Читать книгу Now You Know Big Book of Sports онлайн

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What is a tackle?

Unlike American football, bringing another player to the ground is a no-no in soccer. To tackle another player means to take the ball from him with your feet. In soccer, you tackle the ball, not the player.

What is a square ball?

No, it is not a cube. Such a ball shape would not work well for soccer — or any other game! A square ball is one passed on the ground in a line parallel to the touchlines on the pitch.

What does it mean to say the ball has gone into touch?

It means it is dead, because it has crossed the touchlines. When the ball goes into the area outside of the field of play, beyond the touchlines, it may be legally touched by a player’s hands, so the term means that the ball has gone into that area.

What is a banana kick?

This is a type of kick that gives the ball a curved trajectory — a bend like a banana — used to get the ball around a goaltender or defender.

What is a bicycle kick?

This is a highly entertaining acrobatic shot. A player kicks the ball in mid-air backwards and over his own head, usually making contact above waist level. It is so named because the player’s legs spin as though on a bicycle. It is also called the scissors kick.