A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
6:15
世界杯：萨迪莱克闪击，南非终场前点球扳平，一比一逼平捷克
World Cup: Sadilek's Early Strike, then Mokoena's Late Penalty Earns South Africa a 1-1 Draw
中级中文世界杯战报：捷克萨迪莱克六分钟闪击，领先大半场，南非凭借终场前的手球点球，由莫科埃纳一蹴而就扳平，一比一逼平捷克。含生词、语法和全文英文翻译。
This is an HSK 3-4 Chinese listening episode that runs about 6 minutes. The full Mandarin script is shown with tap-for-pinyin and a line-by-line English translation, so you can listen and read at once — comprehensible input in the sense of Stephen Krashen's i+1 theory. It teaches 10 key vocabulary words such as 悬念、调整、稳固 and walks through 3 grammar patterns, each explained in English with examples. The same news story is retold at 4 difficulty levels — use the level selector above to find the version that is challenging but still understandable for you.
Read the complete story in Chinese. Reveal pinyin and English only when you need them.
Czechia were held to a one-all draw by South Africa — a match full of ups and downs, with the suspense lasting to the very end.
Czechia took the lead early, but were pegged back by a South Africa penalty before the final whistle, painfully dropping two points.
Before the match, these two teams were widely considered close in quality.
Czechia is a traditional European team, technically refined, with mature overall teamwork.
And South Africa comes from Africa, having clearly improved in recent years, with physically excellent players who run actively and play tenaciously.
Precisely because they were so evenly matched, before the game neither dared declare who would win.
This match was played in Atlanta in the United States, drawing a large crowd of fans.
The match had only just begun when Czechia gave everyone a surprise.
Just a few minutes in, their player Sadilek seized a chance and scored.
One to nil — Czechia took an early lead.
Such an early goal undoubtedly gave Czechia enormous confidence.
By rights, the side that leads early often goes on to play with more composure.
After taking the lead, Czechia indeed put more of their energy into defending.
Their thinking was: hold on to this lead, and then look for a chance to extend it.
And for South Africa, this was a rather rough start.
Behind after just a few minutes, they had to adjust their state as soon as possible.
Still, South Africa was not thrown into disarray by it.
They knew the match had only just begun, with plenty of time and chances left.
After falling behind, South Africa gradually pushed up, applying pressure on Czechia's goal.
They organized attack after attack, making plenty of trouble for Czechia.
However, Czechia's defending was quite solid, and South Africa never found a chance to break through.
Through the entire first half, the score stayed at one to nil, with Czechia ahead.
After the change of ends, South Africa played with more resolve and more ferocity.
They brought on more attacking players and pushed more numbers forward.
From the run of play, you could tell South Africa craved the points from this match more than Czechia.
Every South Africa player gave their all, delivering the ball into Czechia's box time and again.
They all knew in their hearts: if they couldn't score, they would lose the match.
However, Czechia's defensive line was still very stubborn and stayed unbroken for a long time.
The minutes ticked away, yet South Africa's attacks brought no result.
With the match seemingly about to end, South Africa looked set to leave with regret.
However, right in the final stage of the match, the dramatic scene finally appeared.
In one attack, a South Africa shot struck a Czechia player on the arm, and the referee decisively pointed to the spot.
For South Africa, this was quite simply a final chance sent from the heavens.
And for Czechia, this decision sent their hearts straight into their throats.
The one who stepped up to take this crucial penalty was South Africa's player Mokoena.
He walked up to the penalty spot, took a deep breath, and calmed himself down.
In that moment, the eyes of everyone in the stadium were fixed on him alone.
Then he slotted it home, the ball going cleanly into the goal — Czechia's keeper dived the right way but couldn't get a touch.
One to one — South Africa had tenaciously leveled the score before the final whistle.
In that moment, the whole South Africa team was overjoyed, and the fans in the stands were cheering and leaping.
They had been behind for an entire match, yet at the very last moment they had pulled the score back.
After scoring this penalty, the match soon ended.
In the end, the two teams shook hands on a one-all draw, each taking a point.
Judging by the result, this draw meant different things to the two teams.
For South Africa, this point came especially preciously, almost like a victory.
They had been behind for so long, yet never gave up, battling all the way to the last moment.
Being able to level the score before the final whistle was thanks precisely to this never-say-die spirit.
And for Czechia, this result was undoubtedly somewhat regrettable.
They held the lead for most of the match and had a real chance to take three points.
Just a few minutes short, and they would have held on to the win, but in the end they were pegged back.
After the match, people's discussion revolved around these two teams.
Some praised South Africa as tenacious and unyielding, never giving in easily.
Others felt sorry, believing Czechia's failure to hold the lead really was a shame.
Actually, this is exactly the most fascinating thing about football: until the very last second, no one can be sure of the result.
In recent years, the progress of African teams is plain for all to see, and they're harder and harder to deal with.
South Africa's performance today is a vivid portrait of exactly this kind of progress.
With one match, they told everyone: even when behind, they will never bow their heads easily.
This never-give-up spirit is precisely the most moving thing about football.
For Czechia, failing to win is a shame, but the group stage has only just begun, and they still have a chance.
For South Africa, this point is a start full of hope, and will greatly boost their confidence.
A one-all game, with both a strong team's regret and the glory of a tenacious side — this is the World Cup.
I'm sure South Africa's last-gasp penalty will be remembered by many fans for a long time.
And for neutral viewers, getting to see such a thrilling, comeback-like draw is itself a treat.
Alright, that's the whole story of Czechia versus South Africa. See you next time.
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
这是一场一直悬念到最后的比赛。
他们必须尽快调整自己的状态。
捷克的防守相当稳固。
HSK 1-3. audience.
HSK 1-3. world.
考纲词。说实话，上半场踢得有些沉闷。
考纲词。向捷克的球门施加压力。
成语 (近义)。捷克的防线一直十分稳固。
考纲词。戏剧性的一幕终于出现了。
成语。靠的正是这股永不言弃的斗志。
* beyond level超纲词
按理说，…
'by rights / logically speaking, …'.
按理说，早早领先的一方，往往会踢得更加从容。
然而…
'however' — a formal contrast marker.
然而，就在比赛的最后阶段，戏剧性的一幕终于出现了。
哪怕…，也…
'even if …, still …'.
哪怕落后，他们也绝不会轻易低头。
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