June 14

First rout

Last night, those of you who stayed up late (not me), you saw this year's first rout, a 4-0 German victory over Australia. That means a whole new set of vocabulary. Before we get to the story, let's look at a two examples from other media sources:

Ruthless German hammer Australia

By Sam Lyon of the BBC

Germany provided a real signal of intent with a thrilling demolition of 10-man Australia to get their 2010 World Cup campaign off to a flying start.

Coming into the tournament without injured talisman Michael Ballack, doubts over the future of coach Joachim Loew and the second-youngest squad in the competition, many might have expected Germany to struggle in South Africa.

But if their effervescent display in Durban is anything to go by, the three-time champions could be real contenders for the title come 11 July.

Not surprisingly, the Australian newspaper the Sydney Morning Herald saw things differently:

Roos mauled by Germany

Australia have a mountain to climb if they are to stay alive in this World Cup after their campaign opened in the worst possible fashion when Tim Cahill was sent off and Pim Verbeek’s team was completely outclassed 4-0 by a slick and skilful Germany.

The Germans handed out a footballing lesson and had enough chances to double their winning margin, such was their domination.

Australia must now win their next match against Ghana, victors over Serbia earlier in the day, to have any hope of staying alive in this tournament. On this effort that looks a forlorn hope.

rout – a complete defeat of an opponent in a battle, competition, or election ความพ่ายแพ้ราบคาบ
ruthless – not thinking or worrying about any pain caused to others; cruel ไร้ความปรานี, โหดเหี้ยม
hammer – to hit very hard; to defeat an opponent by a large score กระแทก, ทุบด้วยค้อน
intent – your plan or purpose จุดประสงค์
thrilling – very exciting ทำให้ตื่นเต้นเร้าใจ, เขย่าขวัญ
demolition – complete destruction การรื้อถอน, การทำลาย
talisman – an object (or person, in this case) that someone believes has special powers, especially the power to protect them from bad things เครื่องลาง
struggling – having serious difficulties มีความยุ่งยาก
effervescent – lively and enthusiastic ที่มีชีวิตชีวา
contender – someone who competes with other people for a prize or job คู่ต่อสู้, คู่แข่ง
title – the position of a winner in a sports competition  ตำแหน่งแชมป์
roos – short form of Socceroos, the name of the Australian football squad
maul – (normally of a animal with sharp teeth and claws) to cause serious injury to someone กัดฉีก, ทำให้บาดเจ็บ, ทำลาย
campaign – a series of matches in a tournament
fashion – way แบบ
outclass – to be much better than someone or something else (to be outclassed means to be much worse than someone or something else) เหนือกว่า, ดีกว่า
slick – done in a very impressive way that seems to need very little effort คล่องแคล่ว, ว่องไว
margin – the amount by which a competition is won จำนวนที่เกิน
domination – control การครอบคลุม การควบคุม
forlorn – feeling that you are alone and unhappy or left alone and not cared for เหงาหงอยและสิ้นหวัง, โดดเดี่ยว,เปล่าเปลี่ยว,ไม่มีความสุข,น่าสงสาร

If you want even more football-related vocabulary, see World Cup English.

With the story below, once again, I suggest you begin by watching the two-minute video of the match from fifa.com

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Click button to listen to Germany-Australia and rightclick to download

Germany thrash Australia 4-0

Behind the goal photo of Germanys' first goal. AP

Durban, AFP  Three-time champions Germany fired out a warning to World Cup challengers with a comprehensive 4-0 dismantling of Australia in their opening Group D match here Sunday.

The Germans totally dominated the Socceroos, with captain Philipp Lahm and rising stars Mesut Oezil and Thomas Mueller running Australian veterans Scott Chipperfield and Craig Moore ragged down the right wing.

Goals from Lukas Podolski, Miroslav Klose, Mueller and Brazil-born striker Cacau were just rewards for a team which also had a hatful of other scoring opportunities.

The victory leaves Germany atop of Group D, Ghana having beaten Serbia 1-0 in the day's other game.

Podolski opened the scoring in the ninth minute, the happy recipient of a text-book training ground move executed to clinical perfection.

After Oezil had played in Mueller, the Bayern Munich right winger cut the ball back across the face of the goal for Podolski to hammer home left-footed, with Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer getting a hand on it.

Klose, top scorer in the 2006 World Cup, made it 2-0 in the 27th minute with a well-taken goal – and his 11th in World Cup finals – rising between Australian captain Lucas Neill and Schwarzer to head powerfully home from a Lahm cross.

"Everything worked well and it is important that things went well in the first game," Klose said.

"We have earned some respect. You could see that we had fun playing football out there. I know what I can do. I feel great."

Germany coach Joachim Loew was delighted too.

"I am very happy about the performance, we showed some quick passing and good speed," he said.

The Socceroos paid a heavy price for the dismissal of Tim Cahill, shown a straight red card in the 56th minute by Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez for a very clumsy challenge on Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Two goals in a matter of minutes from Mueller (67) and Cacau (70), on as a replacement for Klose, sealed Australia's dismal start to their third World Cup campaign.

Mueller, who started the season in Bayern Munich's reserves, looked like he'd overrun a Podolski through-ball it but he dragged it back and shot accurately past Schwarzer, in off the post.

With the Australian defence in disarray, Caucau then had a simple tuck-in from another inch-perfect pass into the box by the 21-year-old Oezil.

It was Australia who had the first real chance of the game, Lahm clearing a close-range effort by Richard Garcia in the fourth minute.

thrash –  to defeat an opponent very easily in a game or competition เฆี่ยน
challenger – the opponent in a sport or competition that is most likely to defeat someone คู่แข่ง
comprehensive – complete and including everything that is necessary ที่ครอบคลุม
dismantle – to take something apart, in this case, to defeat an opponent completely รื้อ
run ragged – to make someone feel extremely tired by forcing them to do a lot of work ทำให้เหนื่อยมาก
veteran - having been involved in a particular activity for a long time อาวุโส,  มีประสบการณ์
just – fair; deserved; of something that you earn or are given because of your behavior or qualities สมควรได้รับ, ยุติธรรม
text-book move – something that is done exactly the way it is supposed to be done, or as it was practiced
execute – to do or perform something, especially in a planned way ดำเนินการ
clinical perfection – exactly right with no wasted effort
respect – a feeling of admiration that you have for someone because of their personal qualities, their achievements, or their status, and that you show by treating them in a polite and kind way ความเคารพ, ความนับถือ
delighted – very happy or satisfied about something ยินดีมาก,สุขใจ
dismissal – forcing someone to leave their job or in this case, a football match  การไล่ออก
clumsy – moving in a way that is not careful or graceful and which breaks things or knocks against them  ซุ่มซ่าม, เร่อร่า, เซอะ, เซ่อซ่า
challenge – in football, an attempt to take the ball away from your opponent or to stop them from progressing คัดค้าน
replacement – someone who takes the place of another ผู้การทำหน้าที่แทน, ตัวสำรอง
seal – to make something certain or complete รับรอง, ยืนยัน
dismal – extremely bad มืดมัว,ห่อเหี่ยว
reserves – players who have not been chosen to play in a particular match but who are available to play if needed ตัวสำรอง
overrun – to run past where you intended to go วิ่งผ่านไป
through-ball – a ball that is kicked through an area without being touched by a defender
accurate – correct, exact and without any mistakes แม่นยำ, ถูกต้อง
disarray – a situation in which people are very confused or things are not organised, especially because something unexpected has happened ความสับสน, ความไม่เป็นระเบียบ, ความอลหม่าน
tuck-in – putting the ball in the goal, especially from a short distance
inch-perfect – very accurate without any mistakes
clear – (in football) to kick or hit the ball away from the goal to a safe area

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 02:39 PM