Games 16 and 17 (PHX-EST and ANG-SOL) 09-18-298 (Cup of Nations)

Game 16 - Phenixia-Estontetso:
 
 NOVEFA, in conjunction with WEHFFA, announces the results for todays
Group B match held at the inaugural Western Hemisphere Cup of
Nations, co-sanctioned by the WEHFFA and NOVEFA, played Friday,
September 18, 298, in Saint-Hugues:
The final result is Phenixia 1 - Estontetso 2

The Technical Information:

Final score: PHENIXIA 1 - ESTONTETSO 2
Played in: Saint-Hugues, Dascunya (River Cross Stadium), attendance:
63,100
Referee: Trevor Speaks (Bowdani)
Goals: Guardanapeira (EST, 29.), Guardanapeira (EST, 41.), Justo (PHX,
67.)
Yellow cards: Tresor (PHX, 21.), Marcel (PHX, 37.), Castelos (EST, 39.)
Substitutions: Lahziz for Muller (PHX, 45.), Skoblar for Jairzinho (PHX,
45.), Nespera for Lavai (EST, 45.), Mastigante for Velhotes (EST, 69.)

Match commentary:

Experimenting Phenixia gets caught by surprise!

Since Phenixia had already qualified for the quarterfinals, in this
game  coach Pelletier experimented with his line-up, introducing many of
the substitute players as starters, to get some good match experience.
However, things did not go quite so well for them, as a pretty spirited
team Estontetso proved quite adaptable, and pulled off a surprise
victory which now qualifies them for the quarter-finals as well!

The relative inexperience by the Phenixian team was especially evident
in the first half.  Estontetso was not necessarily the better team, but
as far as team-play went, they had the better mutual understanding
between the players, which allowed Guardanapeira to score twice in the
first half!  Estontetso did nothing spectacular, but their wait-and-see
attitude proved quite effective.  Phenixia on the other hand just could
not seem to get a good flow going, and some of the less experienced
players mad quite a few mistakes.

Thus it was no surprise that Phenixia's coach Pelletier brought back two
of the team's most valuablel players during the dolphins' first two
games:  Lahziz, and Skoblar, in an effort to turn the game around.
Since only two subs are allowed, still a lot of the others remained in
the game though.  Nevertheless, Phenixia managed to score a goal.  In
fact, it was a broken record for legendary striker Justo, who scored his
39th career goal!  He is expected to retire soon, and this must have
been a true highlight.

Unfortunately, Phenixia could not quite get the job done in the second
half.  Maybe there also was not too much interest from the players.
They knew they had qualified for the next round already, so this game
was really just a formality.  The lineup by the coach suggests the same
attitude.

This means, however, that Estontetso is the second qualifier for the
quarterfinals from goup B - a little of a surprise, but after victories
over Angliyaa and Phenixia, well deserved!  They will face Dascunya in
the quarters, while Phenixia will take on the second place of group C,
to be determined.

The Technical Information:

Final score: SOLELHADA 1 - ANGLIYAA 2
Played in: Hawadan, Dascunya (Red Rock Stadium), attendance: 45,900
Referee: Piotr Klenk (Coceira)
Goals: Langles (SOL, 25.), Oliver-James (EST, 55.), Placidy (EST, 70.)
Yellow cards: Charles (EST, 15.), Fabre (SOL, 51.)
Substitutions: Oliver-James for Lazlo (EST, 33.), Szabo for Arrat (SOL,
45.), Malastre for Portal (SOL, 45.)

Match commentary:

Dream is over for the Red Devils, as they fall to Angliyaa!

The game was started after the conclusion of Phenixia-Estontetso, and
Solelhada knew that now they had to win in big fashion to have a chance
to advance to the next round.  It seemed as if they had somewhat
resigned themselves, as they had all this time counted on Phenixia
winning, which would have meant that the Devils only need a draw against
Angliyaa to advance.  But this was not so, and the pressure did not
become them well.  Although the superb Langles put them up in the first
half, and they went to break still with a good chance, after the break,
things did not work at all.  Angliyaa began to play the Devils against a
wall.  Although they had not won yet in this Cup, the Angliyaans, free
of any pressure, since they had no chance of advancing anyways, really
put on a jolly good show in the second half, and delighted the
spectators with plenty of technically excellent play, which strangely
was not evident in their first two games at all!  Oliver-James and
Placidy were the scorerd who secured the unexpected win for Angliyaa,
who now heads back home with some vindication.  For Solelhada, it is
also goodbye.  This just wasn't their tournament.  Down to just 10
players in the loss against Phenixia, and now this...  Perhaps if the
devils had played Phenixia last, they might have won, just like
Estontetso did today.  But we'll never know.  Goodbye, and thanks for
playing to both the teams!