Official Game Statements:

Game 154 (Friendly) 05-08-299:

Game 154: Brolecia - Draconia (friendly)

IVEFA announces the result from today's friendly match:

The Technical Information:

Final score: BROLECIA 1 - DRACONIA 1
Played in: The National Bank Stadium, Liston, Brolecia
Attendance: 56,000
Referee: Valter Burschnwackl (IWK)
Goals: Fellworth (DRA, 1.), Grenzer (BRO, 35.)
Yellow cards: Smyth (BRO, 62.)
Substitutions: Schröder for Möller (BRO, 45.), Renshky for Prentar (DRA,
45.)

Match commentary:

Sport prevails in troubled Brolecia!

This match was much anticipated for a great number of reasons:  first of
all, it was a matter of national pride and hope for Brolecia to be able
to play a match as a recognized IVEFA team, in front of their
enthusiastic home fans, despite the Ordlandic ban on the game.  Second,
everybody was holding their breath to see whether there would be any
incidents associated with possible ordlandic sanctions, attack, or who
knows what.  Third, it was a most interesting meeting of two emerging
football nations, who recently made great strides to revive this sport
in their respective nations.  Fourth, the international football scene
wanted to see just how good the Draconian team really was after their
4-0 and 5-0 wins in the previous games, this time playing on the road.

Security was beefed up to the point where it almost seemed that there
was more security personnel than spectators in the stadium.  The
Brolecian Army and special forces were on high alert all through the
evening, expecint the worst.  IVEFA officials were treading like on
eggs, and generally the mood was nerveous.

But all the political and nationalistic overtures aside, in the end it
was an exciting match, that shocked the home fans, when Draconia
launched a sudden blitz-attack right off the whistle, and before
everybody even knew the game had started, Fellworth had scored the 1-0
after a powerful shot from the penalty box limit, stunning the Barons,
fans, and just about anybody, including their own team!

Brolecia seemed quite shaken after this, and they struggled their way
through the game for the next 15 minutes.  It seemed as if Draconia
might well continue their dominant ways, and many at this point thought
that another high win was in order for the Pirates.

However, Brolecia finally shook off the demons of the first minute, and
came back more and more into the game, also whipped on by their frenzied
home fans, who had waited and feared so long for this match, to see
their beloved side play for the first time as "Brolecia"!  More and more
the Barons began to make pressure, and in the 35. minute, Andreas
Grenzer scored the equalizer for the home team, under tremendous noise!
The two sides exchanged blows for the rest of the first half, with the
fortunes about even, but without further score.

After the break, the game stayed fast and rather even between the two
teams.  Several good chances remained unceased by either side.
Brolecian goalie Davidson was on the mark twice, as he cleared hard
shots from short distance, with incredible reflex action.  For the
Draconians, Reversi once again was the standout, and rumors are growing
that he, as well as defensive stalwart Gherry, and possibly one other
player, might be about to sign lucrative contracts in the Westrian
Soccer League!  For Brolecia, Montagne (who already plays in the WSL),
and defender Maarouf (who used to play for the Mauretanien side under
the name Marek), were the best of the day, besides goalie Davidson
(another WSL legionnaire).

In the 56. minute, there was a great shock as the game had to be
temporarily interrupted, as reports of an approaching Ordlandic
surface-to-surface missile came in!  The stadium would have had to be
cleared of 56,000 people in minutes, but fortunately the report turned
out to be erroneous.  After all, Ordland does not even possess
surface-to-surface missiles!

So the game resumed, but after the interruption, the pace had slowed
considerably, with the teams still keeping each other in check.  More
chances came on both sides, but it was the defenses that ruled the game
now, and until the end, there was no further score, ending in a fair 1-1
draw...

Both teams can be pleased with the result.  Brolecia came back from a
nerveous start and played well, and Draconia managed a draw on foreign
soil, despite critics warnings that they could not perform away.
Brolecia will now go on the road to play four more scheduled matches.
Draconia is looking for their next victims as well.



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