by
grell

I was born and brought up near Chester in the north west of England. I have always loved playing and talking about sport, especially football!
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