Games 53 and 54  (PHX-ARM and KTZ-AFB) 11-04-298

Game 53: Phenixia-Armatirion (Vexillium Cup CD'98)

IVEFA announces the result from today's match played in the Vexillium
Cup CD'98, November 4, 298:

The Technical Information:

Final score: PHENIXIA 0 - ARMATIRION 3
Played in: Christianshaven, Christiana (Royal Christiana Stadium)
Attendance: 75,200
Referee: Barry Vassiliev (KTZ)
Goals: Cunliffe (ARM, 31.), Virr (ARM, 44.), Kelso (ARM, 73.)
Yellow cards:  Manuelito (PHX, 22.), Dodds (ARM, 50.)
Substitutions: Jairzinho for Lolo (PHX, 45.), Justo for Anderson (PHX,
45.), Arridge for Bell (ARM, 60.)

Match commentary:

Armatirion convinces in the clash of the Titans!

Hardly do football fans get to see such a treat as today, two teams
ranked in the top ten of Vexillium squaring off against each other in an
important early round match at the Vexillium Cup!  Group H is hands-down
the strongest of all, with 3 top-10 teams out of four (not considering
that Dascunya has now withdrawn, and the stadium was filled beyond the
last seat (somehow 200 extra people managed to squeeze in, how, is a
mystery!) in anticipation of this clash.

The two high-ranked teams left no wishes unanswered, as indeed the game
was classy, fast, and technically superior.  Armatirion especially
showed why they are the hands-down favorites with the Montroy bookies
today, their play was simply superb, and gave Phenixia, despite their
own prowess, something to chew.

A special standout was Bobby Kelso, who had recently been criticized in
the media for a few mediochre games in AFA league play.  Today, he
answered with a dynamic and flawless performance that was by itself the
biggest reason why Phenixia failed to score.  The Kelso-conducted
defense was worthy of Armatirions reputation of their strong back!

Cunliffe put ARM up 1-0 in the 31. minute, after a pass from Virr, and
Virr himself scored a psychologically very important goal just before
the break.  Phenixia, despite strong performances from Youri and
Skoblar, together with good midfield engineering by Pilouti, could not
quite find a recipe against Kelso's defense, and the Dolphins were
without score and two down by halftime.

After the break, Jairzinho, the sub, had a great chance by head after a
long flank from Youri, but he narrowly missed high.  Had this goal gone
in, so shortly after the break, who knows what might have happened.  But
it didn't, and Phenixia was still two down, and trying to break through
the ARM defenses.  Maximu had a great chance as well, but his intended
fake ended up straight in goalie Fern's arms, who, though a little
shaky, held on the second take.

As the saying goes, if you dont score, the other guys will, came true
again, as Phenixia had to swallow another goal, this time as the icing
on the cake for Kelso, who was there after a nice free kick combination
that saw Lahziz in a running fake leave the ball for Youri, who in turn
passed parallel to the defense wall to Skoblar, who then lobbed directly
to Kelso on the other side - a nice team goal, well executed by Kelso by
head!

Phenixia missed another great chance, though probably already too late
anyways, in the 83. minute, when Justo pulled a volley shot just left of
the goal like a banana!

Armatirion is now looking very strong to win the group, as they end
their group play with perhaps the weakest side, Bowdani.  Unless Bowdani
pulls off a major surprise, ARM should go through to the next round as
the number one team.

IVEFA announces the result from today's match played in the Vexillium
Cup CD'98, November 4, 298:

The Technical Information:

Final score: EASTERN ZARTANIA 3 - AFRICABLUE 1
Played in: Aurora, Christiana (Borealis Stadium)
Attendance: 69,200
Referee: Enid Marcslow (Billa)
Goals: Paret (KTZ, 17.), Moeti (AFB, 29.), du Cron (KTZ, 58.), Racine
(KTZ, 62.)
Yellow cards:  Faulkner (KTZ, 29.), Jung (KTZ, 49.)
Substitutions: Tobie for Anderson (63.)

Match commentary:

Zartania again impressive, but Africablue a transformed team!

Much had been made of this match between Africablue, who received a full
hand of cards, including two reds, in their match against Whitlam, and
KTZ, who is notorious as a team that perpetrates a rough playing style.
Many thought that this would be a brawl rather than a game, that both
teams were going to bring out the worst in each other... but this was
not so.

In fact, Africablue seemed different.  They had been known to have taken
a lashing by coach Harbouche, who essentially put his job on the line to
get his players to throttle back the physical attack.  Although the
Imperial Blues lost again, they succeeded in changing the percepions of
the fans around Vexillium, as they played a firm, but fair game, that
saw not them, but KTZ get the cards!

Coach Harbouche's changes were mostly disciplinary, and perhaps hurt the
team a little from a technical point of view, as four of the regular
starters were left on the bench, and a somewhat less experienced team
fielded the match.  Throughout the game, however, the renewed squad did
very well, especially in the first half, where AFB was the equal of the
much higher estimated Zartanians.  Moeti was the discovery of the game.
His agility and speed were spectacular, and he scored a goal in a solo
run that was replayed fifteen times (!) on the live television feed from
different angles, because it was such a beautiful goal.

While the teams went to break all tied, in the second half, AFB began to
leak a bit.  Partially due to the physical demands of the game, and
partially due to lack of coherence, KTZ began to take more and more
control.  Interestingly, Fouberg, the top scorer in the last game, was
nowhere to be found this time, and had but two minor chances to score.
Instead, the midfield trumped today, and du Cron and Racine delivered a
four-minute double-blow that proved to be Africablue's demise.  Suddenly
, and within short time, two goals down, the Imperial Blues became a
little shaky.  Forward Anderson could not convince today, and was subbed
by Tobie, who wasn't too much better.  In the end, Africablue recovered
some, and had a few more chances, but no more scores.  Neither did
Zartania.

Despite the loss, AFB can draw some positives from this match, as, of
course, can Zartania.  The KTZ win again puts the pressure back on
Whitlam, who now must do well again vs. Billa tomorrow to stay on top
before the two giants collide in the all-deciding game on Nov.9!!