Official Game Statements:

Games 120 and 121 (Copa Vexanova Ordland '99) 03-16-299

Game 120: Islandia-Watts and Mealing (Copa Vexanova Ordland '99)

NOVEFA announces the result of the Group C game of the first round of
the Copa Vexanova Ordland '99:

The Technical Information:

Final score: ISLANDIA 3 - WATTS AND MEALING TERRITORIES 6
Played in: National Stadium, Newton, Ordland
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Devon Whytman (Ras Lanarch)
Goals: Macghileagh (WMT, 1.), Eyjolfsson (ISL, 3.), Bardarsson (ISL,
21.), Whitby (WMT, 28.), Whitby (WMT, 36.), Eyjolfsson (ISL, 46.),
Macghileagh (WMT, 59.), Appleyard (WMT, 72.), Coyle (WMT, 92.)
Yellow cards: Boyle (WMT, 21.), Sykes (WMT, 55.)
Substitutions: Olafsson for Kjartansson (ISL, 45.), Appleyard for Whitby

(WMT, 70.), Steindorsson for Hallgrimsson (ISL, 73.)

Match commentary:

WMT CAPITALISE IN A GOAL SCORING SPREE!

This clash between the international minnows, WMT, and the famous
'Armatirion-killers' Islandia was a game that was predicted to be a dour
struggle between two defensively competent teams. The experts couldn't
have been more wrong! 9 goals were scored in 90 minutes, sending the
Ordlandic fans into a frenzy! 55,000 people packed the National Stadium
in Newton, with people pouring through the gates up until just before
half time as they saw the game that was outfolding on their televisions.

It was a game full of suprises, the first coming in the first minute,
with a huge goal in the first minute of the game! From the kickoff,
Séamus Macghileagh recieved the ball from Whitby, walked it over the
centre circle, and had a huge bash at the ball, catching the Islandian
'keeper completely unaware as he stood at the edge of his box. The ball
soared rapidly over his head, with his leap being in vain. After 4.8
seconds, the score was 1-0, with the crowd going wild! The fastest goal
had just been scored in the history of IVEFA football! WMT had got away
to the early lead they had hoped for thanks to a big, albeit lucky goal
from WMT's favourite son, Séamus Machghileagh.

The Islandians quickly composed themselves after a brief argument
between a few of the players and the Islandian 'keeper, Fabiansson which
was quickly snuffed out by some strong words from Sigurgeirsson, the
Islandian coach. From the kickoff, the Islandians maintained some strong
possession, blitzing the WMT squad with all out attack, seeming to want
to even the ledger as soon as possible. With a strong passing movement,
Eyjolfsson got the ball just inside the box, and struck high and right,
attempting to beat the 'keeper. David Bragg lept at the ball attempting
to tip it over the bar, just managing to get a finger to it, however, it
was not enough to push it over the crossbar, and it went into the net,
making the score 1-1 after 3 minutes! 2 goals in 3 minutes had Newton in
hysterics, as fans crowded outside the stadium attempting to get in to
see the game!

With the scores even after 3 minutes, both teams quietened down
seemingly wary of each other's attacking prowess. From the kickoff
again, Macghileagh dummied his rocket kick, and passed back to Whitby.
The reaction of the Islandian 'keeper ammused the crowd as he quickly
rushed back to defend his goal as Macghileagh faked a shot from the
halfway line.

The Islandians tightened around the midfield and began to push hard,
with the ball not leaving the midfield at all for 8 minutes. Scoring
opportunities dried up as each team waited for the other to make an
error, and this finally came in the 21st minute with Midfielder Irvine
Boyle going in a little too hard against his opposite, Andersson. The
resulting free led to some rapid work up the left wing from the
Islandians, with a sweet cross into the centre to Bardarsson who
volleyed well to score, leaving Bragg sprawled across the goalface, and
the score at 2-1, Islandia.

This again put the Lions on the attack, with rising star Whitby able to
replicate his goal against Wang Chung, thanks to some good leadup from
Boyle, who sought to redeem himself after his foul, making the score 2-2
in this see-sawing encounter. Whitby again struck 8 minutes later from a
penalty after he was brought down rather heavily in the box by a
frustrated Islandian defence that had sustained some concentrated attack
from the Lions who had moved Ewan Coyle from Grantham Star F.C. up to
play the unfamiliar role in the forward line to give some extra oomph to
the side that had gone attack crazy. From the penalty, Whitby drove the
ball low and right, wrong-footing the Islandian 'keeper, and making the
score 3-2 WMT at half-time.

With minimal changes to the squad, Islandia came out strong again in the
second half, trying to capitalise. The Lions remained unchanged, and
looked suprisingly refreshed after half time. It seemed as though the
big match training, rather than training sessions had served them well,
when it came to fitness. The Islandian players again began with a blitz
as they had after conceding their first goal in the first half, and
finished with the same result, but with the goal going to Eyjolfsson as
he chipped over the 'keeper after getting around the defensive line,
leveling the game yet again, this time at 3-3.

This see-sawing game seemed destined to continue, but the Lions
absolutely ran away from the game, seemingly conducting very
experiemental football, blowing Islandia off the park after switching to
a 3-1-2-4 formation, employing a sweeper in front of the defensive line
that chimed into the midfield wherever possible. Having 4 players up
front, and a pair of midfielders in form, assisted by Dean Thayill at
sweeper,  the Lions ended up conclusively dominating the Islandians,
scoring 3 goals in 30 minutes, with the turning point being
Macghileagh's goal in the 59th minute. The score was 4-3, and Islandia
seemed a broken team, unable to come back. With goals to Appleyard and
Coyle, the nails were put into the coffin, leaving the score at 6-3, not
really a true reflection of the closeness of the game. The Islandians
will probably be able to sort out their stamina problems with a furious
coach Sigurgeirsson set to make wholesale changes. Islandia will now
face Wang Chung, as the WMT Lions recieve a well deserved break, and
wait to see who their next opponents will be.




 
Game 121: Libra-Djeriga (Copa Vexanova Ordland '99)

NOVEFA announces the result of the Group A game of the first round of
the Copa Vexanova Ordland '99:

The Technical Information:

Final score: LIBRA 0 - DJERIGA 1
Played in: The Carroussel, Galilei, Ordland
Attendance: 31,250
Referee: Chow-Lee Deng (Wang Chung)
Goals: Shirazhoud (DJR, 57.)
Yellow cards: Desaix (LIB, 32.), Kaveer (DJR, 52.)
Substitutions: Dhardyiwa for Khomeini (DJR, 45.)

Match commentary:

DJERIGA GO ONE UP IN FIRST INTERNATIONAL GAME.

Djeriga showed the world tonight what their footballers were like, with
a solid, disciplined game against Libra. The game was as much an odd
game of football, as a cultural display from the Djerigans, giving the
world an insight  into their island nation.

Before the game the Djerigans prevented the kickoff by linking in a line
and singing what was later described as an Ode to Moun before the game
to ensure a victory. This bemused the Libran players who either looked
on in ammusement, or kicked a ball around the field to stay warm. The
first half of the game was uneventful with a missed oportunity from a
free kick by Shirazhoud after a foul from Desaix. Both sides went into
the sheds with the score at 0-0, and with a slightly irritated crowd
making their own fun in the way of 'Whitlamite Waves' in which the crowd
stand up and raise their hands then sit down again quickly as the
movment sweeps around the stadium. The Djerigan fans in their enclosure
which was heavily policed by security proceded to join in, and cheer out
'MOUN!' every time the wave came around to their part of the stadium.

With only one substitution at half time, the Djerigans came out hard in
the second half, again singing their ode to Moun before commencement.
(One wonders if this would happen in the 4 quarter games that are run in
some countries) The other odd thing was that the Djerigan players seemed
to always be talking to their Libran opponents during lulls in the game.
Later it was found out that they were speaking Djerigan, or broken
Vexillian English, and talking about Moun! One Libran claimed to have
felt frightened because it sounded like he was being cursed by his
opposite number.

In the 57th minute, a goal finally came, with Shirazhoud breaking
through to score after screaming at the top of his lungs to the Libran
defence as he made his assault. The Libran 'keeper was obviously put off
by this distraction, and made a mess of what should have been some
standard 'keeping. With the scoring of this goal, the Djerigan players
all ran towards the southern side of the ground, and knelt in what was
later confirmed as a prayer of thanks to Moun. This spectacle lasted
about 2 minutes, obviously upsetting the Librans, and some Ordlandic
members of the crowd. The Djerigan fans joined their team in this
prayer, making for a strange sight! At the conclusion of the prayer, the
Djerigan players refused to return the game ball, arguing with the Ref
that it had to go back to Djeriga. The young Wang Chungese Ref had no
real choice but to let the Djerigans, and the game waited another 2
minutes for a new ball to be brought out from the stands.

After this display, the game again became what it had been before, and
at the conclusion of the game, the Librans seemed completely happy to
get off the field. It remains to be seen what will happen when Djeriga
face Mauritania, but with the internal problems in Mauretania, there's
every chance the Djerigans will top their group.



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