Vocabulary – Week 18

Here are some of the words and phrases that we used on this week’s show.
You can practise the vocabulary with our online crosswords here
Check out the BBC’s football vocabulary page here

• down to the wire – unknown result till the end of the league

The J-League went down to the wire last week.

• faltering – stuttering, losing energy or belief

Urawa Reds’ J-League campagin has been faltering since the Asian Cup Final.

• match-fixing – to ensure a result of a game before it is played for gambling purposes.

UEFA are investigating claims of match-fixing in some Champions League matches.

• press conference – a meeting between the media and the team

Domenech walked out of the press conference after the Euro 2008 draw.

• cry baby – not an adult, tempremental

Domenech is a cry baby unlike Donadoni who seemed unfazed by the draw.

• drugs test – a check to see if a player has taken illegal substances to improve his / her play.

Romario failed a recent drugs test in Brazil.

• group of death – a group of teams that are of a high level – difficult to predict.

Italy, France, Holland, Romania – Euro 2008’s group of death.

• relegated – when a team moves down a division due to poor results.

Corinthians were relegated from Brazil’s top division last week.

• fired – to be sacked, to lose your job

The Corinthians manager was fired after the relegation.

• upcoming – forthcoming, in the future

The upcoming tournament in Japan will produce the World Club champion.

• kicks off – to start, begin

The tournament kicks off this weekend with games involving teams from all over the world.

• faded – to lose importance

The tournament faded in the 1970s after violence ruined many matches.

• revived – brought back to life, re-started

The tournament was revived in the 1990s.

• relaunched – revived, started up again

The World Club Cup was relaunched two years ago.

• honours are split – divided equally

Honours are split between South American and European teams.

• revamped – under a different format

The tournament was revamped in 2000.

• underdogs – a team not expected to win

Etoile Soleil are the clear underdogs against Boca Juniors.

• scrape a win – to just win (not easily)

Chelsea scraped a win against Chelsea.

• sneak a win – to just win (not easily)

Spurs sneaked a win against Man City last week.

• wrap up the title – to win the championship

Lanus wrapped up the title this weekend

• to run out of steam – to lose energy

Portsmouth seem to be running out of steam

• go out of the window – to be completely unpredictable

form goes out of the window when there is a derby.

• to tick along nicely – to be playing well, consistently

Villareal are ticking along nicely in La Liga.