Learn English Through Football Podcast: Late Goals

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In this week’s football-language podcast we focus on some language to describe late goals as domestic football returns after the international break. We will also look at some predictions from the big game at the weekend from the Premier League: Liverpool versus Manchester City. You can read the transcript below, read some teaching tips on how to use these materials, check out our glossary here, or browse all our previous posts and podcasts.

For Teachers ▸ how to use this episode in class

Vocabulary: Discuss any vocabulary students know about scoring goals, especially goals near the end of the game (equaliser; late winner; last-gasp)

Listening for gist (main idea): Ask the learners to pick out the names of the teams and players mentioned in the short report from Damon on late goals. Maybe they could also listen for some of the language of late goals (especially the ones mentioned in the first part)

Listening for details (1): Pick out one of the sections from the listening and create a gap fill activity – maybe with language of transfers

Listening for details (2): Alternatively you could focus on connected language and blank out combinations of words)

Share with other teachers how you are using these resources (vocabulary, listening, writing, etc.) on our teachers’ forum page

Hello

DB: You’re listening to the Learn English Through Football Podcast.

DB: Hi there everyone. How are you? Are you well? My name is Damon, and I am one half of the Learn English through Football team and I’m joining you from a lovely sunny Japan. Finally we have some nice weather after weeks and weeks of rain. And, finally, club football returns this weekend after three weeks of international football.

Personally, I enjoy the club football more than the internationals. How about you? Club or international football for you?

DF: Hello everyone, well I think I prefer club, or domestic, football; though summer tournaments such as the World Cup or continental championships like the Euros are also great fun.

So, as Damon mentioned, club football is back after a three-week break and there have already been some big stories and drama this weekend. Chelsea demolished Bournemouth 5-1; Brighton maintained their unbeaten start to the season after defeating Sunderland 2-0 away. Both Real Madrid and Barcelona won in La Liga though Madrid’s victory was marred by a red card for Vinicius Jr.

My favourite team Tottenham won a hard-earned point away at Manchester United on Saturday and the equalising goal came in the 93rd minute which was great, especially as they were down to ten men.

Today’s Show

So, late goals are always great when they are scored for your team – obviously not so good if you concede a late goal though – and this is what we are going to talk about today on the show: late goals. We will explain the phrases, ‘snatch a point‘ or ‘snatch a draw‘; ‘salvage a point‘ and ‘stoppage-time strike‘ which appeared in three different games at the weekend, including two from my favourite teams: Tottenham in the Premier League and Malaga in La Liga.

We are also going to make some predictions for the big game between Liverpool and Manchester City. And we are going to be looking at a game from the Champions League this week when Manchester United travel to Atlético Madrid in the league phase.

Stinger: You are listening to the Learn English through football podcast (in German)

DF: Yes, you are listening to the Learn English through football podcast and that message was in German from a Stuttgart fan, Aaron. Stuttgart had a good away win against Paderborn at the weekend so well done to them.

Salvage a late point

Right, let’s take a look at some language for describing late goals from the weekend games. Let’s start with a game from Spain where my favourite team Malaga scored a really late goal to equalise against Espanyol on Friday evening. And this was an important point as it lifted Malaga off the foot of the table. And this means they are no longer bottom of the league. Here’s how the local newspaper, El Sur, reported on the late goal:

‘Adrián Niño again to the rescue for Malaga CF who salvage late point‘ (El Sur in English)

So, to salvage a point means to save a point or to get a point when it seems all is lost. We hear this phrase a lot when a team is losing and there is not much time left in the match; they then score so we can say they have salvaged, or saved, a point. Damon talked about this phrase in last week’s podcast about the Women’s Champions League.

Stoppage-time strike

DF: From the same newspaper report (el Sur), they also used the phrase ‘stoppage-time strike‘ to describe the Malaga equaliser.

The stoppage-time strike cancelled out Bryan Zaragoza’s early opener at La Rosaleda… (El Sur in English)

Stoppage time is the time added on after the 90 minutes are up and this time is added because of goals, substitutions, VAR or maybe injuries. And it is also sometimes known as ‘added time’; ‘additional time’ or ‘injury time’.

Now, ‘strike’, we’ve covered this word many times before. A strike can refer to someone shooting: a great strike; a great shot. But we can also use it to describe a goal; so a stoppage-time strike is a goal in additional time; a goal at the end of the game.

Snatch a draw

DF: Now, I have already mentioned that my favourite team Tottenham also managed to earn a point thanks to a late Dominic Solanke goal – he scored in the 92nd minute – and this point also took Tottenham off the foot of the table, so they’re no longer at the bottom. So, here’s what the Guardian newspaper said about that goal – what language do they use to describe a late goal.

Dominic Solanke scored in stoppage time to salvage a point for 10-man Tottenham as they snatched a draw against Manchester United in a feisty encounter at Old Trafford. (Guardian newspaper)

He scored in stoppage time

To salvage a point

Snatch a draw

So, all of this kind of language is used to describe late goals.

Last-gasp comeback

DF: Here’s one more: last-gasp comeback. So, another report from the Guardian newspaper to describe Ipswich Town’s late comeback win over Fulham.

Ipswich stun Fulham with last-gasp comeback to increase the heat on Arbeloa (Guardian newspaper)

So, the phrase, ‘last-gasp‘ means right at the end – we might also hear or see the phrase ‘at the death‘ and Ipswich won this right at the end of the game. They were losing 1-0 to Fulham in the 88th minute but managed to score twice at the death to win the three points. They scored a last-gasp winner.

Stinger: You are listening to the Learn English through football podcast (from a Mexican fan)

Predictions Review: Greece vs Germany

Listen to our previous podcast on the language of predictions here.

DB: OK, let’s take a look at the prediction we made last week. It was a Nations League match between Greece and Germany. Greece had won the first match between these two sides and Klopp’s German team were still winless since he took over in the dugout. I thought Germany would win this one 1-0 while Damian said, ‘A tricky one to predict because the Greek side are playing really well – maybe a 1-1 draw for me’.

Well, Germany remain winless as the match ended in a 0-0 stalemate. So, Damian was correct to call it a draw. Well done.

Maybe I can do better this week where we have two matches to look at.

Predictions: Liverpool v Manchester City

DB: The first match for this week’s predictions is Liverpool hosting Manchester City. With five games played in the league, Manchester City have won all five and look very strong, while Liverpool have got off to a slow start with two wins and three draws.

The other factor to think about though is the controversy surrounding Manchester City who have been found guilty of 114 charges brought by the Premier League. Now, most commentators think this will mean that the Manchester club will be relegated or expelled from the Premier League.

I don’t think it will affect the City players and, although they haven’t got a great record at Anfield, I think they’ll continue their good start to the season and win this 1-0. What will that mean at the end of the season though I have no idea.

DF: Yes, this is the big game this weekend, especially with all the off-the-field drama. It will be interesting to see how the City players react to these charges and of course to the hostile reaction from the Liverpool fans. Liverpool are missing some important players though… I am going for a 1-1 draw and maybe a red card!

Predictions: Atlético v Manchester United

DB: Our second game is in the Champions League, Atlético Madrid v Manchester United. We’ve heard about the Manchester United v Tottenham match from Damian earlier in the show, and it’s been a difficult start to the season for the Manchester side. I don’t think it will improve with a visit to Atlético. The Spanish side have won their last four league games, including a 2-1 win in the derby: a 2-0 win to the home side.

Damian, what do you think?

DF: Yes, the pressure is building on the Manchester United manager Michael Carrick at the moment. I reckon the Spanish side will win this one easily – perhaps 2-0.

Stinger: You are listening to the Learn English through Football Podcast (in French from Canada)

Language Review

DF: Yes, that message was in French from Canada from a Liverpool fan Rudy – and yes you are listening to the Learn English through football podcast. If you would like to send in a message like this we’d love to hear from you. Maybe mention your name, where you are from and which team you support. Or simply say, ‘you’re listening to the Learn English through football podcast’ in any language you wish!

Right, so on today’s show we have looked at some language to describe some late goals. we looked at ‘snatch a draw‘; ‘last-gasp win‘ ‘stoppage-time strike‘ and ‘salvage a point‘ after all the late goals at the weekend.

Can you think of any other words or phrases connected to these phrases? And how would you say these expressions in another language that you know? Drop us a line on our forum where we have a thread on today’s podcast and we think it’s a great place to share ideas and ask more football-language questions!

Contact

DB: Just a reminder that you can contact us with any questions you may have or suggestions for the show by emailing us at contact@learnenglishthroughfootball.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram and YouTube. And why not come along to our site, ‘Learn English through football.com’ and join our forum chat or explore our glossary of football language.

Stinger: You are listening to the Learn English through Football Podcast

DF: Now, if you come along to our site and open this post, you’ll see some teaching ideas at the top of the page in which we suggest a few ways to possibly use these materials with your students or even when you’re learning by yourself. We also have a thread for teaching ideas on our forum so come along and take a look and maybe share some of the ways that you might use these with your learners.

Goodbye

DF: OK, that’s it for this week – apologies for the slight delay in this podcast arriving. But we looked back at language around late goals, including, ‘last-gasp win’; ‘snatch a draw‘; ‘stoppage-time strike‘ and ‘salvage a point‘. We’ll see you all again soon with the shorter Weekly Football Phrase episode, in which, of course, we pick out an expression from the weekend’s games. Until then, bye bye.

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