Discuss an experience of attending a live sports match – IELTS Speaking part 2

1. Structure for describing a live sports match you have watched

To answer the question about describing a live sports match you have watched well, you can refer to some useful sentence structures below:

• It dates back to (time) ago when S +V: Vào khoảng (thời gian) trước khi mà….
• This was the time when S + V: Đó là lúc mà ….
• This is a new destination for me to do something: Đây là đích đến mới của tôi để làm gì đó

2. Sample for describing a live sports match you have watched - IELTS Speaking part 2

Example 1

I’d like to talk about the recent football game between Hồ Chí Minh City football club and Hà Nội football club. It was a fixture on the 6th matchday of the 2021 V. League 1 football season, which is the highest and most competitive football league in Vietnam. I especially looked forward to watching this game because I’m a big fan of football and since I’m a

Saigonese, it’s only natural for me to support the Hồ Chí Minh FC. Prior to the match, we had had a poor run and we had struggled to stay out of the relegation zone. Meanwhile, Hà Nội was in a good position to accelerate in their title race. In the beginning, the match was all that I had expected. The atmosphere was tense and the players from both teams were determined and high-spirited. However, around the 28th minute, a horrific injury caused the game to pause.

Ho Chí Minh’s defender Hoàng Thịnh carelessly and violently tackled Hà Nội’s midfielder Hùng Dũng. Thịnh’s reckless challenge left Dũng holding this leg, clearly in pain and agony. Thịnh was sent off the pitch for his foul, while Dũng was carried out on a stretcher. Later, I learnt that he needed immediate surgery. I was so in shock that I couldn’t remember anything apart from Hà Nội FC beating our team three-nil (3-0). I’ve been angered and anguished ever since, not because we lost but because of the unsportsmanlike foul and the injury Dũng suffered.

He’s such a talented player and now his career may be in jeopardy. I pray for his speedy recovery and I hope in the future all players shall be educated to protect not only themselves but also their opponents. Football is a beautiful sport and it shouldn’t be marred by ruthlessness.

Lexicon

• Fixture (n): trận đấu (trong ngữ cảnh thể thao)
• Relegation (n): xuống hàng
• Accelerate (v): tăng tốc
• High-spirited (adj): hồ hởi
• Tackle (v): truy cản, tranh chấp
• Reckless (adj): kinh suất, liều lĩnh, thô bạo
• Reckless Challenge: pha cản phá thô bạo (có thể gây chân tương cho bản thân, đối thủ)
• Agony (n): cơn đau đớn (quằn quại)
• Sent off (expression): đuổi khỏi sân
• Stretcher (n): cáng 
• Nil: cách đọc số 0 trong bóng đá. Ví dụ: 2-0 (two nil)
• Anguished (adj): bị dằn vặt
• Unsportsmanlike (adj): Không có tinh thần thể thao
• Jeopardy (n): sự nguy hiểm
• Be marred by [noun] (expression): bị làm xấu bởi
• Ruthlessness (n) sự không quan tâm đến người khác, nhẫn tâm

Listen to the audio response from Mytour's instructor:

Example 2

Feel free to listen to Mytour's Part 2 podcast sample.

In 2018, I had the opportunity to tune in to the final match of the AFC U-23 Championship on television. This particular tournament took place in Changzhou during the winter, and regrettably, the weather on that day was far from ideal. The heavy snowfall made it quite challenging for the audience to distinguish the Uzbekistan team, as they were wearing white jerseys.

Talking about the match itself, it was a thrilling soccer match between two nations. Uzbekistan scored the first goal just 15 minutes into the game. After that, the Vietnamese team made several brave attempts to equalize, but unfortunately, they were unsuccessful.

However, a ray of hope emerged when Uzbekistan’s players committed a foul, granting our team a valuable free kick. It was at this critical juncture that the coach decided to deploy Quang Hai as the secret weapon for the kick. To no one’s surprise, the excitement in the atmosphere reached a fever pitch as Quang Hai successfully netted the first goal in the waning moments of the first half.

As the second half kicked off, both teams picked up the pace, each eager for victory. Watching the match unfold on the screen, the tension and excitement on the field were palpable. However, a somber moment struck the Vietnamese fans as Uzbekistan scored their second goal from a corner kick. It was heart-wrenching to witness the players’ tears as they fell short of victory, especially considering how far they had come in the competition.

Ultimately, Vietnam secured the second-place position in the Championship. Although I felt a twinge of sadness that my country didn't clinch the top spot, seeing the players give their all in the competition filled me with great pride.

Lexicon:

• Tournament: giải đấu
• Regrettably: thật đáng tiếc
• Distinguish: phân biệt
• Secret weapon: vũ khí bí mật
• Half kicked off: khởi động một nửa
• Short of victory: thiếu chiến thắng

3. Sample of describing a live sports match you have watched IELTS Speaking part 3

Mời bạn cùng lắng nghe Podcast mẫu Phần 3 của Mytour nhé:

3.1. Is sport essential?

Sports hold a significant place in the lives of individuals. For instance, the inclusion of physical education classes in school curriculum is a deliberate choice, offering students an opportunity to engage in physical activity, which sets it apart from the static nature of other subjects.

Another noteworthy aspect is that sports events frequently draw sponsorships, presenting an effective avenue for promoting products to potential customers and enhancing sales.

• Curriculum: chương trình giảng dạy
• Noteworthy: đáng chú ý
• Sponsorships: tài trợ
• Enhancing sales: nâng cao doanh số bán hàng

3.2. Do you concur with the fact that sports celebrities earn an excessive amount of money?

I vehemently oppose this assertion for several compelling reasons. To begin with, prior to attaining star status in the realm of sports, athletes must adhere to rigorous dietary regimens and demanding training routines.

To realize their ambitions, they are often required to set aside personal preferences or allocate minimal time for social networking beyond their training facilities during their formative years. Moreover, the intense media scrutiny that accompanies their ascent to stardom invariably leads to invasive intrusions into their privacy.

• Vehemently: một cách kịch liệt
• Adhere: tuân theo
• Accompanies: đi cùng
• Invasive intrusions: sự xâm nhập xâm lấn

3.3. Do you believe that children receive adequate exercise nowadays?

Regrettably, the answer is negative. This problem can be attributed to the emphasis parents place on their children’s academic success. To secure admission to prestigious schools, youngsters are frequently compelled to devote 10 to 12 hours a day to their studies, leaving little room, and in some cases, no room at all, for physical exercise in their lives.

• Attributed: quy cho
• Emphasis: sự nhấn mạnh
• Prestigious schools: trường học uy tín