The Own Goal
A free A1-level English story for language learners, readable online in 5 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
Tove kicks the ball into her own goal in a school game, so she practices hard for the next one.
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On Friday, Tove played in a school soccer game. Her team wore green. She played in defense. She liked to kick the ball far.
Later, a girl from the other team ran at her. The ball came fast. Tove kicked it hard. It flew past her goalkeeper and into her own goal.
For a moment, nobody spoke. Then the other team shouted. The score was one to zero.
Tove's face went red. She wanted to hide. Her teammates ran to her. One girl laughed. "Nice shot! Wrong goal!" she said.
Tove laughed too. Another girl said, "It happens to everyone."
They lost the game by one goal. Tove felt bad, but she did not cry.
After school, she went to the field. She put a ball on the grass. She kicked it at the wall again and again. Before each kick, she looked up and checked the goal.
Her brother stood in goal for her. "Again," he said. She kicked a hundred balls that week.
On Friday, the same team came back. Near the end, a girl ran at the goal. Tove ran too. She put out her foot and stopped the ball.
She looked up first. Then she kicked it far away, out of the field.
"Nice stop!" her goalkeeper shouted.
