Games 162 and 163 (IVEFA Masters Islandia '99) 06-07-299

IVEFA announces the results for todays matches, in the Losers' Bracket
of the IVEFA Masters, with the losers today eliminated from the
competition.
 
Game 162: Christiana - Bowdani  (IVEFA Masters Islandia '99)
 
MATCH 1:

The Technical Information:

Final score: CHRISTIANA 3 - BOWDANI 4
Played in: Sandur Giant Stadium, Snaeffellstadir, Islandia
Attendance: 55,220
Referee: Wilfied Astnehmer (Westria)
Goals: Hund (BOW, 9.), Monaigh (CHR, 18.), Harrison (CHR, 20.), Killehal
(BOW, 50.), Sullivan (CHR, 59.), Punneratau (BOW, 67.), Marn (BOW, 82.)
Yellow cards: Sullivan (CHR, 33.)
Substitutions: none

Match commentary:

Bowdani senastionally upsets Christiana, sends VexCup Champions packing!

Perhaps not too many expected Christiana to be the first team to be
eliminated from the IVEFA Masters, but the unthinkable happened today,
as Bowdani once again showed a flash of brilliance!  I shudder to think
what would happen if Bowdani were more consistent!  But today, they were
on their best form, and they had to be, as Christiana by no means played
a poor game either!  In fact, Christiana had the upper hand through most
of the game, and it always seemed as if Bowdani was playing catch-up.
But they were able to stick with it, and to their great credit, they
never gave up.  In the final part of the match, Bowdani, who played
extremely well as a team today, with no individual players seeking glory
for themselves, but instead making sacrifices for the greater good,
finally got the better of the tiring Knights, who still felt the
demanding match against Westria in the first round in their legs.

Despite the resurgence of the lethal Christiana striker duo Monaigh and
Harrison, Bowdani was tough enough to crack the hard nut.  Play of the
day was a beautiful fake shot-pass by Killehal, who pretended to shoot
on goal, with keeper Jorgensen falling for it, but instead passing off
to Punneratau nearby, who easily punted the leather in for the 3-3!

Christiana thus, for the first time in a long time, is out of a
tournament, after an incredible streak of making the finals in three
consecutive tournaments, beginning with the WHCON '98, to the Vexillium
Cup '98, and the Smalik Shootout, ealier this year, with a total balance
of two titles and one runner-up finish!  They will be missed, but
Bowdani will carry on, and face the loser of Armatirion-Westria next!

-------------

The Technical Information:

Final score: LEXICON ISLANDS 0 - DAVENPORT 1, in overtime
Played in: Myri Stadium, Bjargeyar, Islandia
Attendance: 41,020
Referee: Trevor Speaks (Bowdani)
Goals: Parker Renard (DAV, 113.)
Yellow cards: Liller (LEX, 21.), Coughlan (DAV, 56.)
Substitutions: Martin for Vaudroy (DAV, 45.), Cannon for Dibris (LEX,
91.), Flisher for Estonarios (LEX, 91.), Renard for Robichaux (DAV, 91.)

Match commentary:

Black day for skipperless Lexicon!

After the surprising disaster against Eastern Zartania, LLIFA had taken
drastic measures, and fired their most successful coach Jon Hefter, who
had taken the team all the way to the finals of not only the Vexillium
Cup but also the Copa Vexanova, a tremendous achievement for such a
small nation.  Coachless, Lexicon now had to face the daunting task of
trying to stay alive in this tournament, with their backs against the
wall against an also less-than-perfect, but psyched-up Davenportean
side.

The game is best described as a bore, generally.  Lexicon still had
offensive troubles, and with the lack of proper coaching, that problem
only got worse.  In fact, this time, the Vikings didn't score at all!
Davenport's famous defensive lineup, still probably the best on the
planet, with the possible exception of Northern Gronk, made short work
of the disorganized attempts on goal by the still shaky Lexicon
strikers.

However, the Men in Royal did not exactly cover themselves in offensive
glory either, and so the match was a rather uninspired poking around
match.  Instead of the relief of *somebody* scoring a goal, and letting
them go home, the spectators were condemned to another 30 minutes of the
same, as the match went into overtime.  Lexicon seemed to have the edge,
as they got two fresh subs over Davenport's one, but it turned out the
other way.  Davenport all of a sudden smelled opportunity, and they
really turned on the heat in overtime, finally scoring a goal in the
113. minute, with Renard's fresh legs.  Then, they held on til the end
to oust Lexicon.

This probably must be considered another upset... Lexicon joins
Christiana as the second team to go home - at least they will have a
short plane ride home.  And now, they can once again concentrate on
their domnestic league finale, which, as it seems, was what they were
doing all this time anyways.  Davenport is still in it, and they will
take on the loser of Whitlam-Eastern Zartania, with a possible rematch
against the Dragons who beat them in the first round!

IVEFA