This World Cup language podcast focuses on the phrase, ‘cut the ball back’, which describes the build up to a goal in the Japan vs Spain match. You can read the transcript for this podcast below, and make sure visit our huge glossary of footballing phrases here and visit our site to access all our previous posts and podcasts. If you have any suggestions or questions then you can contact us at admin@languagecaster.com. (DB=Damon)   2022 World Cup Language Podcast Day 12: Cut the Ball Back & Bundle home (Japan vs Spain) Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'qW6SlxCLTCtj80kPFKhb3A',sig:'48fK5Q1bpu8NzsT1KY1tf7nZbG7lgggC2EvQRGqKOmQ=',w:'594px',h:'370px',items:'1446227801',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); DB: Hello again everyone and welcome to Languagecaster.com – the football-language podcast for learners and teachers of English. I’m Damon and I’m based in London and I’ve been really enjoying all the action and surprises so far at the World Cup 2022. The match we are looking at today is one of those surprises: Japan’s victory over another European heavyweight, Spain – remember the Blue Samurai have already beaten Germany. Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Japanese) DB: Yes, you are listening to languagecaster and that message was in Japanese and I bet he is very pleased with Japan’s performance against Spain in the last group stage game. The Japan team beat Spain 2-1 with a long range effort from Doan. But it is the second goal, scored by Tanaka, that we will focus on and we will look at two phrases: to cut the ball back and to bundle home. (to) Cut theBall Back Right, let’s take a look at how the goal was reported. Here is Asahi.com: ‘Ao Tanaka scored from close range after the other halftime sub Kaoru Mitoma cut the ball back from the byline.’ To cut the ball back, means to run towards the ball and pass it back towards where you have come from. If you imagine a line in front, to your side is 90 degrees, but to cut the ball back is to pass it on a line more like 130 degrees. We could also say to hook the ball back, to wrap your foot around the ball and ‘hook it‘, ‘cut it back‘. So, the Japanese player, Mitoma, cut the ball back, passed the ball backwards at a sharp angle. And here is what happened next. The description is from the Japan Times. (to) Bundle Home ‘Three minutes later and Japan had turned the game on its head, Tanaka bundling home from on the goalline after Mitoma had miraculously kept the ball in play.’ Tanaka bundled home. When we use ‘home‘ in a football phrase with a verb, it usually means to score: for example, to smash home, to head home, etc. So what does the verb phrase ‘to bundle home‘ mean? Well, it describes a messy goal. It is a goal that is not scored with a clean shot with the foot. It might come off the player’s knee, shin, chest, or any part of the body except the foot or head. So, there we have the two phrases to describe Japan’s winning goal against Spain. Mitoma cut the ball back and Tanaka bundled it home.