Week 16: main Report – Slovakia

This week's main report looks at the World Cup newcomers, Slovakia. Independent since 1993, this small central-eastern European country is hoping to cause some surprises next year in South Africa. The transcript can be found below, while vocabulary support can be found for the words in bold at the foot of the post. Listen to the report here Slovakia, from Eastern Europe, was part of Czechoslovakia from 1918 until 1993, when it and and the Czech Republic became two countries in 1993. This is their first visit to the World Cup although Czechoslovakia qualified eight times making the finals twice, the last time in 1962. For this qualification they were drawn in the same group as their former countrymen, the Czech Republic who finished third and didn't qualify, while Slovakia topped their group with 22 points. At 49,000 square kilometers in area, Slovakia is slightly bigger than Switzerland and Denmark, but less than half the size of Honduras. It's capital is Bratislava on the famous Danube river. The city itself borders Austria and Hungary, the only capital in the world to do so. The country has a population of about five and a half million, making it one of the smallest countries in terms of population at the World Cup - the smallest is Slovenia with just over two million. How about club football in Slovakia? Well, there are twelve teams in the top flight Super Liga, and it is not really a surprise that the most successful and most popular team historically is based in the capital. The biggest and richest club, Slovan Bratislava FC, can even boast wining the UEFA cup - they beat Barcelona in 1969 3-2 to secure the cup. The sky blues biggest rivals were FK Inter Bratislava until they merged with FK Senica, from the fourth division this season. Expect the name to change next season back to Inter - this year the name change documents were submitted too late. In the era of the new Slovakian top league, however, MŠK Žilina perhaps have the edge over Slovan with four Championships in the last ten years. What can we expect of Slovakia in the World Cup? Well, as winners of their group they should not be taken lightly, particularly when you think about the quality of most European teams. In that campaign they beat arch rivals and neighbours, the Czech Republic away 1-2 and held them to a draw, 2-2, at home. FIFA ranks them 34th, ahead of Honduras but behind Paraguay. A recent win in a friendly over The US team 1-0 shows that they will prove difficult to beat, but they were then beaten by form South American team, Chile, 2-1. I predict they will get a victory in the group stages but won't get further. Watch out for these names in their line up: defenders, Martin Škrtel of Liverpool, Peter Pekarik of Wolsburg; midfielder and captain and still only 22 Marek Hamšík of Napoli; and striker, Róbert Vittek, originally of Slovan Bratislava but now of Lille. So, plenty of top club level experience for the Slovakian team and they could be contenders for dark horse quarter finalists. Congratulations Slovakia on qualifying for the 2010 World Cup! Vocabulary be drawn: be put into a group, have your name chosen for a group to top: to win, to finihs ahead of everyone else in terms of: using one measure, thinking about, taking into consideration boast: be proud of, show off about have the edge over: be a little bit stronger, be a little better take lightly: underestimate. believe someone or a team is not strong arch rivals: big rivals contender: someone who has a chance, someone who can compete