cup match
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cup match
A sporting contest, usually in football, that is played as part of a cup competition. Unlike league matches, a defeat here often leads to immediate elimination from the tournament.
Am Mittwoch findet das spannende Pokalspiel zwischen Bayern München und Borussia Dortmund statt.
On Wednesday, the exciting cup match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will take place.
'Pokalspiel' (cup match) is a compound noun made from 'der Pokal' (the cup/trophy) and 'das Spiel' (the game/match). So it literally refers to a match in which a cup is at stake.
Die Mannschaft träumt davon, den Pokal zu gewinnen.
The team dreams of winning the cup.
A 'Pokalspiel' (cup match) takes place as part of a competition in which the losing team is usually eliminated (knockout system). This explains why these matches are often considered especially exciting or dramatic.
In einem Pokalspiel zählt nur der Sieg, sonst ist man draußen.
In a cup match, only victory counts; otherwise you're out.
In sports contexts, you often hear phrases like 'ein Pokalspiel gewinnen/verlieren' (to win/lose a cup match) or 'im Pokalspiel antreten' (to compete in a cup match). The specific competition is also often named, e.g. 'das DFB-Pokalspiel' (the DFB Cup match).
Unsere Mannschaft muss im nächsten Pokalspiel auswärts antreten.
Our team has to play away in the next cup match.
friendly match
'Freundschaftsspiel' and 'Pokalspiel' stand in an important contrast in sports. Both can look like a normal football/soccer match, but their purpose is different. A 'Freundschaftsspiel' is not an official competition and does not count toward a title. A 'Pokalspiel' is part of a cup competition and is therefore official; often the losing team is eliminated. The words can be confused because both are individual matches between two teams. If it is about training or a relaxed encounter, 'Freundschaftsspiel' fits. If it is about the cup and advancing or being eliminated, 'Pokalspiel' fits.
Wenn sie das Pokalspiel verlieren, sind sie sofort aus dem Wettbewerb raus.
If they lose the cup match, they are out of the competition immediately.
Das Freundschaftsspiel im Sommer soll der neuen Mannschaft beim Einspielen helfen.
The friendly match in the summer is meant to help the new team get used to playing together.