👋 Welcome..
..to The Tap-Inn. Where you can tap in to the world of soccer with me, your first-gen Irish Tap-Inn bartender, Joe.
After a long week, it’s time to keep it simple. We’re going back to basics. I’m talking baaaaaaasics. Stop the clock kinda basics. 45’ + 45’ = 95’ kinda basics.
“Joe, my head hurts. Just pour my beer.”
Say less. Let’s tap in.
🥃 Top Shelf
90+5' — Why The Soccer Clock Never Stops
Soccer has no four quarters, no clock that stops, and no buzzer for last call. Matches are played in two 45-minute halves, and the clock keeps running in each period no matter what. The ball can be kicked out of the stadium, players can get stretchered off the field, fans can streak naked down the sideline, and still, the timer keeps ticking.
Why? Because soccer is all about flooooooow. Just like my taps. Pausing the clock every few minutes would be like ordering a beer and letting it sit too long before taking a sip — everything would just go flat.
In soccer, the referee (ref for short) uses one watch to record the 90 minutes and a second watch to record the time used used up if the ball goes dead.
“Tell me Joe — what the heck is a ‘dead ball’?”
A dead ball in soccer is simply any situation where the ball is not in active play. That usually happens when:
The ball goes out of bounds (over the touchline or goal line)
The referee stops play for a foul or injury
A set piece is about to happen, like a free kick, corner kick, or throw-in
The ref keeps tab of all these “lost” minutes and tacks them on at the end as “stoppage time” or “injury time” which is why we see 90+2’, 90+5’ and sometimes even 90+10’ on the board.
Stoppage time is never a precise science however, and the referee always has the final say on what ‘goes up on the board’. This subjectivity is what drives players, coaches and fans bananas and why you always here a jeer when the stadium announcer declares the magic number being added on.
⏰ TLDR
The clock keeps running to keep the game flowing.
The ref adds the lost minutes at the end.
Nobody ever agrees with the ref — which is exactly why it’s brilliant.
Got it? It’s about time you did.
📺 This week in soccer
🟥 Portugal lose and Ronaldo sent off
Yesterday, Portugal faced Ireland in a world cup qualification match in Dublin. Portugal went into the game as huge favourites and a loss for Ireland would put an end to their dreams making it across the pond for the WC next summer.
However, the luck of the Irish and 2 goals from Troy Parrott saw the boys in green race into a 2-0 lead before half-time.
Things got even better for the home side when Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off for striking Ireland’s Dara O’Shea with a stray elbow. Ireland held on to win the game and keep their World Cup hopes alive.
Dry your eyes, Cristiano.
📝 Trivia on Tap
What was the quickest goal ever scored in the Premier League?
🏆 World Cup Tracker: 208 Days to Go
🇫🇷 Kylian Mbappe secured France’s spot at the World Cup next year with two goals in a 4-0 win against Ukraine last night. The two-time champions will be one of the favourites for the tournament, having reached the 2018 and 2022 finals, winning the former.
❌ Cristiano Ronaldo could miss the first two games of the World Cup thanks to his red card against Ireland. The star forward will at minimum miss one match through suspension but could face a full three-match suspension which would carry into Portugal’s next competitive games at the WC. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee will review the incident in the coming days and have the final say.
🤯 Erling Haaland took his tally for the season to one gazillion as Norway beat Estonia 4-0 (just kidding, he’s only on 30). The Manchester City striker has an incredible 10 in his last three games for Norway. Get him wrapped in cotton wool, stat.
🧠 Quickfire
🚀 Sound Like a Pro: screamer
A screamer is a long-range goal that nearly rips the net off. Usually comes with some spilled beers and the commentator yelling “HAVE SOME OF THAT!”.
⚽️ Goal of the Week
I couldn’t just tell you what a screamer is without showing you one. How about this one from Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard. Screamer.
📆 On this day
On Nov 14th 2019, France football legend, Thierry Henry became the manager of MLS side Montreal Impact. He decided to leave the club in 2021 to be closer to his family. Due to Covid-19 restrictions he had not been able to see them throughout the previous year. A big loss to the MLS.
📝 Trivia Answer:
The English Premier League’s fastest goal belongs to Ireland’s Shane Long, who scored only 7.69 seconds after kick-off on 23 April 2019 for Southampton against Watford.
That didn’t take long.
👋 Until Next Time…
Thanks for stopping by The Tap-Inn.
If you enjoyed this, forward it to that friend who knows nothing about soccer and help spread the good word.
I’ll be behind the bar every week, Monday and Friday, serving up soccer. Sláinte.
— Joe