subject: The Fundamentals Of A Soccer Game [print this page] A soccer game is played in two halves and although the lengths vary between age groups, professionals, college, and high school play two halves that take 45 minutes long. The game of soccer is played between two teams, each consisting of a goalie and nine players. The players are then divided into offense and defense and can only play the soccer ball using their feet. In order to score, the objective would be to kick the ball into the opposing teams' goal. The goalie, therefore, is the only team player that is allowed to use his/her hands as well as feet.
Soccer players use a skill that consists of keeping the ball in the air using legal places on the body to control the ball such as feet and knees, and this skill is called juggling. Players are forbidden to use their hands or arm because if they did, then the other team will take possession of the ball. When a team knocks the ball out of bounds, the opposing team can do a "throw-in" and take possession of the ball, in which both feet should remain on the ground while the is thrown back into play. When a ball is kicked over the line of a team's own goal, then the opposite team takes the ball to the corresponding corner and kicks the ball back into play to one of the teammates, and this is called "corner kick". But if the team kicks the ball over the opposing team's goal, then it's going to be a "goal kick" which will be taken by one of the defensive players of that team.
When it comes to "fouls", there are a number of circumstances it can be called for. Some examples include a player touching the ball with his arm or hand, a player tackling another player, bad sportsmanship, or even excessive pushing.
On the spot where the foul happened, the referee will call the ball dead and give the opposite team a free kick.
During a shootout, the goalie of one team will be up against a player from the opposing team, and this is done when the score is still tied when the regulation time of soccer runs out. Whoever scores the goal first wins the game.
