great match; memorable contest
Used for sports, games, or competitions that are exceptionally exciting, high-quality, or historic. Often carries a dramatic or nostalgic tone.
Last night's final was truly a great match.
This game will probably become a memorable contest talked about for years.
That game was a great match that will go down in history.
A legendary match was born in the final.
The two athletes put on a legendary match.
激戦 emphasizes how fiercely a contest was fought, whereas 名勝負 focuses on the match being memorable and celebrated afterward.
名勝 means a famous scenic spot, while 名勝負 refers to a legendary sports match, and the two are easily confused because they share the first two kanji and reading.
counter for occurrences; times · time; instance; occasion · inning (baseball); round; game · episode; chapter; installment · Hui (people) · Islam
Compound of 名 (めい, 'famous, excellent') and 勝負 (しょうぶ, 'match, contest'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern of prefixing 名 to a noun to indicate a noteworthy or outstanding example.