What is the meaning of "down the channel" in football?
GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Arsenal (Salah 73)
Tsimikas flicks a header on down the left. Jota eyebrows another header down the channel, and releases Mane. He races into the box, draws Ramsdale, and squares for Salah, who leaps to sidefoot into the net from close range. That’s a fine goal.Â
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Channels in football usually refer to spaces on the pitch between different players, for example, between a centre half and a full back. So, the phrase down the channel in this example means that Jota's header sent the ball into the channel, i.e. into the space between the centre half and the full back.
We might also hear the phrase 'run the channel(s)' which means that attacking players run into these spaces. We can also hear 'knock it into the channel' which means to hit the ball long into this space.
Thanks a lot for the explanation, Damian.
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