Games 144 and 145 (Copa Vexanova Ordland '99) 04-04-299

Game 144: Ordland - Lexicon Islands (Copa Vexanova Ordland '99) - Semifinal Leg

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

The Technical Information:

Final score: ORDLAND 0 - LEXICON ISLANDS 4
Played in: National Stadium, Newton, Ordland
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Knaas Van Hoofner (Libra)
Goals: Raxxon (LEX, 5.), Raxxon (LEX, 17.), Fotonaro (LEX, 40.), Costa
(ORD-SELF, 69.)
Yellow cards: none
Substitutions: Liller for Raxxon (LEX, 45.), Lexico for Estonarios (LEX,
45.), Folha for Oliveira (ORD, 45.), Leite for Sobrero (ORD, 45.)

Match commentary:

Disaster strikes Ordland at home, as they run into Lexicon steam-train!

Who would have thought that this game would come out like it did...
Ordland was flying high after literally breezing through all its
previous opponents, with some very impressive matches, including a win
against Northern Gronk just last week to make it to the semifinals...
all looked poised for Ordland to have the best of shots to play in the
grand final in front of their home crowds for the Copa Vexanova... but
after todays surprising result, that seems like a very distant dream at
best.

Surprising, you say?  Could it be a surprise that the Number 2 ranked
team in the Vex beats Ordland the way they did, away?  Well, most people
would still agree that Ordland was expected to put up a good struggle,
and probably win their home leg, making it interesting in the return
match in Lexicon - but, alas, it would come totally different... Ordland
had an appalling day, while Lexicon played one of their best matches
ever.  These two factors culminated in the 0-4 score, one of the highest
away wins ever in IVEFA history, surpassed only by the 5-0 by Coceira n
Ançalda!

Ordland got off to the wrong foot, as young Lexican superstar Kilos
Raxxon scored already in the 5th minute, after a rebounded corner kick
from Filentoz.  From there on, it kept going downhill for Ordland.
Nothing seemed to work out, and Lexicon would play at their leisure,
with another goal by Raxxon following just 12 minutes later!  Now,
Ordland began to panic, and their play became increasingly nerveous.

Lexicon took full advantage, and when Fotonaro scored again 5 minutes
before the break, the mood in the sold-out National stadium was
extremely gloomy, except of course in the Lexican corner, where the
party was raging!

Both teams took their two subs in over the break, and Ordland tried to
make some pressure.  Probably 10,000 fans had already left the stadium
by then, and the remaining crowds were still shell-shocked, maybe not
giving their team all the vocal support they would have needed... so
Ordland continued to struggle, and Lexicon, who had changed to a
defensive style now, basically was not really threatened.  Ordland's
coach kept desperately shouting instructions from the lines, but it just
wasn't their day.  The low point in the match finally came for Ordland
as defender Costa tried a risky back-pass to goalie Pinto, with Dibris
rushing on... he wanted to make sure Dibris would not reach the ball,
and in the process kicked it so hard towards his own goalie, that the
surprised Pinto fumbled the spinning ball, and it went into their own
goal!!

That was pretty much it for the home crowd, as now a mass exodus began
from the stadium, comparable in mood with a column of refugees coming
from their war-torn homes... at the end, it seemed like almost only the
Lexican fans remained!  Ordland's team was just glad to get off the
field for sure after their day of horrors... Lexicon was ecstatic in
their victory!

Ordland will now have to do the impossible to advance: beat Lexicon with
a goal difference of at least 5 goals IN LEXICON!  Looks like pretty
much a no-bainer for the bookmakers.  Expect LEX in the finals!

This puts a sour note on the Copa for Ordland, who were hosting with
such enthusiasm, and had played so well until now... but we all know
that they have a team that can get the job done... today was just a
total nightmare, in which nothing seemed to work!  Hopefully, they will
redeem themselves somewhat in the return leg!

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

The Technical Information:

Final score: BOWDANI 2 - WESTRIA 3
Played in: Sky City Stadium, Sky City, Bowdani
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Ulf-Ingar Kundur (Islandia)
Goals: Vallings (WES, 10.), Hund (BOW, 21.), Vraseydenhout (WES, 38.),
Panskeli (BOW, 54.), Hallsetter (WES, 73.)
Yellow cards: Marginot (WES, 23.), Marn (BOW, 38.), Ubbarguëy (WES, 67.)
Substitutions: Rusten for J. Moran (BOW, 45.), Panskeli for Coleman
(BOW, 45.), Ubbarguëy for Yoghurt (WES, 45.), Muriaghi for Vraseydenhout
(WES, 74.)

Match commentary:

Westria fights its way out of a tight Bowdani squeeze!

In a much-anticipated match, Vex number one Westria today met the
red-hot winning sreakers of Bowdani!  Bowdani had promised that they
would fight till the end, and they sure did!  Westria knew they were
facing a very hard match, but they prepared diligently to face the
Bowdanian onslaught.

After a nerveous beginning, Westria soon took advantage of a mistake in
the Bowdanian defense, as Coleman lost possession near his own goal... a
mistake that would prove costly later, as Vallings, who was playing for
the ailing Salamanta, coolly kicked the 1-0 for Westria.  So far all
went as planned for Westria, but immediately Bowdani started to fight
back, and build a tremendous amount of pressure, that saw even the
mighty Westrians back off somewhat befuddled!  Sure enough, Hund
equalized after a flank from Punneratau from near the sideline, with a
nice volley shot.

The pace never slowed, as both teams continued to push hard.  Chances by
Hund, Marn, Nadeschney, and Theunissen all went unutilized, until in
the  38. minute, Vraseydenhout took an indirect free kick, which hit the
Bowdanian wall hard... then, on the rebound, Vraseydenhout took a
tremendous bomb that sailed clear over the regrouping defensemen,
straight into the out-of-reach corner clear on the other side of Andy
Hawk... Westria was up 2-1, and they kept on the pressure until the
break.  However, Bowdani did not let up at all, and actually had more
goal chances in the remainder of the half.

With several substitutions, the game continued in the second half.
Westria was looking to change their pace, but Bowdani simply would not
allow them to settle down.  New striker Panskeli proved a great
addition, and he immediately began setting major attack impulses for the
Bowdanian team, playing well with Hund, and the
today-not-great-Killehal.  In fact, it was Panskeli who once again
evened the score after a shuffle in front of the Westrian goal, with too
many legs stabbing at the ball, and most missing, where the Westrian
defense simply could not get the ball out!  So Panskeli stabbed the
best, and somehow managed to bunt the ball between all those legs... for
the 2-2!

The game raged on in its comprtitiveness, with several chances on both
sides.  In the 67. minute, Ubbarguëy had to resort to a foul in order to
stop a solo advance by Hund in the box, and a penalty was given!
Killehal stepped up to the ball, but to everybody's astonishment, the
otherwise rock-solid striker didn't seem to catch the ball right, and it
sort of trickled right towards goalie Hasenpfeffer, who could not
believe his luck, as he held without problem!  A terrific chance missed
for Bowdani!

Nevertheless, they were not discouraged, and kept at it.  However,
Westria now showed all their prowess in handling the feisty hosts.
Despite what the home fans were hoping for, it was not Bowdani scoring
for the win, but Westria, after a ver precise corner kick from Voyden,
with Hallsetter converting by head... for the 3-2 for Westria!

Bowdani kept pushing, though, and never gave up... the Westrians seemed
a little surprised at the tanacity their opponents were showing, and it
took all their skill and a good bit of luck to keep the score 2-3 until
the end, at which both teams were visibly very exhausted.  But they
congratulated each other on a great and fair game, and exchanged shirts
on the field!

After the match, Westrian Coach Schrey would pronounce this "their
greatest and toughest win ever".  The press seemed to agree that as far
as fighting it out goes, this was a match to remember.  Bowdani received
rave reviews about giving Westria more than a handful to do, and almost
coming away with the win.  Westria proved why they are number one,
managing to beat a superbly playing Bowdani in front of their home
fans.  Although surely Bowdani must be disappointed to lose, they can be
proud of their performance.  If they play like this in the return leg,
they will still be a force to be reckoned with for the advancement to
the finals, despite the fact that they obviously now face the monumental
task of having to beat Westria in Westria.  But anything is possible in
this game, especially with such closely matched opponents.