Game 168 (IVEFA Masters Islandia '99) 06-12-299

Game 168: Davenport-Whitlam  (IVEFA Masters Islandia '99)

IVEFA presents the result from today's third-round bout in the IVEFA
Masters, played in Islandia:

The Technical Information:

Final score: Davenport 0 - Whitlam 1
Played in: Sandur Giant Stadium, Snaeffellstadir, Islandia
Attendance: 55,660
Referee: Wilfried Astnehmer (Westria)
Goals: Armstark (WHI, 27.)
Yellow cards: Parkin (WHI, 33.), Hickey (WHI, 51.), Ouagadougu (WHI,
78.)
Substitutions: Westwood for Blacklock (WHI, 45.), Renard for Martin
(DAV, 50.), Al-Dhabi for Ouagadougu (WHI, 80.)

Match commentary:

Whitlam plays clever match, strategically wins 1-0:

In yet another rematch of a first-round bout, Davenport had the chance
to even things out with Whitlam, wjo had beaten them in a legendary
match in overtime during the first round.  However, this game was very
different from the nailbiter, non-stop action thriller that has been
replayed many times already, which saw Whitlam close in a fury to
overcome the Men in Royal 5-4 in overtime.  This match was very
controlled, and very strategic, especially on the part of the Dragons.
Knowing that they had to win to stay alive, they found the right recipe
against Davenport today.

After an exploratory first 20 minutes, Whitlam quickly changed pace, and
threw everything forward, exploiting a rare weakness in the Davenportian
defense, and their quickfire gamble paid off with a goal by Armstark for
the 1-0... but next, they completely went into strategic mode.  Whitlam
now was markably trying to slow down the pace, as Davenport tried to
pick it up... the attacks by Davenport were well contained, and then the
Dragons would keep the ball in their possession, even though not in
their own half only, but playing very well controlled, and letting
Davenport run after the ball, as they tried to make something happen and
equalize.

More of the same followed in the second half.  With an ever more
increasingly defensive Whitlam, Davenport could not find the right
recipe to grab the necessary control of the game.  Appparently also
their previous exhaustion from two overtime games, as well as the
running in the first half, had worn them out enough for Whitlam to keep
them abreast.  Much unlike their first match, this one was by no means a
marvel to watch for the fans, and television shots kept catching
spectators actually yawning in the stands.  Nevertheless, it was
remarkable how well contolled Whitlam remained, and how they cleverly
protected their 1-0 lead, until the very end!

Disappointment for Davenport, who was basically single-handedly
eliminated from this competition by Whitlam, despite fighting their way
back after beating Lexicon Islands.  The Men in Royal will now have a
long flight home.  Meanwhile, Whitlam will face Vexillium's number one
team, Westria, for he first time ever, in what promises to be an
excellent game!

IVEFA