Games 108, 109, 110, 111 (Smallwick Shootout '99 Semis and Finals) 03-05-299 to 03-07-299

Game 108: Bowdani-Solelhada (SS'99 Semifinal)

The Technical Information:
 
Final score: BOWDANI 3 - SOLELHADA 4
Played in: Sky City Stadium, Sky City, Bowdani
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Greg Stoneley (Whitlam)
Goals: Kekkuti (SOL, 17.), Puig (SOL, 23.), Marn (BOW, 38.), Langles
(SOL, 45.), Lavalada (SOL, 67.), Killehal (BOW, 72.), Hund (BOW, 81.)
Yellow cards:  McDouglas (BOW, 23.)
Substitutions: Hund for Powell (BOW, 45.), Bassen for Moran (BOW, 70.)

Match commentary:

Solelhada plays themselves into a frenzy to overcome home team Bowdani
and move to the Finals!

The Bowdanian fans were looking to this game with much anticipation
after their side's astounding win over top-5 team Whitlam.  Surely
Solelhada could be overcome as well!?  But Los Diables Roges were flying
VERY high after their third consecutive victory, after disposing of KTZ,
LIB, and most recently WMT, the Solelhadans' morale and confidence was
at an all-time high.

It is thus that they began to play freely and immediately put the home
team under pressure.  Things seemed to flow easily, and Kekkuti scored
from a corner by Langles via head to brin them up 1-0.  Bowdani and its
fans were not too worried yet, as the game was still young, but when
Puig was fouled by McDouglas just 5 minutes later, and converted the
free kick directly himself with a powerful blow that got deflected by a
Bowdanian defender to leave Hawk no chance!  Now, all of a sudden,
Bowdani found itself 0-2 down, after only one quarter of the game, and
the crowds were getting a little restless.  Again the stadium was
crammed with a capacity crowd of 55,000!

Bowdani now visibly tried to fight back, and somewhat began to take
charge of the game, but the Devils were still on their high, and pursued
a intense forechecking policy.  Langles had a great counter-chance, but
hit the crossbar, and Hawk cleared.  Finally, in the 38. minute Marn
scored from short distance to catch Bowdani up, and the mood in the
stadium changed quickly - until just before the break, that is, when
Langles, who else, delivered another crushing blow by volleying in a
flank from Kekkuti, as referee Stoneley already had the whistle in his
hand to blow for the break!  Solelhada was up 3-1, and Bowdani was in
trouble!

They brought in striker Chris Hund to try and turn the game around.  For
the first moments of the second half, it was all Bowdani!  Hund was a
great addition, and he scored a goal in the 49th minute that was
disallowed for offsides!  Quite ironic - a Solelhadan referee caused
much controversy with offsides calls against Whitlam that helped Bowdani
- now, a Whitlamite referee caused controversy with an offsides call
that helped Solelhada, versus Bowdani!!  Incredible!  So Hund's goal did
not count.  Instead, Solelhada scored again!  They went up an incredible
4-1 in the 67. minute through a nice long-range header by Lavalada.

Bowdani was now in serious distress.  Another striker, Bassen, was
brouht in in a last all-out effort to turn it around.  Indeed, Solelhada
now changed their tactics, and they went from their open, flowing, free
play to a very defensive 10-men-in-their-own-half strategy, which
ultimately didnt work that well for them at all - their free play was
more effective.  Bowdani actually managed to catch up 2 goals in the
course of the rest of the second half, with some very nice solid play,
but they eventually ran out of time, as the Devils kept their wall
standing just enough to sneak away with the victory!  The crowds were
quite pleased with their team's chase, which so nearly could have led
them into overtime, and they gave them a nice applause.  Nevertheless,
Bowdani's dream was over, and the Smallwick Shootout had lost its second
and last Smallwick team!  Solelhada does into the finals, not bad for a
team that replaced IWK almost in the last minute, as they pulled out of
the tourney!  Solelhada will meet the winner of Christiana-KTZ, and
Bowdani will play a consolation match with the loser for third place
honors.  Another nailbiter, but Los Diables Roges hold on!  Four wins in
a row... how far can they go?
 

The Technical Information:
 
Final score: CHRISTIANA 1 - EASTERN ZARTANIA 0, in overtime
Played in: Stade Goulet, Universite de Davenport, Fennia, Pen.,
Davenport
Attendance: 34,250
Referee: Jacques Jeanfranc (Davenport)
Goals: Monaigh (CHR, 118.)
Yellow cards: Bolton (CHR, 6.), Cross (KTZ, 66.), McBride (KTZ, 71.)
Substitutions: Gottmik for Shelton (KTZ, 45.), Harrison for Edwardson
(CHR, 45.), Brigidson for Bolton (CHR, 92.), Paret for Henrickson (KTZ,
92.)

Match commentary:

Christiana squeaks by again in a long drawn-out marathon match!

What was anticipated to be a great meeting of two of the best sides of
Vexillium, where the fans looked for one of the all-time classic
suspenseful matchups, turned out quite contrary, as wa very careful
strategic and wait-and-see stalemate between the two powerful teams.
Christiana was suffering a bit from some personal problems that kept
coach Snyder distracted, and Eastern Zartania had the disadvantage of
just having played a tough match versus Davenport two days ago, while
the Knights had plenty of time to rest after their walkover win over
Rosardan.

Thus, both teams approched the game more cautiously.  It was also clear
that they had quite a bit of mutual respect for each other, and it was
clear to everybody, that the slightest mistake might prove very costly.
Unfortunately, this careful strategy did not do much for the excitement
of the game, and it just sort of dragged on in the first half, with both
teams playing more for posession than attack.  Some whistling was heard
from the davenportian crowd, especially for the KTZ side, which had
eliminated their darling Men in Royal in the first round.  Nevertheless,
the game was remarkably unremarkable until the break.

In the second half, at first not much changed - despite two
substitutions, both teams' style of play remained cautious.  Only in the
last quarter, finally the pace began to pick up.  Apparently neither
team wanted to go into the gamble of overtime or even a penalty shoot.
KTZ was first to put on a good charge, but Padraig's defense once again
reminded us all why Christiana is the Vexillium Champions!  Then, it was
Christiana's turn to shine for w ahile, but also without results.
Racine, this time playing in a striker slot, hit the side pole in the
78. minute, and Fouberg pulled the rebound too high and over the goal.
Minutes later, Faulkner missed a good chance from close range as he
could not gain control over the ball to get a clear shot, and Sullivan
cleared away after a shuffle.  Marin on the other side made a good
charge, but goalie Utz was on the spot, in his first ever start for KTZ,
and held safely.  No team scored in regulation, and they had to go into
overtime!

During overtime, it was much of the same story, some good chances on
both sides, but no score.  Harrison had two near misses, as did Racine
on the other side.  Everything seemed to point towards a
penalty-shootout, when all of a sudden, after a mistake by Fouberg, and
resulting loss of ball, Christiana launched a quick counter,
4-against-3, with Harrison, Marin, James, and Monaigh, and before the
Zartanians quite grasped what was happening, the four Knights were
attacking their goal, out-playing goalie Utz, who could not be in three
places at the same time, and coolly bunting the leather past him after a
fake pass!

It was a great shock for KTZ - since it looked so much like a penalty
shoot, and now...  in the remaining few minutes, despite desperate
struggles, KTZ could not equalize, and they suffered this agonizing loss
to a Christiana that was probably equally as surprised at the sudden
turn of events!  So the Knights snuck through past another big opponent,
and they now have a consecutive winning streak of an incredible NINE
victories in a row!!  There just is something about the squad from the
island - they get the job done somehow, even when they dont catch their
best day... that's why they hold the big cup, and that's why they are
ranked number one on Vexillium!

Christiana now meets another team on a hot streak, Solelhada - one of
the streaks will end, tomorrow, in Davenport once again.  KTZ will play
Bowdani in Sky City in a consolation match - a real fast-track schedule,
that may see a little advantage to the teams that had the extra day to
rest after the semis...

So tomorrow:

FINAL: Solelhada-Christiana, at Stade Goulet, Davenport
CONSOLATION MATCH: Bowdani-Eastern Zartania, at Sky City Stadium,
Bowdani
 

The Technical Information:
 
Final score: BOWDANI 4 - EASTERN ZARTANIA 1
Played in: Sky City Stadium, Sky City, Bowdani
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Johnny Whistler (Christiana)
Goals: Killehal (BOW, 11.), Franchino (BOW, 29.), du Cron (KTZ, 49.),
Hund (BOW, 56.), Hund (BOW, 83.)
Yellow cards:  Duvall (KTZ, 33.)
Substitutions: Hund for Coleman (BOW, 45.), Ayress for Shelton (KTZ,
55.)
 
Match commentary:

Bowdani pulls off a great home win against the disinterested
Zartanians!!

This game stood in the shadows of the still uncertain fate of the King
of Christiana, whose airplane squadron was attacked earlier on its way
to Davenport, with one of the planes downed apparently by missile or
similar attack.

Nevertheless, the Sky City Stadium was one again filled to capacity, as
the enthused Bowdani fans were eager to see their men play another
top-ranked team, Eastern Zartania.  While Bowdani seemed fresh and
motivated, the Zartanians seemed just the opposite:  still tired from
the exhausting and frustrating overtime loss to Christiana yesterday,
and the subsequent flight to Bowdani, they lacked the necessary rest and
relaxation between games, as well as the motivation to play well - after
all, in the eyes of the KTZ players, the Shootout was already lost, and
this match for the meaningless third place was more or less a tour of
duty.

Thus, it was not very surprising to see the still low-ranked Bowdanians
take charge of the game early on, and really never surrender it.  Two
goals in 30 minutes got them well on their way, and although du Cron
scored shortly after the break, KTZ never looked sharp enough to be
seriously threatening.  Instead, substitute striker Hund scored a double
in the second half to seal the best win by his team so far, a bombastic
4-1 over the top-ten KTZ!

Zartania took the loss with dignity but also disinterest.  It was
preetty clear they just wanted to get to the showers and on the next
plane back home to recoop from this endurance battle - but, that was the
idea behind the SS'99 - a fast-fire tourney, where endurance plays a big
part.  In Bowdani, fans were celebrating.  And although the much
hoped-for Davenport-Bowdani match never happened, the Bowdani fans
nevertheless prided themselves in the fact that they had beaten the same
Zartanian team that had eliminated Davenport IN Davenport, knocking them
out in the first round!  Look for good things coming from Bowdani in the
future, perhaps as early as the Copa Vexanova Ordland '99, which will
commence in just a few days!

Match commentary:

Christiana does it again, against all distractions!

Once again, Christiana managed to create the most bizarre circumstances
surrounding a football tournament, and for their third straight time,
they managed to reach the finals of that tournament, despite the
distractions.  The players had been kept in the dark about the status of
the King after the aerial attack downed one of three jets, and even as
the King surprised them by personally appearing unannounced in the
briefing room, to their great relief, they were nevertheless saddened
and enraged when he broke the news of the Queen's father's death, as
well as the death of the other occupants of airplane 105.  This all came
on top of the heart attack coach Bill Snyder suffered after yesterday's
match, which had already shaken the team considerably, which is
precisely why the King decided on traveling to Davenport himself in the
first place!  Under these very difficult circumstances, the Knights once
again somehow managed to come through for King and country...  The King
was determined to not accept this tragedy, and in a steaming statement,
he insisted that the Knights will fight extra-hard, for Sir Walter, and
for their beloved coach - and of course, for the King himself...and they
did!

Solelhada did not know what to expect, a distracted and erratic team, or
one with extra resolve and battle spirit... well, they got both.  In the
first half, Los Diables Roges really had the upper hand.  Christiana was
obviously still chewing on their predicament, and seemed shaken.  So the
Devils did their best to take advantage, and in fact, the fact that they
only scored one goal in the first half was very fortunate for
Christiana.  A close relative of regular goalkeeper Jorgensen was also
on plane 105, and the keeper requested to be kept out of the game
today.  Instead, the Knights had Tara in their goal, who started for the
first time ever.  And, lo and behold, Tara turned out to be the
revelation of the first half, as he alone was mostly responsible for
keeping the Solelhadan goal total to only one!

Once again, the Knights were down in an important match at halftime, and
once again, they must have gotten a tremendous pep talk from their King
during the break - there just seems to be something about the King that
can motivate these players to accomplish tasks above and beyond, even
when faced with the most incredible difficulties.

Indeed, when the teams came back onto the pitch, Christiana played with
a resolve and toughness that completely turned the game around.  Mind
you, Solelhada still played well, but the seemingly iron will of the
Knights, which we had seen so many times before, that carried them to
the finals in the WHCON, the Vex Cup Championship, and now the SS'99
Title, had them fight their way through systematically.  The King was
less flamboyant in his sideline antics this time, instead he seemed
intense and serious in his actions.  He more deliberately walked up and
down the sideline, instead of his usual running and jumping, and he
seemed to will his men on with an iron glare rather than cheering and
shouting.  Security had been tremendous in the stadium, all spectators,
officials, and even the players had to pass through a thorough metal
detector device.  No metalllic or large gadgets, not even cellular
phones were allowed.  Three secret service agents were shadowing the
Kings every move, which proved to be easier, since he wasn't running up
and down the sidelined this time.

Top striker Harrison did the inevitable and equalized in the 63,
minute.  Form then on, it appeared Solelhada was trying to just get into
overtime, and take their chances with the definitely more physically
challenged Knights, who had a long game against KTZ last night, and who
were giving their all during this second-half push.  But it was not to
be, as Nolan converted a reflected free kick from Monaigh in the 81.
minute to score the winning goal!  The last minute frenzied attacks by
the Devils were futile.  Tara once again held anything that came his
way!

When the game was called over, the Knights did not erupt in
celebrations, but instead, the assistant trainer brought a banner onto
the field, which was then unrolled, as the players and the King slowly
jogged a round in the stadium, reading "In Memory of Sir Walter and the
Victims of Plane 105".  They then all paused in center field, and
accepted their trophy quietly, which was then wrapped in the banner, and
rather ceremoniously carried off the field.  A they reached the exits,
the Solelhadan players had gathered there to congratulate and give their
condolences to the Knights and the King.  They themselves were in a
somber mood after their loss, which meant that they will not be able to
play in the lucrative overseas leagues after all, as had been promised
by the Solelhadan government for a vistory in this final.  It is
currently illegal for Solelhadan players to play overseas.

IVEFA would like to join the planet in expressing our condolences to the
Queen and the Royal Family.  We wish coach Snyder a speedy recovery.
And also, congratulations to the Champions against all odds, Christiana!

This concludes the Smallwick Shootout '99 - a tournament with many
twists, surprises, and fascinating stories.  It has been a great little
tourney, and we certainly look forward to next year.  This year,
however, we move next on to bigger and better things - the Copa Vexanova
Ordland '99 is next!! See you all there!