PLAYOFFS & MEISTERSCHAFT
diese Spielzeit wollen wir unter den ersten Drei sein = team sets its sights on cracking the top three this season; team eyes off third place
letztes Jahr waren wir Zweiter in der Liga = last year we took 2nd spot/place in the League
letztes Jahr haben wir den Titel um Haaresbreite verpasst = last year team was a whisker away from title
Mannschaft bezeichnet sich selbst als Titelanwärter = team puts oneself into contention for the championship title/is a championship-caliber team
wie immer, führt auch dieses Jahr kein Weg am Serienmeister vorbei = the usual suspect is all the rage/the real deal to run away with/ bag/scoop the title
die Konkurrenz will dem ewigen Meister den Titel abjagen = a few highly-fancied squads have mounted a challenge as they try to put together/assemble teams-built-to-dethrone the perennial champions
Mannschaft ist definitiv auf Titelkurs = side/outfit is definitely on pace/track to win the championship; the squad is gunning for glory/for the title
Team-Bosse sind jetzt in der Pflicht, die richtigen Spieler für den Titelgewinn zu verpflichten = owners are now put on the spot to make things happen/to deliver/to get the job done/to get their act together; it’s the owners’ mandate/onus now to bring in the good players needed to win the championship
Mannschaft will endlich einen großen Titel landen = team attempts to seek a drought–breaking major title
Mannschaft hat das Zeug, Meister zu werden/den Titel zu gewinnen = team has whatever it takes to win the title/to be a contender for the championship
dies ist vielleicht die letzte Chance, diesen wichtigen/bedeutsamen Titel zu schnappen = this is maybe a last-gasp attempt to win that elusive major title; team needs to grab premiership chance while it’s still there
wir wollen auf jeden Fall das Ticket für die Playoffs lösen = team is trying hard to punch a ticket to the postseason/to make the playoffs/to book its spot in the playoffs; this year we’re definitely in the mix for a playoff spot/postseason berth
Mannschaft schafft noch kaum die Playoffs = team is just about done/won't cut it (i.e. will not make the playoffs)
in den Playoffs rufen manche Spieler ihre bestmöglichen Leistungen ab = the playoff games bring out the best in some players
mit dem vierten Sieg in Folge festigt Mannschaft die Playoff-Ambitionen = with its fourth win in a row team strengthens its grip on a playoff spot/the postseason invitations
es sind nur noch wenige Plätze in den Playoffs zu vergeben = playoff hopefuls are still jockeying/vying for position; the already-muddled race for the two last playoff spots is tightening
unsere Playoff-Chancen hängen derzeit am seidenen Faden = right now the team’s playoff hopes are on life support/dangle by/on a thread /remain on a knife edge
kurz vor den Playoffs ist jedes Spiel eminent wichtig = before the postseason gets rolling every game has playoff intensity and crucial ramifications/implications; team was revved up/amped up just like in the playoffs/postseason
wir haben es doch noch in die Playoffs geschafft = team does make the playoffs as it hangs on and stays alive in the qualifying round; this year team swaggered into the playoffs, last year we barely staggered into them
für die Playoffs ist Mannschaft gut gerüstet = team profiles the most-in-form players for the playoffs/postseason; we are here to do some damage in the playoffs
beide Trainer sahen das Kräftemessen der Titelaspiranten als eine Art Gradmesser auf der Zielgeraden in Richtung Playoffs/ Meisterschaft = both coaches viewed the showdown between these top league teams as something of a measuring stick heading into the home stretch with an eye on the playoffs/winning the title
dies ist eine sehr spannende Playoff-Paarung = this promises to be a thrilling/a dandy of a series
um sich in den Playoffs durchzusetzen, zählt die Erfahrung = experience counts when it comes to performing well in the playoffs
heute Abend/am Wochenende stellt sich heraus, ob sie noch immer Möchtegerns oder doch echte Titelanwärter sind = tonight will be the time to separate (young) pretenders from real title contenders; this evening the season will be on the line for both teams; this weekend’s fixtures loom as make or break for many teams; the star-laden team’s season is on the brink; let’s band together/hold together and not let the season slip away; we’re not yet out of the hunt/ contention; when it matters most you’ve gotta beat the opponent
mit den neuen Spielern kommen wir endlich in die nächste Runde der Playoffs = new players send one-time strugglers into the next round; team dispatched/disposed of/polished off (opponent) in three games; “that was a good old-fashion playoff game right here”, player said
dieser Sieg in den Playoffs bringt uns nicht weiter = useless/futile victory/triumph/win in playoffs race was rendered moot due to other team’s win in parallel game
Gegner hat uns aus den Playoffs rausgeschmissen = opponent put the final nail in our playoff hopes
jetzt muss Mannschaft das enttäuschende Aus in den Playoffs überwinden = it was an agonizing finish as the season ended in misery/ heartbreak for our team; it will be hard for the players to hide/to get over the disappointment; team slumps away into another too-early summer
Mannschaft hat bis dato alle Spiele der Playoff-Serie gewonnen = team swept (i.e. they won 4-0) the playoff series against (opponent); side/outlet reigns supreme in the playoff series/aces series with a sweep; even the crowd seems to be in play-off form
“das war noch nicht das Aus für uns, ich denke immer von Spiel zu Spiel”, sagte der Trainer = “the playoff series is not yet lost, it’s one game at a time”, the coach said
bei dem alles entscheidende Spiel hat Mannschaft eine schlechte Playoff-Bilanz = team has a rotten record (10-20) in winner-take(s)-all (i.e. last deciding game) playoff games
es geht hin und her zwischen beiden Mannschaften = this is like a Jekyll-and-Hyde series
jetzt müssen wir den Sack zumachen = now we have to wrap up the series/close out the other team
für unsere Meisterschaftsabsichten ist uns diese Niederlage ein Dorn im Auge = the defeat/loss put a dent in the team’s title aspirations
für den Titelverteidiger läuft derzeit nicht alles rund = team appears to have/suffer from a typical championship hangover; so far into the season the champions seem to be somehow off the boil; champions get struck by dreaded premiership curse in quest for title defense; the club’s quest for a 4th straight title is in serious jeopardy right now; the Bundesliga/Premier League champs haven’t hit their stride yet
nach dem Pokalsieg in der letzten Woche braucht die Mannschaft vielleicht noch ein paar Tage, um ihren Kater/Rausch abzuschütteln = after winning the Cup last week team may need a couple more days to shake off their collective hangover/state of euphoria
es sind nur noch 4 Mannschaften im Playoff-Rennen = only 4 teams were left standing in the playoffs
Mannschaft hat gute Ausgangslage fürs Rückspiel = the two-goal away edge puts team in control for return game
wir sind zum ersten Mal im Halbfinale = these are the team’s maiden semifinals
man sollte noch nicht die Sektkorken knallen lassen = you’d better hold the bubbly; don’t pop the champagne, we haven’t won the title yet;
don’t count chickens yet
das Abendspiel ist ein Vorgeschmack aufs Finale = tonight’s game is a possible grand final teaser; a place in the grand final is on the line/at stake in tonight’s game
wir sind bereit für den großen Wurf/das Nonplusultra= we’re gearing up/getting ready for paradise/the wide blue yonder/the promised land
heute Abend steigt das entscheidende Spiel in der Serie =
the “winner-take(s)-all-game” (final match of a series) is scheduled for tonight
das war ein denkwürdiges Finalspiel = last night’s game was a milestone/an epic/a history-making/a memorable/a fitting finale; this game will be the stuff of legend/myth; game was one of the most thrilling finals in recent memory; that was a game/a showing/a battle for the ages; game certainly lived up to the hype/to everybody’s expectations; no doubt the match exceeded the hype
Mannschaft erreicht das Nonplusultra (d.h. Gewinn des Meistertitels) = side/outfit reached/were taken to the Promised Land; with the team leading 3-0 in the second half the flag was under lock and key
dieser Titelgewinn ist wie ein Sechser im Lotto = team seizes the holy grail/wins the ultimate prize; squad achieves/reaches nirvana
am Saisonende hatte wieder der Titelverteidiger die Nase vorn = squad/side scoops the award
es sind immer die gleichen, die gewinnen = team is no stranger to winning the league title
endlich hat Mannschaft den großen Titel gewonnen = team finally wins big-time event; long dark cloud/gloom lifts as (e.g.) NZ (New Zealand) Rugby wins its first World Cup; getting a ring with the team puts the cherry on top of an excellent season/campaign; team beat the opponent when it mattered most; after 20 almost years of heartache/pain team finally was able to lift/get its hands on the cup/trophy
zur Einschüchterung der Gegner führen neuseeländische Spieler vor allen Begegnungen der Nationalmannschaft – vor allem Rugby - den sogenannten Haka Tanz durch (die relativ junge australische Variante heißt Unity Dance) = the haka dance, which is performed before every game of any New Zealand national team – especially rugby - sees a player emerge from the middle of a huddle to stare down his rivals (the younger Australian version is named Unity Dance)
mit dem Meisterschaftsgewinn haben die Jungs/wir Geschichte geschrieben = the title win was a huge milestone; this was no small/mean achievement for the guys; team makes a historic splash
Mannschaft hat das Rennen gemacht = team walks away/comes away/runs away/runs off with the first prize
hochfavorisierte Mannschaften sollten sich in der Champions League durchsetzen = almost everybody tipped Bayern’s way to win the champions league final; Real Madrid is a shoo-in/mortal lock for the Champions League title/crown
Mannschaft fühlt sich wohl in der Rolle des Underdogs = underdog team hopes to give the favorite team a run for their money; outsider is happy to wear the underdog tag in the finals; it’s no cross to bear for team to slip into the role of the underdog; Can the outsider/lowly team spring a surprise tonight on the odds-on favorite?
so kann man ein Überraschungssieg einordnen
= side pulls off one of the greatest upsets in league history; Murphy’s law smites down/ stuns/upends the favorite; top team gets rude awakening; the news of the surprise victory was absolutely jaw-dropping/stunning/ astounding; it was an against-the-odds victory/upset
