Game 149 (Friendly) 04-23-299:

Game 149: Draconia - UPRMI (friendly)

IVEFA announces the result for the Friendly Match:

The Technical Information:

Final score: DRACONIA 4 - UPRMI 0
Played in: Prurient City Sporting Arena, Prurient City, Draconia
Attendance: 45,000
Referee: Giodo Vavan (Dascunya)
Goals: Reversi (DRA, 18.), Mirren (DRA, 51.), Reversi (DRA, 62.), Eweventus (DRA, 77., penalty)
Yellow cards: Brokesney (DRA, 21.), Matranat (UMI, 45.), Beancoche (DRA, 67.)
Substitutions: Oaharaia for Aka (UMI, 64.), Muadebahi for Matranat (UMI, 64.)

Match commentary:

Draconia impresses with a strong win over Academy Cadets!

This was a match of two first-timers: well, sort of.  After the very
brief appearance of Elmira at the WHCON, with the subsequent volcano
erupting, that sent the team home after only one match, which they
lost.  Of the original team, only one single player, Previnsky, remained
on the roster, and just like their nation, Draconia had to rebuild their
soccer team as well.  For UPRMI it was a new start also, despite the
presence of many experienced players formerly active for Acarina and
Mosquitia:  without the extended funding the FCLR used to provide for
their associate nations' sports teams, their programs have suffered
considerably, and they basically went back to amateur level.

So here they were, the two "new" teams.  An interesting picture, never
before seen in IVEFA soccer:  The all-black Draconian Pirates with the
Jolly Roger on their shirts, looking fierce, and the clean-cut
Islanders, with their unusual shirts buttoned up neatly!

Before the game began, and even during, the UPRMI players and coach
tried to argue with the assembled press photoraphers to please not take
pictures, but obviously in vein - of course they had come expecting
this, but they tried anyways - in the UPRMI, it is cuturally
unacceptable to photograph persons who do not wish to, but the players
knew when they traveled abroad, that this was going to happen.

The game began almost with a bomb, as UPRMI on the first thrust darn
near scored, after Huuatrktke released a big bomb that almost caught
Pirates goalie Recife by surprise!  But Recife, at this early time,
already hinted at the superior skills he was going to show all through
the game!

Instead, it was Draconia pulling ahead, driving the home fans wild,
after a remarkable solo by Reversi left the UPRMI defense looking!

However, in the first half to follow, it was actually UPRMI who had more
real goal chances, as Draconia seemed a little nerveous even after their
goal.  UPRMI had 9 chances, versus Draconia 6.  However, Recife was
flawless, and prevented at least 7 of these chances single handedly!

After the break, Draconia came back stronger, with more confidence.
Coach Haze must have given them a good pep talk, because they were fast
out of the blocks, and from then on never looked back.  Here the greater
professionalism of the Draconians, as well as their home advantage
clearly came to show.  The crowds fanatically backed them, and literally
drove them on even more, as Mirren increased to 2-0, in the 51. minute.
The Cadets now had their hands increasingly full, as Draconia really put
on the heat, looking intimidating as fast-moving black skull-bearers!
It was again Reversi, in the 62. minute, to put them ahead 3-0, and it
was clear at that point, that Draconia would be winning their first
match.

UPRMI tried a last offensive thrust, but when Tritna'ii accidentally
touched the ball with his hand in front of his goal, as he cleared, a
penalty was given, and Eweventus easily converted to finally seal the
fate of the brave Cadets at 4-0.  This is how it would finish.

The score is not quite fair, UPRMI put up a better fight than that, but
things generally did not go their way, and ultimately it was the better
team prevailing at home.  Expect great things from Draconia - the start
of their domnestic league will be followed with great interest!

The Cadets show promise also, but there is work to be done.