Games 89 and 90 (Eastern Zartania-Westria and Lexicon Islands-Davenport) 11-18-298

Game 89: Eastern Zartania-Westria (Vexillium Cup CD'98) - QUARTERFINALS

IVEFA announces the result from today's match played in the Vexillium
Cup CD'98, November 18, 298:

The Technical Information:

Final score: EASTERN ZARTANIA 0 - WESTRIA 2
Played in: Port Celt, Christiana (Great Southern Stadium)
Attendance: 70,000
Referee: Lenni Besecki (Lexicon Islands)
Goals: Alicanti (WES, 59.), Nischel (WES, 69.)
Yellow cards: Gottmik (KTZ, 23.), Duvall (KTZ, 69.)
Substitutions: Umsatz for Theunissen (WES, 45.), du Cron for Gordon
(KTZ, 45.), Rees for Cross (KTZ, 60.), Vallings for Vraseydenhout (WES,
70.)
 

Match commentary:

Westria takes maximum advantage of KTZ problems, to join Westermarc in
the semifinals!

This was one of the biggest games of the year - a true collision of two
giants, that will be remembered for a long time!  Westria had their
backs against the wall, after their long and strenuous match against
Mauretanie, they were generally quite fatigued, which even their coach
admitted before the game, and therefore, quite a few substitute players
were brought in for the regulars.

KTZ, on the other hand, had no such troube in their last match, and were
rested and ready to go.  In the early going, KTZ was trying to put
Westria into a frying pan, as they immediately began to pressure hard.
Obviously this was a plan of testing out how the Westrian defense would
cope without Marginot, but Voyden was up to the task, and the early
offenses by KTZ were without rewards.

The Diamonds managed to successfully slow the pace of the game down
considerably, which was very importent, considering their potential for
easy tiring.  So KTZ was somewhat hampered in trying to literally run
away with the game.  This back-and forth of different tempos essentially
lasted for the entire first half:  KTZ playing quick, and attacking
runnning, Westria slowing down, cross-passing, positional play, and
little running...  KTZ again had a few midfield connective problems, as
Gordon did not have a great day at all - Racine had to make up for him
at times, and with one and a half midfielders, it is difficult to build
an offensive.  So the two teams held each other in check, and despite
numerous chances on both sides, no score after the first half.

KTZ brought in du Cron for the lukewarm Gordon for the second half.
Meanwhile, Westria also made a midfield change, as they took out
Iohannes Theunissen for Lumpi Umsatz.  Not mauch happened for the frst
ten minutes, but then came the key phase of the game:  in the 58.
minute, Vraseydenhout and Cross collided in front of the KTZ goal,
unintentionally.  Vraseydenhout was fine, and Cross also indicated he
was OK, but he seemed somewhat disoriented afterwards.  But he assured
he was fine, and the game carried on.  Just seconds later, however, as
Westria launched an attack, it was up to Cross to clear a charge by
Alicanti and Nischel, but instead of reacting quickly to get in their
way, he still seemed groggy, and although he reached the attacker, his
stab at the ball was uncoordinated, and wild, and had no effect, as
Alicanti, although briefly surprised at the ineffective attempt by
Cross, went through and on to score the 1-0 for Westria!  It was clear
that Cross was not feeling 100% now after his collision, very clear
after his blunder just now.  Thus, Coach Seusa had no choice other than
to bring in Rees in Cross's place, something that should have obviously
happened immediately, and that ultimately may well have cost KTZ the
game!

Westria seemed energized by the goal, and seemed to play with an added
spark now.  Nischel and Alicanti now trumped big, as Vraseydenhout
seemed to run out of steam himself a little.  In the 69. minute,
Alicanti was stopped by Duvall, about 10 meters from the penalty line,
and Besecki called for the yellow.  The resulting free kick was a
textbook pass fake:  Nischel came running, hopped OVER the ball, Umsatz
passed left of the defensive wall to Alicanti, who volleyed on to
Nischel, who meanwhile was just in front of the goal, and was uncovered,
and easily headed in the leather for the 2-0 for Westria!

So within ten minutes, Westria went from under serious pressure, to two
goals up, and looking good!  Vraseydenhout then left the game, visibly
tired, and was replaced by young Vallings, although the Westrian
strategy now shifted into the defense again.  They wanted to keep their
two goal cushion.  KTZ again went into the attack mode, however, without
the previous total confidence.  Now, THEY were the ones under pressure,
and had to perform!  du Cron added a lot to the midfield, and the KTZ
machine worked well, but Westria again had on their scrambling shoes,
and held on until the end!

Westria has simply scrambled tremedously.  They have had hickups and
problems along the way - with their nerveous play against Dignania, and
the close call vs. Northern Phenixia, then not to mention the nightmare
match with Mauretanie, and again today, they managed to make the best of
it each time, and hang on to win when it mattered most.  They now go
into the semifinals, just like their sister team, Westermarc.  It's a
good year for Westrian soccer!  Obviously, the collaboration and
exchange between the two coaches and teams has helped them both!

Eastern Zartania, like Whitlam, exits the Cup after an incredibly
impressive performance that made them instant football legends.  This
team is one of the great ones, and can play with anybody.  Westria
caught the better breaks today, otherwose, they might well have cracked
under the pressure in the second half - the ingredients were certainly
there!

IVEFA announces the result from today's match played in the Vexillium
Cup CD'98, November 18, 298:

The Technical Information:

Final score: LEXICON ISLANDS 3 - DAVENPORT 2, in overtime
Played in: Williamsport, Christiana (WillWest Stadium)
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Wei-Chun Benzhin (Westermarc)
Goals: Harbour (DAV, 20.), Fotonaro (LEX, 33.), Fotonaro (LEX, 43.),
Re'nard (DAV, 67.), Dibris (LEX, 109.)
Yellow cards: none
Substitutions: Tzeng for Worthington (DAV, 45.), Rose for Cannon (DAV,
93.), Liller for Flisher (LEX, 93.), Raxxon for Lexico (LEX, 93.)

Match commentary:

Lexicon outlasts Davenport in marathon match!

In another very exciting match today, the great football tradition
nation Davenport met upstart sensation Lexicon Islands, in a clash of
old and new.    Davenport had the better start, as the Vikings were very
nerveous in the beginning, and the Men in Royal looked to be firmly in
control.  Whatever attack attempts were made by Lexicon, were most times
quickly foiled by one of the oldest tricks in the book, today profusely
utilized by Davenport:  the offsides trap!  Time and time again, the
Lexicon strikers Fotonaro and Dibris found themselves in the twilight
zone, as Crowley once again did a super job in the defensive direction,
and one offsides after another stopped Lexicon in its tracks.

So not surprisingly, Davenport was first to score.  Harbour continued
his scoring streak, as he found a pass from Worthington, ran it down,
and flanked to the center, where a short tumult ensued, without Lexicon
clearing fully.  So eventually Gaspe got hold of the ball, short pass to
Harbour, who had moved in close, and a heeler into the goal past
Mustasi, who was partially blocked, gave Davenport the 1-0.

Davenport kept their strategy going, and after many more foiled attacks
by Lexicon, the Vikings finally adjusted to the traps, and were better
able to avoid these offsides.  However, it was a miscued offsides trap
that gave Lexicon its first goal, as Robichaux had not moved up fast
enough, and Fotonaro was all alone with Dooley, who naturally had little
chance to prevent the 1-1.

The momentum now switched hands slightly, as Davenport did, after this
mistake, not as openly use the offsides trap that much anymore, and
Lexicon had more opportunities to score.  Indeed, Fotonaro was there
again, despite a hard charge by Shorter, which would have been a
dangerous free kick had it not been advantage for Lexicon anyways, and
Fotonaro recovered to shoot at a sharp angle with great power,
penetrating between the goal post and keeper Dooley!  So Lexicon was up
2-1 before the break.

In the second half, Davenport again employed the trap more, and this
time without mistakes.  Lexicon adjusted, but their effectivenes was
nevertheless hampered quite a bit.  Davenport now had the momentum
again, and in the 67. minute, Re'nard scored his first goal of this cup
with a good slice shot around several defenders, as well as Harbour, who
missed his attempt at a header (Which is probably a good thing, since
the shot went in anyways!).  So the game was all even, and so was the
action on the field.  No team could really take charge now, and despite
a lot of exchanges and good combinations, there were not many serious
scoring chances for either the rest of the half.

At the end of regulation, it seemed both teams were quite glad to make
it into overtime, and take their chances there.  Lexicon had the luxury
of bringing in two new players.  Coach Hefter had left Raxxon on the
bench in the second half, against all expectations, and now he brought
him in, probably steaming that he did not get his chance earlier in the
game, and all pumped up!  Also, Liller brought some fresh legs to the
midfield.

As so many times before when games went into overtime, the teams were
struggling to keep their cramping legs going.  With the short schedule,
they were not as fresh as they would have liked anyways, and now
this...!  Both teams play became more erratic now, more interrupted.  No
good flow came up, players were trying to avoid having to run too much,
and there was more passing now.  It was quite clear that whoever will
score next will probably win the whole thing, as there simply wasn't
enough energy left in the receiving team, who ever it might be, to
launch another counter-offensive.

And the winner was... Lexicon.  They caught a break as a
misunderstanding in the Davenport midfield turned over the ball, and
they were able to slice through the Davenport offsides trap just for
once.  Raxxon did the legwork, fresh as he was, and had the choice,
shoot himself from steep angle, or hand off to Dibris?  He hesitated for
just a fraction of a second, and passed it off to Dibris, who really was
in the much better position, a great team play by the young Kilos!
Dibris did not disappoint, and scored from close range, to seal the
Vikings victory, at 3-2.  They held on till the end.