Meaning & use
through ball
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Meaning
nouncountablesport
A pass in soccer that goes into the space behind defenders so that a teammate can run on to it.
Grammar: Takes an article: a through ball, the through ball.
Patterns
- play a through ball to someone
- a through ball for someone
The midfielder played a perfect through ball to the striker.
Their quick through ball split the defense open.
He raced onto the through ball and scored.
Word forms
| plural | through balls |
|---|
Common combinations
- play a through ball
- She played a through ball between the two defenders.
- weighted through ball
- A weighted through ball lets the runner keep his stride.
- slide a through ball
- He slid a through ball into the penalty area.
- chase a through ball
- The winger chased a through ball down the touchline.
- beautifully-timed through ball
- It was a beautifully-timed through ball.
Synonyms and how they differ
- killer pass
- Killer pass is a general informal term for any pass that sets up a clear chance, while a through ball specifically goes behind defenders.
- slide-rule pass
- Slide-rule pass is a British phrase praising precision, not the type of pass.
- long ball
- A long ball is hit far and high down the field, but a through ball is aimed at a gap and is usually along the ground.
- splitter
- Splitter is slang for a pass that cuts through defenders, and is less widely understood.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: through ball or long ball?
through ball vs long ball
A long ball is a long kick forward, not necessarily to a runner, but a through ball is aimed at a gap behind the defense.
Practice
The midfielder slid a clever ______ between the two defenders, and the striker ran onto it.
Choose one answer.
A through ball is a pass into space behind defenders. A throw-in restarts play from the sideline by hand, so it does not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “through ball”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.