SOCCER GLOSSARY
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Cap: a recognition earned by a player for each appearance in an international game for his country.
Carrying the ball: a foul called on a goalkeeper when he takes more than 4 steps while holding or bouncing the ball.
Caution: see Yellow card.
Center: a pass from a player located near the sideline towards the middle of the field; used to get the ball closer to the front of the goal; also called a cross.
Center circle: a circular marking with a 10-yard radius in the center of the field from which kickoffs are taken to start or restart the game.
Center line: see Midfield line.
Center spot: a small circular mark inside the center circle that denotes the center of the field from which kickoffs are taken to start or restart the game.
Central defender: a player who guards the area directly in front of his own goal in a zone defense; does not exist in a man-to-man defense.
Charge: to run into an opponent; legal if done from the front or side of the ball carrier; illegal against a player without the ball or from behind.
Chest trap: when a player uses his chest to slow down and control a ball in the air.
Chip pass: a pass lofted into the air from a player to a teammate; used primarily to evade a defender by kicking the ball over his head.
Chip shot: a kick lofted into the air to try to sail the ball over the goalkeeper's head and still make
it under the crossbar into the goal.
Clear: to kick the ball away from one's goal.
Cleats: the metal, plastic or rubber points in the bottom of a soccer shoe used to provide a player with traction; term also used to refer to the shoes themselves.
Club: a team that plays in a league.
CONCACAF: The Confederation Norte-Centroamericana y Del Caribe de Footbal — the regional organization of North American and Central American soccer under which World Cup qualifying matches are played; member countries include the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Central American and Caribbean countries.
Consolation match: a tournament game played between the losers of the 2 semifinal matches to determine the third-place team.
Corner arc: a quarter-circle with a radius of 1 yard located at each of the 4 corners of the field; on a corner kick, the ball must be kicked from inside this arc.
Corner area: see Corner arc.
Corner flag: the flag located at each of the 4 corners of the field, inside the corner area.
Corner kick: a type of restart where the ball is kicked from the corner arc in an attempt to score; awarded to an attacking team when the ball crosses the goal line last touched by the defending team.
Counterattack: an attack launched by a defending team soon after it regains possession of the ball.
Creating space: when a player from the attacking team moves without the ball to draw defenders away from the ball carrier and give him space.
Cross or crossing pass: a pass from an attacking player near the sideline to a teammate in the middle or opposite side of the field; used to give the teammate a good scoring opportunity.
Crossbar: the horizontal beam that forms the top of a goal and sits on top of the two posts; it is 24 feet long and supported 8 feet above the ground.
Cut down the angle: when the goalie comes out of the goal several feet to make himself closer and larger to an attacker, leaving the attacker less net to shoot at.
Cut off: when a defensive player keeps his body between an attacker and the defender's goal, forcing the attacker out towards the sidelines.
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