Carrasco Scores Hat-Trick as Al-Shabab Beat Al-Ahly 6-1
Listen to the story
Al-Shabab defeated Al-Ahly 6-1 in a major Saudi Pro League match known as the Clasico.
Belgian player Yannick Carrasco scored an exceptional hat-trick, scoring three goals in the same game.
His performance was described as one of the best individual displays in the history of this fixture.
The Saudi Pro League is the top professional football division in Saudi Arabia, home to many famous international players.
This heavy win reminded fans of another famous match, played eighteen years ago.
In that earlier game, Al-Shabab also beat Al-Ahly 6-1, but the match ended in unusual circumstances.
Al-Ahly was forced to withdraw from the match before it finished, meaning the team stopped playing early.
That old result became a famous story in Saudi football history.
The recent 6-1 win has been compared to that historic result because of the identical scoreline.
Reports also note that this version of the Al-Shabab team included several young players, who helped to thrash Al-Ahly.
The term 'thrash' is used in football to describe a very one-sided, heavy defeat.
Carrasco's performance has been widely praised by fans and commentators.
The win strengthens Al-Shabab's reputation in this historic rivalry with Al-Ahly.
Supporters are now comparing the two famous matches, separated by eighteen years but linked by the same final score.
Vocabulary10 words
- Clasico
- a very important match between two big rival teams
- hat-trick
- three goals scored by one player in one game
- division
- a level or group of teams in a sports competition
- withdraw
- to stop taking part in something before it ends
- thrash
- to beat a team very easily and by many points
- rivalry
- a long competition between two teams or people
- crush
- to defeat a team completely and easily
- scoreline
- the final score of a match
- fixture
- a planned sports match between two teams
- individual display
- how well one single player performs in a game
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Quiz
Answer key
1. He scored a hat-trick 2. Al-Ahly had to withdraw before it finished 3. True
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Al-Shabab defeated Al-Ahly 6-1 in a major Saudi Pro League match known as the _____.
Belgian player Yannick Carrasco scored an exceptional _____, scoring three goals in the same game.
His performance was described as one of the best _____ in the history of this fixture.
The Saudi Pro League is the top professional football _____ in Saudi Arabia.
This heavy win reminded fans of another famous match, played _____ years ago.
Al-Ahly was forced to _____ from the match before it finished.
That old result became a famous story in Saudi football _____.
Reports also note that this version of the Al-Shabab team included several _____ players.
The win strengthens Al-Shabab's reputation in this historic _____ with Al-Ahly.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think fans and media compare two matches played eighteen years apart?
- What makes a hat-trick an impressive achievement in football?
- Why might a team be forced to withdraw from a match before it ends?
- Do you think historic rivalries, like Al-Shabab versus Al-Ahly, affect how players perform?
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