Games 139 and 140 (Copa Vexanova Ordland '99) 03-28-299

Game 139: Northern Gronk - Ordland (Copa Vexanova Ordland '99)

NOVEFA announces the result for the first leg in the quarterfinal
matchup in the Copa Vexanova Ordland '99:

The Technical Information:

Final score: NORTHERN GRONK 1 - ORDLAND 1
Played in: SoNG (Stadium of Northern Gronk), Eulos, Northern Gronk
Attendance: 68,500
Referee: Chow-Lee Deng (Wang Chung)
Goals: Rimlahim (NGR, 31.), Castanheira (ORD, 84.)
Yellow cards: Krizhobolya (NGR, 19.), Oliveira (ORD, 44.)
Substitutions: none

Match commentary:

Ordland find a crack in the wall, and pry in!

On paper, Northern Gronk were certainly the big favorites, but Ordland,
surely spurred on by their recent victories, and by the fact that the
ultimate reward - playing for the Copa in front of their home fans in
the big final in Newton - was always beckoning, came with brimming
confidence, with the coach predicting a draw or even an Ordland win...
no team has ever defeated Northern Gronk at home, so the statement
raised a few eyebrows!

At first, it seemed like more of the usual... NG made some pressure in
the beginning, trying to get ahead, and then switch to "wall-mode", but
Ordland anticipated the move, and kept them at bay very well.  It took
until the 31. minute for NG to finally score, once again through the
invaluable Radimir Rimlahim!  Apparently the Hurricanes seemed to
believe that a 1-0 would be a good enough position for the rematch in
Ordland, because immediately after the goal, they began their usual
tactics, and formed the 10-man wall... and indeed, Ordland, much like
all the other opponents who had to run up against the wall before, soon
became frustrated in their efforts to keep things happening in the game.
Nothing much more happened until halftime.

After the break, both teams seemed to coma back out rejuvenated, and
both played a more attacking style, even NG, to everybody's surprise.
Apparently they wanted a bigger cushion after all for leg 2.  However,
when Limoneira had a sure-shot chance to equalize, and inexcusably
pulled the ball over the goal, after a quick counter that left the NG
defense vulnerable, the Hurricanes quickly switched back to the
wall-mode... their free play had almost cost them dearly, and it seemed
they did not want to take any more chances like that.

Ordland was encouraged by their near miss, and they kept the pressure
on, forcing NG to play with fullest concentration.  It was a classic
matchup offense vs. defense, and really one of the best games as far as
interest goes that we have seen NG play in a long time.

However, the wall stood up for the longest time, and it seemed like NG
would once again succeed in frustrating the efforts of their
adversaries.  But the continued probing by Ordland had revealed a few
cracks in the wall, and the cleverly playing Ordland team continually
attempted to attach the weaknesses in the wall... finally, the wall gave
way!

Much to everybody's surprise, with just 6 minutes to go, the Fiarrians
finally broke into the penalty zone, and an Oliveira-Castanheira
combination proved lethal, as NG could not stop the two Mercurial
attackers... Castanheira once again made himself the MVP, as he trticked
the NG goalie from short distance, and scored the shocking equalizer!

Ordland's coach had called it, just like in the last game... now,
Ordland got real fresh, and they were pushing hard to score another to
win all the glory and become the first team to beat NG at home... but
the Hurricanes, this time under serious pressure, kept their goal clean,
and the game finally ended with a just 1-1 draw.

This means that NG must win in the return leg in Ordland, or tie with
scoring at least 2 goals to advance.  Ordland is looking good to
overcome the monumental challenge of beating NG to advance!

NOVEFA announces the result for the second leg in the quarterfinal
matchup in the Copa Vexanova Ordland '99:

The Technical Information:

Final score: WESTRIA 4 - MAURETANIE 2
Played in: Cirque des Crowns, Cronenbourgh, Westria
Attendance: 65,530
Referee: Richard Cordieira (Ordland)
Goals: Theunissen (WES, 5.), Vraseydenhout (WES, 14.), Vraseydenhout
(WES, 29.), Escartefigues (MAU, 57.), Salamanta (WES, 59.), Mouloud
(MAU, 81.)
Yellow cards: Garcia (MAU, 14.), Fögelsangg (WES, 31.)
Substitutions: Ubbarguëy for Theunissen (WES, 60.), Alkentorff for
Vraseydenhout (WES,60.)

Match commentary:

No real challenge for Westria as they advance with ease:

Nobody really expected Mauretanie to have a real chance of making it to
the semifinals anymore after their home loss to Westria a couple days
ago.  They sure did try their best, and attempted to build some serious
pressure from the getgo, but the strategy backfired as the technically
superior Westrian team quickly went up 2-0, and by the time break came
around, Mauretanie could not be further from their dreams of advancing.
Although they scored in the second half, Westria immediately responded,
putting the final nail in the coffin, after which they pulled out their
key players, and simply cruised to the end, never in danger, despite
another goal by MAU to beautify the result for them.

Westria is thus the first team through to the Semifinals, with an
aggregate score of 5-2, where they will either face Islandia, or, more
likely, Bowdani, after the 3-3 in Snaeffellstadir yesterday.