Japan Beats Brazil 3-2 in Friendly Match
Listen to the story
Japan defeated Brazil 3-2 in a friendly football match. A friendly is a game played for practice, not for points in a competition.
Brazil's star player, VinÃcius Júnior, scored a brace during the match. His two goals were described as excellent, but they were not enough to help Brazil win.
During the game, Brazil's coach Carlo Ancelotti was sent off the field by the referee. This event is called an expulsion, and it means a coach or player must leave the match.
After the match ended, Ancelotti spoke to journalists about his expulsion. He said the referee lacked experience, and he believed this affected the final result of the game.
Even though Brazil is a strong football nation, they lost this friendly match to Japan. The match shows that friendlies can still be exciting and unpredictable, even without championship points at stake.
Ancelotti's comments suggest he was unhappy with how the referee managed the match, though he did not change the final score.
Vocabulary10 words
- friendly
- a game played for practice, not for a prize
- brace
- two goals scored by one player in one game
- referee
- the official who controls a sports game
- expulsion
- being forced to leave a game or event
- experience
- skill gained from doing something many times
- unpredictable
- not easy to know what will happen
- journalist
- a person who writes news stories
- championship
- a competition to find the best team
- coach
- the leader who trains a sports team
- defeated
- beat another team or person in a game
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Quiz
Answer key
1. A friendly match 2. Two goals scored by one player 3. The referee lacked experience
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Japan defeated Brazil 3-2 in a _____ football match. A friendly is a game played for _____, not for points in a competition.
Brazil's star player, VinÃcius Júnior, scored a _____ during the match. His two goals were described as excellent, but they were not enough to help Brazil _____.
During the game, Brazil's coach Carlo Ancelotti was sent off the field by the _____. This event is called an _____, and it means a coach or player must leave the match.
After the match ended, Ancelotti spoke to _____ about his expulsion. He said the referee lacked _____, and he believed this affected the final result of the game.
Even though Brazil is a strong football nation, they lost this friendly match to Japan. The match shows that friendlies can still be exciting and _____, even without championship points at stake.
Discussion questions
- Why do national teams play friendly matches even though they do not count toward a championship?
- Do you think a coach should be allowed to criticize a referee publicly after a match? Why or why not?
- What makes a goal 'beautiful' or impressive to watch in football?
- How important is a referee's experience in the outcome of a sports match?
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