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Soccer Terminology | S - T - U

S

Save

The act of a goalkeeper in blocking or stopping a shot that would have gone into the goal without his intervention.

Score

To put the ball into the net for a goal; also, the tally of goals for each team playing in a game.

Scorers

players who score goals.

Scoring opportunity

A situation where a team stands a good chance of scoring a goal.

Screening

See Shielding.

Set play

A planned strategy that a team uses when a game is restarted with a free kick, penalty kick, corner kick, goal kick, throw-in or kickoff.

Shielding

A technique used by a ball carrier to protect the ball from a defender closely marking him; the ball carrier keeps his body between the ball and the defender.

Shinguards

Pads that strap onto a player's lower leg to protect the shins should he or she be kicked there.

Shooting

When a player kicks the ball at the opponent's net in an attempt to score a goal.

Shorthanded

A team playing with less than its full complement of 11 players.

Shot

A ball kicked or headed by a player at the opponent's net in an attempt to score a goal.

Shoulder charge

Minimal shoulder-to-shoulder contact by a defender against a ball carrier; the only contact allowed by the rules unless a defender touches the ball first.

Shutout

Preventing the opposition from scoring any goals in a game; for example, a score of 2-0 or 4-0; goalies are often credited with shutouts because they did not allow any goals to get past them.

Side tackle

An attempt by a defender to redirect the ball slightly with his foot away from a ball carrier running in the same direction.

Sideline or touchline

A line that runs along the length of the field on each side.

Single elimination

A type of tournament where a single loss eliminates a team from the tournament.

Sliding tackle

An attempt by a defender to take the ball away from a ball carrier by sliding on the ground feet-first into the ball.

Small-sided game

A match played with fewer than 11 players per side.

Square pass

A pass made by a player to a teammate running alongside him.

Starter

A player who is on the field to play at the start of a game; a team usually makes its best players starters.

Steal

When a player takes the ball away from an opposing player.

Stopper

The defender that marks the best scorer on the attacking team, often the opposition's striker; exists only in a man-to-man defense.

Striker

A team's most powerful and best-scoring forward who plays towards the center of the field; also, the name of the mascot for the 1994 World Cup.

Substitution

Replacement of one player on the field with another player not on the field; FIFA rules allow only 3 substitutions per game.

Sudden death

A type of overtime where the first goal scored by a team ends the game and gives that team the victory; most overtime in soccer is not sudden death.

Sweeper

The defender that plays closest to his own goal behind the rest of the defenders; a team's last line of defense in front of the goalkeeper.

T

Tackling

The act of taking the ball away from a player by kicking or stopping it with one's feet; only a minimal amount of shoulder-to-shoulder contact, called a charge, is permitted to knock the ball carrier off balance.

Territory

The half of the field which a team defends.

Thigh trap

When a player uses his thigh to slow down and control a ball in the air.

3-on-1 break

A type of break with 3 attacking players against only 1 defensive player.

3-on-2 break

A type of break with 3 attacking players against 2 defensive players.

Through pass

A pass sent to a teammate to get him the ball behind his defender; used to penetrate a line of defenders.

Throw-in

A type of restart where a player throws the ball from behind his head with two hands while standing with both feet on the ground behind a sideline; taken by a player opposite the team that last touched the ball before it went out of bounds across a sideline.

Tie game

When two teams have scored the same number of goals in a match; if the game ends tied, it is a draw.

Tiebreaker

A way to choose the winner of a match when teams are tied after overtime; in FIFA tournament play, a series of penalty kicks are taken by players from both teams, and the team that scores on more of them is declared the winner.

Timekeeper

The job of the referee, who keeps track of the official time to notify teams and fans when each period is completed.

Timeout

An official break in the action of a sport; the rules of soccer do not allow for any timeouts; timeouts for television advertising breaks are permitted by NCAA collegiate rules.

Touchline

See Sideline

Trailing

Running behind another player.

Trap

When a player uses his body to slow down and control a moving ball, most often using his chest, thighs or feet.

Turnover

The loss of possession of the ball.

2-on-1 break

A type of break with 2 attacking players against 1 defensive player.

Two-way midfielder

The versatile midfielder most responsible for organizing play in the midfield area; often a team's energetic leader.

U

Unsportsmanlike conduct

rude behavior.

USSF

United States Soccer Federation - organization formed in 1913 to govern soccer in America; America's link to FIFA, providing soccer rules and guidelines to players, referees and spectators nationwide.

USYSA

United States Youth Soccer Association - the official Youth Division of the organizes and administers youth league competitions, establishes rules and guidelines, and holds clinics and workshops to support players, coaches and referees. USSF and the largest youth soccer organization in the U.S.