Football words and expressions beginning with A

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18 yard box- Another way to say PENALTY BOX
Abandoned match- A match that the REFEREE stops before REGULATION TIME (and sometimes before the game starts), for example because of very bad weather, or a bad PITCH INVASION
AC- English short form of AC Milan, often met with blank incomprehension by Italians
Aerial skills- Being good at HEADing the ball
Against the run of play- A goal scored when the other team seems to be doing much better, for example when most of the play is in the other half of the pitch
Aggregate score- Calculated by adding the two scores together when teams play two matches, one at HOME and one AWAY, for example in the SEMI FINALS
All- Used to show that the FINAL SCORE was a draw, e.g. “Two all” for “Two two”
All-seater- A stadium with no standing room on the TERRACES where everyone must sit down instead. All British grounds in the top divisions have to be all-seaters due to safety concerns
Anticipation- Being able to predict what will happen next, for example where a STRIKER will try to score
Area (the)- The rectangular part of the pitch near the goal within which the GOALKEEPER is allowed to use their hands to control the ball. More properly called the PENALTY AREA
Artificial turf- TURF made from man-made materials rather than the usual grass. It is easier to maintain but difficult to play on and can injure players who fall on it
Assistant referee- The modern official name for a LINESMAN
Association football- The official name of football, to contrast it with rugby football. The informal form SOCCER is a shortening of the word “association” in this expression
Attacker- (1) Any player with the ball who is trying to move it towards the OPPOSITION’s goal (2) A striker
Attempt- Usually means a failed SHOT AT GOAL
Automatic promotion- Teams who can go up to the next DIVISION without needing to go through a PLAYOFF match with other candidates for PROMOTION, usually because they finished first or second in their division at the end of the REGULAR SEASON
Away goal (rule)- When the AGGREGRATE SCORE from HOME and AWAY matches is a DRAW (e.g. 2-1 plus 1-0 equals 2-2), goals scored AWAY count more than goals scored at home and so can decide which team progresses to the next round (in the example, the team who was playing at home in the second match because they scored once away from home wins)
Away- playing away from your HOME GROUND at the ground of the OPPOSITION. The opposite of HOME
Away leg- When a TIE is played in LEGs at both teams’ GROUNDs, the match that isn’t played at your own ground. The opposite of HOME LEG
Away strip- A second set of clothes (KIT) that teams use when teams play AWAY and their usual strip would be too similar to that of the HOME TEAM, e.g. because both Liverpool and Manchester United play in red.
Azzurri – Nickname for the Italian NATIONAL SIDE, meaning “the Blues” due to the colour of their STRIP

The next letter will be put up tomorrow, and all letters will be linked to from the index here:

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ge...ngenglish.html

"(But...what is AC Milan?)"

Good point. Will change it to "Italian CLUB AC Milan"

'an assist' - a direct contribution by one player to a goal by a teammate

'aet' - abbreviation for 'after extra time' which you often see when the score's written up in a newspaper, eg:

Germany 1 v 1 England (aet)

Germany win 5-4 on penalties