Games 230 and 231 TOM KOH TROPHY 299 in Eastern Zartania, 12-17-299:

Game 230: Eastern Zartania - Westermarc:
 
The Technical Information:

Final score: EASTERN ZARTANIA 3 - WESTERMARC 2
Played in: Eddie Dean Field, Madisonia, KTZ
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Greg Stoneley (FRW)
Goals: McBride (KTZ, 10.), Cirrus (WMC, 20.), Faulkner (KTZ, 50.), Foit (WMC,
70.), McBride (KTZ, 80.)
Yellow cards: duCron (KTZ, 11.), Rzuhai (WMC, 25.), Fouberg (KTZ, 31.), Duvall
(KTZ, 60.), Cross (KTZ, 64.)
Substitutions: Daihatcheng for Nikkei (WMC, 75.), Gottmik for Wilson (KTZ, 83.)

Eastern Zartania defends the TKT in a thrilling victory over Westermarc!

Everybody knows just how difficult it is to beat Eastern Zartania on home soil,
and today, we once again got a clear reminder:  after seemingly effortlessly
beating Whitlam and Albion 3-0 each, today, the Zeoktus had a more formaidable
opponent in Westermarc, who put up a great fight, but eventually also succumbed to
the "Red Machine".  Right off the bat, it was a fast and very physical game.  It
was evident that part of the Zartanian strategy was to intimidate the rookies in
the Westermarc team with very physical play, and in hindsight, it seems that
strategy worked.  In front of their fanatic home crowds, KTZ went up 1-0 in just
the 10. minute, when Player of the Tournament McBride once again scored, this time
after a corner kick from Ayress, well placed only yards from the goal.  Cirrus
then pulled Westermarc even, also after a corner kick, which was executed by
Singhraj.  The game was a constant back and forth, with both sides giving all they
got.  WMC rookie Nikkei once again impressed with his quick running game, but KTZ
defenders Cross and Duvall were on the ball today, literally, and prevented the
worst.  The sides went to the locker room 1-1 at halftime.

After the break, the pace showed no signs of slowing down.  Captain Fulkner once
again brought the home team up 2-1, with a well placed long free kick, deflected
by the Westermarc wall, and unreachable for Nuur.  But Westermarc was not
finished.  K. K. Foit did his thing in the 70. minute, and pulled off a nice
double pass with Fang, which ended in a pretty goal to even out the match once
again.  But WMC knew that they had to win the match in order to win the cup, so
they had to remain on the offensive, and with only 20 minutes to go, they began to
push even harder.  Sadly for them, it meant that KTZ scored the 3-2 after a quick
counterattack instead, more or less sealing the Trophy victory, again the scorer
was McBride.

Westermarc played amazingly in the last 10 minutes, trying their best to score
again with their last hopes, and KTZ now really had their hands full.  Their
formation now changed, and defense became the game.  Gottmik came in for Wilson,
and somehow the hosts managed to hold their hard charging opponents off, despite
an amazing 17 shots on goal by Westermarc in the last 10 minutes!

The great match ended with cordial handshakes by the teams, and an ecstatic crowd
going wild as the present Royalty, HM Queen Sophia and HRH Crown Prince Raedvulf
did the honors of handing the Tom Koh Trophy 299 to Captain Faulkner, and to their
victorious team, with the Westermarcians looking on.  Congratulations to Eastern
Zartania, who continue their truly remarkable streak of wins, and defend both, the
TKT and their IVEFA Title!

The Technical Information:

Final score: WHITLAM 6 - ALBION-MERITE 0
Played in: Henry Duraq Stadium, Eastharbor, KTZ
Attendance: 32,100
Referee: W. C. Benzhin (WMC)
Goals: Blacklock (WHI, 10.), Blacklock (WHI, 23.), Walford (WHI, 33.), Armstark
(WHI, 45.), Wolff (WHI, 59.), Ibanez (WHI, 79.)
Yellow cards: K. Jennings (ALB, 11.), Biafra (WHI, 22.), Martyak (ALB, 88.)
Substitutions: Floyd for Putnam (ALB, 45.), Lubeshkoff for K. Jennings (ALB, 45.),
Ibanez for Blacklock (WHI, 60.), Shring for Zaytseva (WHI, 60.)

Vindication for Whitlam, as they pound the defenseless Albionites!

Whitlam desperately needed *something* good to happen to them, after the very
disheartening losses of the last few matches, especially in this TKT.  And it was
up to Albion to make it happen for them today...

The Dragons we saw today were reminiscent of the Dragons we know - fast, good, and
disciplined.  Albion-Merite never looked like they belonged on this field today -
for them, the TKT started off with a dream, but ended as a true nightmare, as they
were blown away by six goals to none!

Whitlam was in control throughout, and never really seriously compromised.
Whatever Albion did in the first half against Westermarc, they need to analyze it,
and find it again, because since then, they have bee systematically falling
apart.  Putnam could not convince at all in the midfield, and K. Jennings made two
crucial defensive mistakes directly responsible for two goals.  Altogether a
forgettable experience for the rookie team, who will have some soul-searching to
do before they enter the big one, the Vexillium Cup!  At least, it can not get any
worse.

For Whitlam, this was just what they needed before the VexCup coming up.  Playing
at home, they can now be expected to be back on track as a serious contender once
more, and hopefully they will leave the disappointments behind them for good and
become the team we all love to see win!

The FINAL TKT'99 Table:

1. Eastern Zartania  3-0-0  9:2  +7 9
2. Westermarc        1-1-1  8:6  +2 4
3. Whitlam           1-0-2  7:7   0 3
4. Albion-Merite     0-1-2  2:11 -9 1