No, but you can help us by also writing some match reports. Ask @riskyrofl for more details on this.
2018 AHFA World Cup
- Thread starter riskyrofl
- Start date
No, but you can help us by also writing some match reports. Ask @riskyrofl for more details on this.
As others have said, the tournament has already started with 32 countries, but you can write reports or make some other in-universe content
Caribbean vs Mogadishu
sports.proletariat.as presents
2018 AHFA World Cup: Caribbean Federation vs. Mogadishu
Caribbean Federation:2018 AHFA World Cup: Caribbean Federation vs. Mogadishu
Dwayne Miller
Ladale Ritchie
Damano Solomon
Kemar Lawrence (65' Michael Seaton)
Rosario Harriot (90' Oniel Fisher)
Marvin Morgan Jr.
Je-Vaughn Watson (80' Jamiel Hardware)
Cardel Benbow
Tevin Shaw
Dariel Mattocks
Fabian Reid
Mogadishu:
Taagaane Warsame
Taagaane Warsame
Ali Nuur
Mohammed Shirdon
Ahmed Farah
Guleed Kihoro
Hasan Bekele
Abdihakim Dhere
Liban Sinimo (76' Abdisalam Ibrahim)
Sharmaarke Hussein
Amin Daud
Mustafa Askar (70' Ahmed Yaqshid)
Mohammed Shirdon
Ahmed Farah
Guleed Kihoro
Hasan Bekele
Abdihakim Dhere
Liban Sinimo (76' Abdisalam Ibrahim)
Sharmaarke Hussein
Amin Daud
Mustafa Askar (70' Ahmed Yaqshid)
Last-second goal by the Caribbeans: Lucky, but deserved!
Caribbean Union 2 - 1 Mogadishu
Goals: 1-0 Tevin Shaw (25')
1-1 Ankar (68')
2-1 Tevin Shaw (90+3')
Yellow cards: 1 - 1
Red cards: 0 - 0
Corners: 6 - 2
Free kicks less than 40 m: 3 - 1
Referee: Fernando Carrión Peñaherrera (Revolutionary Colombia): Grade B-
No mistakes, but the match was very fair and esay to official.
Caribbean coach Nestor Husbands switched from the usual 5-4-1 system to 4-4-2, hoping for a more offensive way of playing against the Cheetahs who are known for playing defensively (and being extremely quick on the counter, thus their nickname), and thus changed this tarting lineup several times. Mogadishu coach Amin Yusuf was nearly alternativeless as the quality of his players drops significantly when it comes to the reserve players. He sent his best eleven onto the field.
Caribbean Union 2 - 1 Mogadishu
Goals: 1-0 Tevin Shaw (25')
1-1 Ankar (68')
2-1 Tevin Shaw (90+3')
Yellow cards: 1 - 1
Red cards: 0 - 0
Corners: 6 - 2
Free kicks less than 40 m: 3 - 1
Referee: Fernando Carrión Peñaherrera (Revolutionary Colombia): Grade B-
No mistakes, but the match was very fair and esay to official.
Caribbean coach Nestor Husbands switched from the usual 5-4-1 system to 4-4-2, hoping for a more offensive way of playing against the Cheetahs who are known for playing defensively (and being extremely quick on the counter, thus their nickname), and thus changed this tarting lineup several times. Mogadishu coach Amin Yusuf was nearly alternativeless as the quality of his players drops significantly when it comes to the reserve players. He sent his best eleven onto the field.
The first minutes of the game were dominated by not making any mistakes, and no team made any mistakes indeed. Until, in the 24th minute, Mohammed Shirdon fouled Dariel Mattocks near the touchline. A free kick was rightfully awarded. It seemed to be harmless at first, but Abdihakim Dhere deflected the ball for a throw-in. Throw-ins from the Caribbeans are, namely ever since they participated in the 2014 World Cup and scored several goals through this method, well-known to be laced with a certain degree of danger. And the best thrower-in is Rosario Harriot. He threw the ball far into the field, nearly to the penalty mark, and perfectly for Tevin Shaw who scored in a lovely way into the upper left corner of the goal! And that despite pressure from Mohammed Shirdon and Ahmed Farah! 1-0 Caribbean (25')!
And the Caribbeans remained on the offensive and now threatened Taagaane Warsame somewhat more frequently, however, the Cheetah's defence was well-prepared and, to the best of their abilities, avoided causing corners and throw-ins. This was of course not always possible, but the one corner that was awarded to the Caribbeans, in the 37th minute, was safely picked up by Taagaane Warsame despite some insecurity as to where the ball was in the penalty area.
The second half started like the first had ended, with somewhat offensive play by the Caribbeans, while the East Africans only defended - and tried to start one of their quick counterattacks. However, the Caribbeans had already noted such counterattacks being the main tactic of the Cheetahs and tried to nip those in the bud. Of course, the Tridents were not always successful - the defensive players and even goalkeeper Dwayne Miller contributed their part in securing the lead, too, as they, too, were tested on some occasions. The most notable save by Dwayne Miller was in minute 50, when Amin Daud had managed to free himself from the defence and wanted to score alone, but Dwayne Miller came out and forced Daud into an angle where the latter could only hit the side netting.
But of course, the Trident's defence line was not infallible either. Abdihakim Dhere, the initiator of most counterattacks, managed to pass wide onto Liban Simino, while Damano Solomon levelled the offside (the Tridents attempted an "offside trap", which worked most times, but here, Solomon made a mistake). Simino and Mustafa Ankar were alone before Dwayne Miller, Simino passed onto Ankar who had a much better position, and Ankar subsequently scored! No chance for Dwayne Miller! 1-1 Mustafa Ankar (68')!
The game was equal again, and both teams returned to their quite defensive basic tactic, but the Tridents did want some more attacking play. They were on the attack, even if much of it was rather inconsequential, and the Cheetahs would nearly have led after a well-placed shot by Amin Daud, but at the last moment, Marvin Morgan Jr. saved - at the cost of a corner. The corner was harmless, though (83').
This rather defensive style of play, with the Caribbeans attacking a little bit more, continued until the last action of the game: The Caribbeans on the attack once more, and Taagaane Warsame deflected a shot by Michael Seaton, which was not that dangerous, for a corner. Jamiel Hardware brought the corner in - with no contact to the ball as of yet - and Tevin Shaw scored with a hard and well-placed shot into the lower right corner of the goal! 2-1 for the Caribbeans by Tevin Shaw (90+3')!
The game was equal again, and both teams returned to their quite defensive basic tactic, but the Tridents did want some more attacking play. They were on the attack, even if much of it was rather inconsequential, and the Cheetahs would nearly have led after a well-placed shot by Amin Daud, but at the last moment, Marvin Morgan Jr. saved - at the cost of a corner. The corner was harmless, though (83').
This rather defensive style of play, with the Caribbeans attacking a little bit more, continued until the last action of the game: The Caribbeans on the attack once more, and Taagaane Warsame deflected a shot by Michael Seaton, which was not that dangerous, for a corner. Jamiel Hardware brought the corner in - with no contact to the ball as of yet - and Tevin Shaw scored with a hard and well-placed shot into the lower right corner of the goal! 2-1 for the Caribbeans by Tevin Shaw (90+3')!
Last edited:
StephenColbert27
Banned
GLR with a win and a draw should be level at 4 points with Hoenn in Group F. Other than that, great stuff!
Also, you made a mistake in the Britanny/Hawaii match and inverted the scores. Britanny won 3 to 1
@Yanranay , let's use this flag for the SAS - I found it on Wikimedia Commons:
"It's all over for the Shannon boys today. After a decent showing, the team have been eliminated with one match still to play."
"Although the team was not expected to do much, the goal difference of -4 will hurt the team, who had raised expectations after a close match with the SAS."
"However, it wasn't to be, and now the team can concentrate on their match with the already-eliminated New England, with both sides knowing that they can leave it all on the pitch."
"The Princess of Galway will appear after the match to award the King's Birthday Medal to captain John O'Shea in recognition of his achievements."
- Aidan O'Donnell, RSR.
"Although the team was not expected to do much, the goal difference of -4 will hurt the team, who had raised expectations after a close match with the SAS."
"However, it wasn't to be, and now the team can concentrate on their match with the already-eliminated New England, with both sides knowing that they can leave it all on the pitch."
"The Princess of Galway will appear after the match to award the King's Birthday Medal to captain John O'Shea in recognition of his achievements."
- Aidan O'Donnell, RSR.
Third round/Brittany vs Rhodesia
A SUPRISE DEFEAT FOR NCUBE AND CO
Rhodesia 0 : 2 Brittany
Match Report
Brittany have clinched a dramatic win here in Freiburg, with a victory that has thrown Group B wide open.
Going into the match, Brittany knew they needed to get something from it in order to stave of the advance of Farsya, who were playing Hawaii at the same time. A point for Rhodesia would have secured qualification in first place for them.
The match started in a rather stately fashion, with both sides focusing on a clean sheet and not foraying very far into the opposition half. Despite this, a well-worked free-kick routine almost gave Rhodesia the lead after 12 minutes, but Masenda failed to find the net with his header.
The match was headed for a very forgettable first half until, after 43 minutes, Henry Nkala got in a ferocious challenge on Juvad Korr, which resulted in a straight dismissal. Brittany immediately responded, launching quick attacks against the outnumbered Rhodesians before the referee's whistle ended first 45 minutes.
After the break, Brittany sensed blood and came out firing on all cylinders. A long-range effort from Kerouac was tipped over the bar by a flying Steve Carlisle before Laurent le Fol found the side netting with a powerful header. As the final half-hour began, excitement began to reach fever pitch.
At the moment, Tom Murphy's team was merely hanging on, but he planned to change that. Off came Jack Ayers, on came Sean Nyamukapa to add another striker. The change had an immediate effect, with talisman Ncube almost finding the net after a volleyed shot that cannoned off the underside of the bar.
However, the Breton pressure was growing by the minute. With 9 minutes of normal time remaining, Guénolé Créac'h tried his luck from distance. The shot, far from going in, turned into a perfect cross for Alain Tibaut. The centre-forward, who had looked sharp all match, got his head on the ball to push it past the Rhodesian 'keeper.
Rhodesia now came out of their shell and began to attack. Even with 10 men, they looked dangerous, and so it proved when Ncube, looking strong in the Golden Boot race, turned sharply in the box and made space for a low, driven shot that Poder could only parry straight back at the Rhodesian forward. He tapped in the rebound to claim a dramatic equaliser for Rhodesia!
Or so he though, until the VAR system spotted an infringement in the penalty area that allowed Ncube to get his shot away in the first place. Questions will be raised about whether it was a 'clear and obvious error', but the goal was disallowed.
The match was entering its dramatic final stages, with some of the most free-flowing football seen so far in the competition. Such was the quality of play that it was a credit to the sport as well as the 21 players on the pitch. However, it didn't last long as a wonderful through-ball put Breton captain Seznec in to score after three minutes of stoppage time. Brittany had won.
What this means for Group B
Although a point would have meant first-place qualification for Rhodesia, they now find themselves pushed into second place due to goal difference.
Played Points Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference
Brittany 3 6 6 2 +4
Rhodesia 3 6 4 2 +2
Farsya 2 3 2 3 -1
Hawaii 2 0 1 5 -4
Meanwhile, Hawaii are out of the competition. They needed Rhodesia to win in order to have a hope of qualification.
Farsya, however, need to win by four clear goals in order to push Rhodesia out of number two spot. Their head-to-head record is worse, and so they must top Rhodesia's goal difference of +2. A difficult task, to be sure, but who's to say it's impossible?
Player Ratings
Rhodesia:
Steve Carlisle : 5
Steve Forrest : 6
Wesley Masenda : 5
Greg Mushore : 5
Jack Ayers : 4, yellow card
Henry Nkala : 5, red card
Kevin McNeill : 4
Sam Lusinga : 5
Gordon Kunonga : 4
James O'Hannigan : 5
Mustafa Ncube : 6
Substitutions:
Sean Nyamukapa (replaced Ayers, 60) : 6
Michael Buckley (replaced Lusinga, 76) : 5
Brittany:
Alan Poder : 6
Yannick Toulhoat : 6
Tristan Valo : 7
Juvad Koor : 8, Man of the Match
Guénolé Créac'h : 7
Etienne Doré : 6
Arzhur Seznec : 7, goal
Gweltaz Kerouac : 6
Laurent Le Fol : 7
Goulven Rannou : 6
Alain Tibaut : 7, goal
Substitutions:
Antoine Marron (replaced Kerouac, 65) : 7
Braic Boulc'h (replaced Rannou, 88) : 6
Rhodesia 0 : 2 Brittany
Match Report
Brittany have clinched a dramatic win here in Freiburg, with a victory that has thrown Group B wide open.
Going into the match, Brittany knew they needed to get something from it in order to stave of the advance of Farsya, who were playing Hawaii at the same time. A point for Rhodesia would have secured qualification in first place for them.
The match started in a rather stately fashion, with both sides focusing on a clean sheet and not foraying very far into the opposition half. Despite this, a well-worked free-kick routine almost gave Rhodesia the lead after 12 minutes, but Masenda failed to find the net with his header.
The match was headed for a very forgettable first half until, after 43 minutes, Henry Nkala got in a ferocious challenge on Juvad Korr, which resulted in a straight dismissal. Brittany immediately responded, launching quick attacks against the outnumbered Rhodesians before the referee's whistle ended first 45 minutes.
After the break, Brittany sensed blood and came out firing on all cylinders. A long-range effort from Kerouac was tipped over the bar by a flying Steve Carlisle before Laurent le Fol found the side netting with a powerful header. As the final half-hour began, excitement began to reach fever pitch.
At the moment, Tom Murphy's team was merely hanging on, but he planned to change that. Off came Jack Ayers, on came Sean Nyamukapa to add another striker. The change had an immediate effect, with talisman Ncube almost finding the net after a volleyed shot that cannoned off the underside of the bar.
However, the Breton pressure was growing by the minute. With 9 minutes of normal time remaining, Guénolé Créac'h tried his luck from distance. The shot, far from going in, turned into a perfect cross for Alain Tibaut. The centre-forward, who had looked sharp all match, got his head on the ball to push it past the Rhodesian 'keeper.
Rhodesia now came out of their shell and began to attack. Even with 10 men, they looked dangerous, and so it proved when Ncube, looking strong in the Golden Boot race, turned sharply in the box and made space for a low, driven shot that Poder could only parry straight back at the Rhodesian forward. He tapped in the rebound to claim a dramatic equaliser for Rhodesia!
Or so he though, until the VAR system spotted an infringement in the penalty area that allowed Ncube to get his shot away in the first place. Questions will be raised about whether it was a 'clear and obvious error', but the goal was disallowed.
The match was entering its dramatic final stages, with some of the most free-flowing football seen so far in the competition. Such was the quality of play that it was a credit to the sport as well as the 21 players on the pitch. However, it didn't last long as a wonderful through-ball put Breton captain Seznec in to score after three minutes of stoppage time. Brittany had won.
What this means for Group B
Although a point would have meant first-place qualification for Rhodesia, they now find themselves pushed into second place due to goal difference.
Played Points Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference
Brittany 3 6 6 2 +4
Rhodesia 3 6 4 2 +2
Farsya 2 3 2 3 -1
Hawaii 2 0 1 5 -4
Meanwhile, Hawaii are out of the competition. They needed Rhodesia to win in order to have a hope of qualification.
Farsya, however, need to win by four clear goals in order to push Rhodesia out of number two spot. Their head-to-head record is worse, and so they must top Rhodesia's goal difference of +2. A difficult task, to be sure, but who's to say it's impossible?
Player Ratings
Rhodesia:
Steve Carlisle : 5
Steve Forrest : 6
Wesley Masenda : 5
Greg Mushore : 5
Jack Ayers : 4, yellow card
Henry Nkala : 5, red card
Kevin McNeill : 4
Sam Lusinga : 5
Gordon Kunonga : 4
James O'Hannigan : 5
Mustafa Ncube : 6
Substitutions:
Sean Nyamukapa (replaced Ayers, 60) : 6
Michael Buckley (replaced Lusinga, 76) : 5
Brittany:
Alan Poder : 6
Yannick Toulhoat : 6
Tristan Valo : 7
Juvad Koor : 8, Man of the Match
Guénolé Créac'h : 7
Etienne Doré : 6
Arzhur Seznec : 7, goal
Gweltaz Kerouac : 6
Laurent Le Fol : 7
Goulven Rannou : 6
Alain Tibaut : 7, goal
Substitutions:
Antoine Marron (replaced Kerouac, 65) : 7
Braic Boulc'h (replaced Rannou, 88) : 6
Farsya vs Hawaii
Farsya eliminated! Favourites fail to qualify on goal difference despite defeating Hawaii 3-2
A brave effort by Hawaii has seen favourites and 3 time World champions Farsya eliminated despite the side winning 2 matches as Brittany and Rhodesia both escaped on goal difference.
Going into the decisive match in Munich both sides could potentially qualify with a win depending on the results of the Brittany-Rhodesia match, and it was clear that both sides planned to. Both sides looked to grab an early lead as we saw a dramatic opening. In the 6th minute a potential goal by Valentin Samoilov was cleared off the line by Bayanolu in a scrappy corner. Bayanolu's clearance almost created a goal itself as the ball found Papaz who ran halfway down the pitch only for keeper Chernikov to come out on top in the 1 on 1. Several more chances failed to end the deadlock until a brilliant knuckleball freekick by Kaplan sailed over the wall and beyond Chernikov's reach to give Farsya the lead. Despite Hawaii increasing the pressure, and a handful of fantastic runs by youngster Arseniy Osenev, that Farsyan freekick remained the difference at half-time. As it stood, with the Brittany-Rhodesia match still at 0-0, Farsya were through.
The second half began perfectly for Farsya, as a cross from Aslanolu deflected off Kalili, only to bounce into the path of Papaz who controlled the ball with his chest and volleyed the ball into the top left corner. But the rest of the half would not be so smooth for Farsya as the Hawaiians proceeded to give the fight of their lives. The Islanders quickly responded as Osenev beat Batbayar before finding Maksim Leonov who pivoted around Beyaz before slotting the ball into the corner of the net. The Hawaiian assault was relentless, in the following ten minutes a handful of chances went just over the bar, or were saved by Yeśolu, until a header by the unmarked Valeriy Lukin hit the right post and deflected in. The Farsyan crowd had been silenced and now the smaller Hawaiian crowd began to sing. Things would become even worse, as Brittany took the lead in their match against Rhodesia, but neither team were aware at this point. Both sides, with victory within reach, continued to fight. A bicycle kick by Papaz, which surely would have been contender for goal of the tournament, smacked off the cross bar and Yeśolu made several crucial saves to keep Farsya in the game.
It was only fitting that this dramatic game would come to a dramatic ending. A header by Bayanolu hit the raised arm of Fridman, giving Farsya a penalty deep into injury time. For the Farsyan players, unaware of the results of the Brittany-Rhodesia game, this was the final opportunity to get their side into the Round of 16. Vilyamolu stood up, took the shot and converted. The final whistle was blown soon later and the Hawaiians sunk with the realization that despite playing a brilliant second half, they would leave the World Cup with 3 losses. For Farsya the devastation was not so instant, as the match ended results from the Brittany-Rhodesia match came through. Brittany had won 2-0. Farsya were third in the group, behind Brittany and Rhodesia on goal difference. One of football's powerhouses were out after the group stage, for the first time since 1986.
Goals
Farsya: Kaplan, Papaz, Vilyamolu
Hawaii: Maksim Leonov, Lukin
A brave effort by Hawaii has seen favourites and 3 time World champions Farsya eliminated despite the side winning 2 matches as Brittany and Rhodesia both escaped on goal difference.
Going into the decisive match in Munich both sides could potentially qualify with a win depending on the results of the Brittany-Rhodesia match, and it was clear that both sides planned to. Both sides looked to grab an early lead as we saw a dramatic opening. In the 6th minute a potential goal by Valentin Samoilov was cleared off the line by Bayanolu in a scrappy corner. Bayanolu's clearance almost created a goal itself as the ball found Papaz who ran halfway down the pitch only for keeper Chernikov to come out on top in the 1 on 1. Several more chances failed to end the deadlock until a brilliant knuckleball freekick by Kaplan sailed over the wall and beyond Chernikov's reach to give Farsya the lead. Despite Hawaii increasing the pressure, and a handful of fantastic runs by youngster Arseniy Osenev, that Farsyan freekick remained the difference at half-time. As it stood, with the Brittany-Rhodesia match still at 0-0, Farsya were through.
The second half began perfectly for Farsya, as a cross from Aslanolu deflected off Kalili, only to bounce into the path of Papaz who controlled the ball with his chest and volleyed the ball into the top left corner. But the rest of the half would not be so smooth for Farsya as the Hawaiians proceeded to give the fight of their lives. The Islanders quickly responded as Osenev beat Batbayar before finding Maksim Leonov who pivoted around Beyaz before slotting the ball into the corner of the net. The Hawaiian assault was relentless, in the following ten minutes a handful of chances went just over the bar, or were saved by Yeśolu, until a header by the unmarked Valeriy Lukin hit the right post and deflected in. The Farsyan crowd had been silenced and now the smaller Hawaiian crowd began to sing. Things would become even worse, as Brittany took the lead in their match against Rhodesia, but neither team were aware at this point. Both sides, with victory within reach, continued to fight. A bicycle kick by Papaz, which surely would have been contender for goal of the tournament, smacked off the cross bar and Yeśolu made several crucial saves to keep Farsya in the game.
It was only fitting that this dramatic game would come to a dramatic ending. A header by Bayanolu hit the raised arm of Fridman, giving Farsya a penalty deep into injury time. For the Farsyan players, unaware of the results of the Brittany-Rhodesia game, this was the final opportunity to get their side into the Round of 16. Vilyamolu stood up, took the shot and converted. The final whistle was blown soon later and the Hawaiians sunk with the realization that despite playing a brilliant second half, they would leave the World Cup with 3 losses. For Farsya the devastation was not so instant, as the match ended results from the Brittany-Rhodesia match came through. Brittany had won 2-0. Farsya were third in the group, behind Brittany and Rhodesia on goal difference. One of football's powerhouses were out after the group stage, for the first time since 1986.
Goals
Farsya: Kaplan, Papaz, Vilyamolu
Hawaii: Maksim Leonov, Lukin
West Germany vs Nigeria
sports.proletariat.as presents
2018 AHFA World Cup: Nigeria vs. West Germany
Nigeria:2018 AHFA World Cup: Nigeria vs. West Germany
João Lourenço (C)
Malik Adu
Paulo Abreu
Ibrahim Diya (90+3' Orlando Ferreira)
John Wachuku
Muhammad Nwachukwu (58' Rui Gonçalves)
Oladipo Ologun (65' Shehu Chime)
Muhammad Saraki
Fernão Aguiar
George Ayefele
Dangiwa Momodu
West Germany:
Kevin Trapp
Niklas Süle
Mats Hummels
(66' Marcel Halstenberg) Joshua Kimmich
(89' Emre Can) Ilkay Gündoǧan
Sami Khedira
(+) (20' Julian Brandt) Julian Draxler
Leroy Sané
Mesut Özil
Timo Werner
Sandro Wagner
Kevin Trapp
Niklas Süle
Mats Hummels
(66' Marcel Halstenberg) Joshua Kimmich
(89' Emre Can) Ilkay Gündoǧan
Sami Khedira
(+) (20' Julian Brandt) Julian Draxler
Leroy Sané
Mesut Özil
Timo Werner
Sandro Wagner
Late, but deserved goals suffice for West Germany
Nigeria 0 - 2 West Germany
Goals: 0-1 Werner (54')
0-2 Hummels (81')
Yellow Cards: 4 - 0
Red Cards: 0 - 0
Corners: 2 - 11
Free kicks less than 40 m: 2 - 6
Referee: Hwang-Ju Ae (Hoenn): Grade B
A simple match. All major decisions, including the yellow cards, were correct, although not giving Sami Khedira a yellow card (57') was debatable.
Both teams led their best starting eleven onto the pitch, as none of the teams was yet safely qualified.
But the match did not start off attractively. There were some West German offensive actions, yes, but rarely were they really dangerous. The most dangerous one probably was a shot from the distance by Mesut Özil (25'). Germany got several corners in this phase, four of them consecutively, but the level of danger associated with the German attacks was limited. There was some danger involved, but nothing where Joao Lourenco or a Nigerian defender had to take a brilliant action. Counterattacks on the part of Nigeria were well-planned, but did not pose that much danger to Kevin Trapp or the German defence either. Only a cross into the penalty area by Muhammad Saraki landed on the head of Dangiwa Momodu (16'), but Trapp took the ball immediately and safely.
Despite the game being relatively offensive - at least more offensive than people feared - and passing being done well by both teams, no goals were scored in the first half and both teams needed to do or change something in order to win. Especially worrying on the German side was that Julian Draxler had gravely injured himself - without contact from a Nigerian player - and had to be substituted for Julian Brandt in the 20th minute already. Many suspected that this was a grave injury that would harm Paris Saint-Germain and of course Draxler himself for months to come.
In the second half, West Germany became more aggressive and tried to bridge the tight Nigerian midfield with more determination. And soon after, this should be rewarded: A Nigerian counter ended with a corner, brought in by Fernao Aguiar, but it was picked up by Kevin Trapp. He quickly threw the ball to Joshua Kimmich, who ran off on the right wing, unstoppable even by known-to-be-fast Paulo Abreu, and several more German players moved up. The first pass went to Mesut Özil into the centre, who passed onto the left wing to Julian Brandt. Julian Brandt got into the penalty area, dribbled around Malik Adu, and brought a precise cross directly before the goal. Timo Werner just had to put his foot in, and it was 0-1 for the West Germans (54')!
Now, Nigeria had to take greater risks - and they did so indeed. Nigeria got into the German half more and more, but the defence of the Germans proved itself. Especially Hummels was well-positioned quite a few times so that Momodu or Rui Goncalves could not get the ball - which was followed by a posession phase on the part of West Germany. Once, Marcel Halstenberg had to deflect the ball, shot within the penalty area by Rui Goncalves, for a corner (72'). This was probably the most dangerous scene in front of the goal of Kevin Trapp, and the resulting corner proved harmless. West Germany came in posession of the ball, but did not manage to score so that a Nigerian defender took posession and tried to initiate a quick counterattack.
And of course, after every attempt at an offensive by Nigeria, Kevin Trapp initiated forward play anew, with a long goal-kick over more than half of the field. Mesut Özil got hold of the ball, had to play backwards to Sami Khedira, but he noticed that Leroy Sané was free on the right wing - and passed the ball to him. An attempt at a cross failed as Ibrahim Diya was alert and made this into a corner. Özil brought the corner into the penalty area, and Mats Hummels managed to score from the header, even under pressure from Malik Adu, but Mats Hummels just jumped a lot higher than Adu! No chance for the keeper or any defender, 0-2 for West Germany (81')!
In the remaining minutes, Germany defended the result safely, with Nigeria attempting to attack, but visibly lacking the energy and morale to change anything. Germany did attack when an obvious chance presented itself, e.g. over Hummels, Gündogan and Brandt in the 84th minute and over Gündogan and Werner in the 88th minute, but did no longer have the full determination or the power to score another goal.
While West Germany safely goes through into the Round of 16, Nigeria now depends on the result from Stuttgart...
Nigeria 0 - 2 West Germany
Goals: 0-1 Werner (54')
0-2 Hummels (81')
Yellow Cards: 4 - 0
Red Cards: 0 - 0
Corners: 2 - 11
Free kicks less than 40 m: 2 - 6
Referee: Hwang-Ju Ae (Hoenn): Grade B
A simple match. All major decisions, including the yellow cards, were correct, although not giving Sami Khedira a yellow card (57') was debatable.
Both teams led their best starting eleven onto the pitch, as none of the teams was yet safely qualified.
But the match did not start off attractively. There were some West German offensive actions, yes, but rarely were they really dangerous. The most dangerous one probably was a shot from the distance by Mesut Özil (25'). Germany got several corners in this phase, four of them consecutively, but the level of danger associated with the German attacks was limited. There was some danger involved, but nothing where Joao Lourenco or a Nigerian defender had to take a brilliant action. Counterattacks on the part of Nigeria were well-planned, but did not pose that much danger to Kevin Trapp or the German defence either. Only a cross into the penalty area by Muhammad Saraki landed on the head of Dangiwa Momodu (16'), but Trapp took the ball immediately and safely.
Despite the game being relatively offensive - at least more offensive than people feared - and passing being done well by both teams, no goals were scored in the first half and both teams needed to do or change something in order to win. Especially worrying on the German side was that Julian Draxler had gravely injured himself - without contact from a Nigerian player - and had to be substituted for Julian Brandt in the 20th minute already. Many suspected that this was a grave injury that would harm Paris Saint-Germain and of course Draxler himself for months to come.
In the second half, West Germany became more aggressive and tried to bridge the tight Nigerian midfield with more determination. And soon after, this should be rewarded: A Nigerian counter ended with a corner, brought in by Fernao Aguiar, but it was picked up by Kevin Trapp. He quickly threw the ball to Joshua Kimmich, who ran off on the right wing, unstoppable even by known-to-be-fast Paulo Abreu, and several more German players moved up. The first pass went to Mesut Özil into the centre, who passed onto the left wing to Julian Brandt. Julian Brandt got into the penalty area, dribbled around Malik Adu, and brought a precise cross directly before the goal. Timo Werner just had to put his foot in, and it was 0-1 for the West Germans (54')!
Now, Nigeria had to take greater risks - and they did so indeed. Nigeria got into the German half more and more, but the defence of the Germans proved itself. Especially Hummels was well-positioned quite a few times so that Momodu or Rui Goncalves could not get the ball - which was followed by a posession phase on the part of West Germany. Once, Marcel Halstenberg had to deflect the ball, shot within the penalty area by Rui Goncalves, for a corner (72'). This was probably the most dangerous scene in front of the goal of Kevin Trapp, and the resulting corner proved harmless. West Germany came in posession of the ball, but did not manage to score so that a Nigerian defender took posession and tried to initiate a quick counterattack.
And of course, after every attempt at an offensive by Nigeria, Kevin Trapp initiated forward play anew, with a long goal-kick over more than half of the field. Mesut Özil got hold of the ball, had to play backwards to Sami Khedira, but he noticed that Leroy Sané was free on the right wing - and passed the ball to him. An attempt at a cross failed as Ibrahim Diya was alert and made this into a corner. Özil brought the corner into the penalty area, and Mats Hummels managed to score from the header, even under pressure from Malik Adu, but Mats Hummels just jumped a lot higher than Adu! No chance for the keeper or any defender, 0-2 for West Germany (81')!
In the remaining minutes, Germany defended the result safely, with Nigeria attempting to attack, but visibly lacking the energy and morale to change anything. Germany did attack when an obvious chance presented itself, e.g. over Hummels, Gündogan and Brandt in the 84th minute and over Gündogan and Werner in the 88th minute, but did no longer have the full determination or the power to score another goal.
While West Germany safely goes through into the Round of 16, Nigeria now depends on the result from Stuttgart...
Last edited:
Well done on the match report, but wouldn't a socailist nation use west germanies other title to increase it's ligimacy as the rightfully german nation in the eyes of the comrades back home?
New Holland vs Levant
Welcome, dear football fans, in Stuttgart for today’s match:
I’m Justin de Macédoine and I’ll be your commentator today. This is going to be an interesting match. Both teams have a theoretical chance to make it past the group stage, but they’ll have to keep a close eye on the match between West Germany and Nigeria.
Let’s have a look at the current state of affairs:
1. West Germany 6 (5:1)
2. Nigeria 3 (7:4)
3. New Holland 3 (4:4)
4. Levant 0 (1:8)
As long as Nigeria loses, New Holland only needs a draw. But should Nigeria win, then New Holland can be eliminated even if they win. For the Levantine Republic the situation is much more dire. They need a big win and pray to whatever (Abrahamic) God they believe in that West Germany crushes Nigeria. Both team will be playing to win!
There are no surprise in the New Holland line-up. Never change a winning team:
1. Martin Mallet
2. Julien Peraud
3. Kevin Bardet
5. Benoit Coquard
9. Sebastien Contin
6. Sebastien Rollande
9. Mickael Joubert
10. Olivier Pinot
8. Martin Ellisonde (C)
11. Matheiu Beauchamp
13. Thomas Poisson
Avram Grant made some changes. This looks like a really offensive Levant:
1. Ofir Marciano
2. Ahmad Al Salih
5. Tal Ben Haim (C)
6. Eitan Tibi
14. Abdullah Jaber
8. Lior Rafaelov
10. Yossi Benayoun
9. Tomer Hemed
11. Ben Sahar
20. Sameh Maraaba
21. Mahmoud Eid
And there is the kickoff!
Yossi Benayoun looks eager to prove himself once more. His team puts New Holland under a lot of pressure right from the start and Benayoun is at the centre of it! No real chances so far, but New Holland barely has any ball possession.
Long ball by Saief now. This could have potential! Sahar outruns Peraud, but is forced to the right corner. Benayoun runs along. Sahar shoots the ball high in front of the goal.. header by Benayoun… GOAL!!
What a header! Mallet didn’t stand a chance! Levant now has to keep pressure on New Holland. West Germany and Nigeria are still tied, but the Levantines have to keep playing their own game and win big.
New Holland looks very shaky now. This wasn’t supposed to happen. They are playing the ball back to Mallet now, wanting to keep possession of it. Benayoun runs at him like a madman! Mallet panics! He shoots, but Benayoun is close… He hits his head… GOAL!!
What a lucky goal! But things are looking good for the Levantines! 2 goals in 20 minutes! They are on schedule now, 9-0 should be enough if West Germany keeps their end of the bargain. Could this really be happening???
Things have calmed down a little now. West Germany hasn’t scored yet, but neither has Nigeria. If nothings changes both New Holland and Levant are going home.
Levant is on the offence again and Mallet is having trouble with it. Sahar shoots the ball from out of the 16 and Mallet didn’t see it coming. Luckily for New Holland the ball goes over the bar.
Terrible goal kick by Mallet! Right at Benayoun! But he can’t control it and loses the ball. Thierry Blanc has enough of it and puts Mallet out of his misery. After 32 minutes Benjamin Lappiere replaces Mallet.
The Levantines are taking it easy now. New Holland can catch its breath a little. Not sure if this is wise, the Levantines need more goals! Still 0-0 in Ausburg.
The Levantines made no changes, Yossi Benayoun walks slowly to his position and can’t keep the smile of his face. He’s sure the get a few good offers after this world cup. Francois Laffant takes the place of Pinot for New Holland. A forward for a midfielder.
A lot of ball possession for New Holland now, just as news from Ausburg reaches us. West Germany scored. This will motivate both teams.
Nice counter by Sahar now. He has a lot of teammates with him. Where is the New Holland defense? This should be a goal, but Sahar wants to do it all alone. Sahar one-on-one with Lappiere now… Great save!! Lappiere wastes no time and shoots the ball towards the midfield. Rollande heads the ball and now it’s Laffant who’s one-on-one with the keeper… GOAL!!
New Holland is back in the game! This isn’t going to be easy for the Levantines now. Only half an hour remaining and so many goals to score…
Levant looks powerless now and New Holland keep looking for the equalizer, but they have no such luck. As the timer counts down it doesn’t look good. Their opponent seems have given up and West Germany is doing its job, but New Holland just can’t place the ball in the net.
It’s almost over now and it looks like both teams will be eliminated. New Holland had a lot of chances the last half hour. With Poisson hitting the post twice and all those dangerous corners by Beauchamp. West Germany leads with 2-0 now in Ausburg.
Gallopin replaces Contin for New Holland. A forward for a defender. It’s all or nothing now for New Holland. Just as the stoppage time is announced: +4 minutes.
Corner for New Holland. All 22 players are on the Levant half of the field now, with 20 of them in the 16. A spinning ball by Beauchamp and it’s Lappiere with the header… GOAL!!
It’s a miracle! Goalkeeper Benjamin Lappiere save the day! Benjamin Lappiere, who wasn’t even expected to play a single match this world cup, brings New Holland to the 1/8 finals! Pinch me, I must be dreaming!
The Levantines are there, but it looks like their minds are already on the plane home. They seems so lost. They lose the ball immediately after they kick off. Poisson takes it and just plays with it. Keepie Uppie by Poisson, he makes it look so easy and Levant just let him do it. Poisson in the penalty area now, he turns around and… bicyle kick!! GOAL!!
What a goal!! Poisson you glorious bastard! New Holland wins! New Holland WINS!!!
Final Whistle
And there you have it! What a crazy game! New Holland wins and Nigeria and Levant go home. Did not see that coming! Here is the final ranking in group A. I’m signing off for the day. Have a great party you crazy Southern Dutchmen! This was Justin de Macédoine and I need a beer!
1. West Germany 9 (7:1)
2. New Holland 6 (7:6)
3. Nigeria 3 (7:6)
4. Levant 0 (3:11)
New Holland – Levant
I’m Justin de Macédoine and I’ll be your commentator today. This is going to be an interesting match. Both teams have a theoretical chance to make it past the group stage, but they’ll have to keep a close eye on the match between West Germany and Nigeria.
Let’s have a look at the current state of affairs:
1. West Germany 6 (5:1)
2. Nigeria 3 (7:4)
3. New Holland 3 (4:4)
4. Levant 0 (1:8)
As long as Nigeria loses, New Holland only needs a draw. But should Nigeria win, then New Holland can be eliminated even if they win. For the Levantine Republic the situation is much more dire. They need a big win and pray to whatever (Abrahamic) God they believe in that West Germany crushes Nigeria. Both team will be playing to win!
There are no surprise in the New Holland line-up. Never change a winning team:
1. Martin Mallet
2. Julien Peraud
3. Kevin Bardet
5. Benoit Coquard
9. Sebastien Contin
6. Sebastien Rollande
9. Mickael Joubert
10. Olivier Pinot
8. Martin Ellisonde (C)
11. Matheiu Beauchamp
13. Thomas Poisson
Avram Grant made some changes. This looks like a really offensive Levant:
1. Ofir Marciano
2. Ahmad Al Salih
5. Tal Ben Haim (C)
6. Eitan Tibi
14. Abdullah Jaber
8. Lior Rafaelov
10. Yossi Benayoun
9. Tomer Hemed
11. Ben Sahar
20. Sameh Maraaba
21. Mahmoud Eid
And there is the kickoff!
Kickoff
Yossi Benayoun looks eager to prove himself once more. His team puts New Holland under a lot of pressure right from the start and Benayoun is at the centre of it! No real chances so far, but New Holland barely has any ball possession.
Long ball by Saief now. This could have potential! Sahar outruns Peraud, but is forced to the right corner. Benayoun runs along. Sahar shoots the ball high in front of the goal.. header by Benayoun… GOAL!!
17’ GOAL 0 – 1 Yossi Benayoun
What a header! Mallet didn’t stand a chance! Levant now has to keep pressure on New Holland. West Germany and Nigeria are still tied, but the Levantines have to keep playing their own game and win big.
New Holland looks very shaky now. This wasn’t supposed to happen. They are playing the ball back to Mallet now, wanting to keep possession of it. Benayoun runs at him like a madman! Mallet panics! He shoots, but Benayoun is close… He hits his head… GOAL!!
19’ GOAL 0 – 2 Yossi Benayoun
What a lucky goal! But things are looking good for the Levantines! 2 goals in 20 minutes! They are on schedule now, 9-0 should be enough if West Germany keeps their end of the bargain. Could this really be happening???
Things have calmed down a little now. West Germany hasn’t scored yet, but neither has Nigeria. If nothings changes both New Holland and Levant are going home.
Levant is on the offence again and Mallet is having trouble with it. Sahar shoots the ball from out of the 16 and Mallet didn’t see it coming. Luckily for New Holland the ball goes over the bar.
Terrible goal kick by Mallet! Right at Benayoun! But he can’t control it and loses the ball. Thierry Blanc has enough of it and puts Mallet out of his misery. After 32 minutes Benjamin Lappiere replaces Mallet.
The Levantines are taking it easy now. New Holland can catch its breath a little. Not sure if this is wise, the Levantines need more goals! Still 0-0 in Ausburg.
Half time
The Levantines made no changes, Yossi Benayoun walks slowly to his position and can’t keep the smile of his face. He’s sure the get a few good offers after this world cup. Francois Laffant takes the place of Pinot for New Holland. A forward for a midfielder.
A lot of ball possession for New Holland now, just as news from Ausburg reaches us. West Germany scored. This will motivate both teams.
Nice counter by Sahar now. He has a lot of teammates with him. Where is the New Holland defense? This should be a goal, but Sahar wants to do it all alone. Sahar one-on-one with Lappiere now… Great save!! Lappiere wastes no time and shoots the ball towards the midfield. Rollande heads the ball and now it’s Laffant who’s one-on-one with the keeper… GOAL!!
56’ GOAL 1 – 2 Francois Laffant
New Holland is back in the game! This isn’t going to be easy for the Levantines now. Only half an hour remaining and so many goals to score…
Levant looks powerless now and New Holland keep looking for the equalizer, but they have no such luck. As the timer counts down it doesn’t look good. Their opponent seems have given up and West Germany is doing its job, but New Holland just can’t place the ball in the net.
It’s almost over now and it looks like both teams will be eliminated. New Holland had a lot of chances the last half hour. With Poisson hitting the post twice and all those dangerous corners by Beauchamp. West Germany leads with 2-0 now in Ausburg.
Gallopin replaces Contin for New Holland. A forward for a defender. It’s all or nothing now for New Holland. Just as the stoppage time is announced: +4 minutes.
Corner for New Holland. All 22 players are on the Levant half of the field now, with 20 of them in the 16. A spinning ball by Beauchamp and it’s Lappiere with the header… GOAL!!
90’+1 GOAL 2 – 2 Benjamin Lappiere
It’s a miracle! Goalkeeper Benjamin Lappiere save the day! Benjamin Lappiere, who wasn’t even expected to play a single match this world cup, brings New Holland to the 1/8 finals! Pinch me, I must be dreaming!
The Levantines are there, but it looks like their minds are already on the plane home. They seems so lost. They lose the ball immediately after they kick off. Poisson takes it and just plays with it. Keepie Uppie by Poisson, he makes it look so easy and Levant just let him do it. Poisson in the penalty area now, he turns around and… bicyle kick!! GOAL!!
90’+4 GOAL 3 – 2 Thomas Poisson
What a goal!! Poisson you glorious bastard! New Holland wins! New Holland WINS!!!
Final Whistle
And there you have it! What a crazy game! New Holland wins and Nigeria and Levant go home. Did not see that coming! Here is the final ranking in group A. I’m signing off for the day. Have a great party you crazy Southern Dutchmen! This was Justin de Macédoine and I need a beer!
1. West Germany 9 (7:1)
2. New Holland 6 (7:6)
3. Nigeria 3 (7:6)
4. Levant 0 (3:11)
Last edited:
Patagonia vs Peru-Bolivia
SOUTH AMERICAN RIVALS CLASH IN HANOVER - LOS ALTIPLANICOS ELIMINATED
Peru-Bolivia 1 : 2 Patagonia
The two football-mad countries of Patagonia and Peru-Bolivia fought out a tense match in Hanover earlier today, which ended with Patagonia coming out with the result to knock out their South American brethren.
Going into the match, it was always likely to be a nervy affair, with Patagonia needing just a draw to qualify but Peru-Bolivia needing to win in order to ensure qualification.
The match started well, with both teams seeming to be going for the win. A promising attack by Patagonia led to captain Snow through on goal, but he couldn't beat Pedro Gallese in the Confederation goal. Similarly, a towering header by Pareja, up for a corner, failed to find the target.
However, Peru-Bolivia got back into the match quickly and had their first real attack after 15 minutes, with Carrillo nodding the ball into Paolo Guerrero, who struck his shot straight at the Patagonian goalie.
After a frenetic opening twenty minutes that resulted in four yellow cards, the fierce rivalry between the two came to a head when both Renato Tapia (P-B) and Valentino Gutiérrez (P) were sent off for fighting. After this statement of intent from the referee, both sides (now reduced to ten men) seemed to grudgingly accept that the sport was football, not wrestling.
Despite this uneasy peace, the two teams played cagily for the rest of the half.
After the break, Peru-Bolivia, who were in the most danger of going out, made renewed efforts to attack the Patagonian goal, but it was the southerners who struck first. A pinpoint ball into the box by Simwnt Llewellyn was met by with the forehead of Stanley Calvert, and the ball flew into the back of the net for the opening goal of the match.
Peru-Bolivia, who needed a point regardless of how other matches played out, tried to force the goal but it simply wouldn't come, with Samuel Obregón remaining firm in the Patagonian net.
With just 17 minutes left to play, disaster struck for Peru-Bolivia.
Cynog Cadwallader, who had replaced Julio Salamanca, had begun to combine very well with his Welsh-speaking counterpart Llewellyn. A break-away move down the right-hand side resulted in the ball being passed between them seven times before the final, decisive ball left the goalkeeper stranded and Cadwallader stroked the ball into the empty net. A magnificent goal that will certainly go down as one of the goals of the tournament.
However, Peru-Bolivia have four stars above their badge for a reason and they weren't going down without a fight. In the 81st minute, with the Patagonian defence on the ropes, substitute Bruno Miranda restored Confederation hopes after he was brought down in the box by Pareja, who was given a second yellow card for his troubles. Miranda demanded to take the penalty himself, and coolly placed the ball into the corner of the goal. Game on!
The last fifteen minutes (including stoppage time) were a hectic affair, with Peru-Bolivia sending all ten remaining players to attack Patagonia's nine. Benavente got a free header that whistled just over the bar and Guerrero hit the post in a frantic five minutes after the 90 had elapsed. Ultimately though, it was not to be for Los Altiplanicos, who failed to score the equaliser needed.
This result has left the Patagonian supporters jubilant, as they have been confirmed in first place, having qualified with 7 points from their three matches. In one of the most hotly-contested group stages of the tournament - one of the only stages where everyone had a real chance of qualifying - Peru-Bolivia will be left extremely disappointed, having been eliminated despite their surprise win over Korea earlier.
The second place in the group stage, and last remaining qualification spot, will be decided when Korea take on the Pan-Nordic Confederation in Bremen. A draw will be enough for the Nordics, but Korea will hope for a shock, looking to their own draw against Patagonia as evidence of their abilities.
Player Ratings
Peru-Bolivia:
Pedro Gallese : 6
Alberto Rodriguez : 5
Christian Ramos : 5
Diego Bejarano : 4, yellow
Miguel Trauco : 5, yellow
Renato Tapia : 5, red (violent conduct)
Pedro Aqunio : 5, yellow
Christian Benavente : 6
André Carrillo : 5, yellow
Paolo Guerrero : 6
Jefferson Farfán : 6
Substitutions:
Edison Flores (replaced Benavente, 21) : 6, yellow
Bruno Miranda (replaced Guerrero, 80) : 7, goal
Beto Da Silva (replaced Ramos, 85) : 5
Patagonia:
Samuel Obregón : 8, Man of the Match
Oswald Cobb : 6, yellow
Valentino Gutiérrez : 5, red (violent conduct)
Hectore Pareja : 6, red (two yellows)
Angel Leguizamo : 6, yellow
Adam Holmes : 5
Simwnt Llewellyn : 8
Atticus Whitfield : 6, yellow
Stanley Calvert : 7, goal
Julio Salamanca : 5, yellow
Avery Snow : 6
Substitutions:
Tyler Johnson (replaced Snow, 21) : 6
Augustus Glasscock (replaced Whitfleid, 70) : 6, yellow
Cadwallader (replaced Salamanca, 45) : 7, goal, yellow
Peru-Bolivia 1 : 2 Patagonia
The two football-mad countries of Patagonia and Peru-Bolivia fought out a tense match in Hanover earlier today, which ended with Patagonia coming out with the result to knock out their South American brethren.
Going into the match, it was always likely to be a nervy affair, with Patagonia needing just a draw to qualify but Peru-Bolivia needing to win in order to ensure qualification.
The match started well, with both teams seeming to be going for the win. A promising attack by Patagonia led to captain Snow through on goal, but he couldn't beat Pedro Gallese in the Confederation goal. Similarly, a towering header by Pareja, up for a corner, failed to find the target.
However, Peru-Bolivia got back into the match quickly and had their first real attack after 15 minutes, with Carrillo nodding the ball into Paolo Guerrero, who struck his shot straight at the Patagonian goalie.
After a frenetic opening twenty minutes that resulted in four yellow cards, the fierce rivalry between the two came to a head when both Renato Tapia (P-B) and Valentino Gutiérrez (P) were sent off for fighting. After this statement of intent from the referee, both sides (now reduced to ten men) seemed to grudgingly accept that the sport was football, not wrestling.
Despite this uneasy peace, the two teams played cagily for the rest of the half.
After the break, Peru-Bolivia, who were in the most danger of going out, made renewed efforts to attack the Patagonian goal, but it was the southerners who struck first. A pinpoint ball into the box by Simwnt Llewellyn was met by with the forehead of Stanley Calvert, and the ball flew into the back of the net for the opening goal of the match.
Peru-Bolivia, who needed a point regardless of how other matches played out, tried to force the goal but it simply wouldn't come, with Samuel Obregón remaining firm in the Patagonian net.
With just 17 minutes left to play, disaster struck for Peru-Bolivia.
Cynog Cadwallader, who had replaced Julio Salamanca, had begun to combine very well with his Welsh-speaking counterpart Llewellyn. A break-away move down the right-hand side resulted in the ball being passed between them seven times before the final, decisive ball left the goalkeeper stranded and Cadwallader stroked the ball into the empty net. A magnificent goal that will certainly go down as one of the goals of the tournament.
However, Peru-Bolivia have four stars above their badge for a reason and they weren't going down without a fight. In the 81st minute, with the Patagonian defence on the ropes, substitute Bruno Miranda restored Confederation hopes after he was brought down in the box by Pareja, who was given a second yellow card for his troubles. Miranda demanded to take the penalty himself, and coolly placed the ball into the corner of the goal. Game on!
The last fifteen minutes (including stoppage time) were a hectic affair, with Peru-Bolivia sending all ten remaining players to attack Patagonia's nine. Benavente got a free header that whistled just over the bar and Guerrero hit the post in a frantic five minutes after the 90 had elapsed. Ultimately though, it was not to be for Los Altiplanicos, who failed to score the equaliser needed.
This result has left the Patagonian supporters jubilant, as they have been confirmed in first place, having qualified with 7 points from their three matches. In one of the most hotly-contested group stages of the tournament - one of the only stages where everyone had a real chance of qualifying - Peru-Bolivia will be left extremely disappointed, having been eliminated despite their surprise win over Korea earlier.
The second place in the group stage, and last remaining qualification spot, will be decided when Korea take on the Pan-Nordic Confederation in Bremen. A draw will be enough for the Nordics, but Korea will hope for a shock, looking to their own draw against Patagonia as evidence of their abilities.
Player Ratings
Peru-Bolivia:
Pedro Gallese : 6
Alberto Rodriguez : 5
Christian Ramos : 5
Diego Bejarano : 4, yellow
Miguel Trauco : 5, yellow
Renato Tapia : 5, red (violent conduct)
Pedro Aqunio : 5, yellow
Christian Benavente : 6
André Carrillo : 5, yellow
Paolo Guerrero : 6
Jefferson Farfán : 6
Substitutions:
Edison Flores (replaced Benavente, 21) : 6, yellow
Bruno Miranda (replaced Guerrero, 80) : 7, goal
Beto Da Silva (replaced Ramos, 85) : 5
Patagonia:
Samuel Obregón : 8, Man of the Match
Oswald Cobb : 6, yellow
Valentino Gutiérrez : 5, red (violent conduct)
Hectore Pareja : 6, red (two yellows)
Angel Leguizamo : 6, yellow
Adam Holmes : 5
Simwnt Llewellyn : 8
Atticus Whitfield : 6, yellow
Stanley Calvert : 7, goal
Julio Salamanca : 5, yellow
Avery Snow : 6
Substitutions:
Tyler Johnson (replaced Snow, 21) : 6
Augustus Glasscock (replaced Whitfleid, 70) : 6, yellow
Cadwallader (replaced Salamanca, 45) : 7, goal, yellow
Anatolia vs Flanders
sports.proletariat.as presents
2018 AHFA World Cup: Anatolia vs. Flanders
Anatolia:2018 AHFA World Cup: Anatolia vs. Flanders
Volkan Babacan
Mehmet Topal
Çaǧlar Söyüncü
Şener Özbayraklı
Ertuǧrul Ersoy
Okay Yokuşlu (46' Írfan Kahveci)
Oǧuzhan Özyakup
Cengiz Ünder
Yunus Malli (75' Mahmut Takdemir)
Yusuf Yacızı
Cenk Tosun (89' Emre Akbaba)
Flanders
Saamy Bossut
Yann Vertonghn
Jelle Va Damme
(90+2' Thibault Vletinck) Mathieu Debuchy
Leander Dendoncker
Brecht Dejaeghere
(54' Lukas Va Eeno) Johan Cabaje
(73' Christian Benteke) Stijn de Smet
Kevin de Bruyne
Romelu Lukaku
Eden Hazard
Saamy Bossut
Yann Vertonghn
Jelle Va Damme
(90+2' Thibault Vletinck) Mathieu Debuchy
Leander Dendoncker
Brecht Dejaeghere
(54' Lukas Va Eeno) Johan Cabaje
(73' Christian Benteke) Stijn de Smet
Kevin de Bruyne
Romelu Lukaku
Eden Hazard
Flemish morale and Vletinck shock Anatolia!
Anatolia 2 - 2 Flanders
Goals: 1 - 0 Ünder (2')
2 - 0 Ünder (41')
2 - 1 Lukaku (79')
2 - 2 Vletinck (90+6')
Yellow Cards: 4 - 6
Red Cards: 0 - 0
Corners: 10 - 5
Free kicks less than 40 m: 8 - 3
Referee: Michael F. Myters (Syndicalist American States) - Grade E:
Only a great VAR team around Clifford Houston saved him from absolute failure in several situations: The VAR awarded a deserved penalty shot to Anatolia (Dendoncker against Söyüncü, 23'), took back the sending-off of Brecht Dejaeghere (no professional foul against Yacızı, 41'), solved the identity mistake (Ersoy/Kahveci, 50') and rightfully allowed Vletinck's goal (ball was still in, 90+6'). Myters rightfully decided not to show Çaǧlar Söyüncü the second yellow card (foul against Hazard, 79') and to book Lukaku (90').
Both coaches sent their best starting elevens onto the pitch, with no notable changes from previous matches.
And the match started off well - though not for the expected favourites from the North Sea. Instead, Anatolia attacked right from kickoff and Saamy Bossut had to intervene within the first minute. Yazici had passed the ball backwards, as is necessary just after a kickoff, to Ersoy, but he passed the ball onto the offensive right wing, to Yunus Malli, who crossed the ball into the penalty area where again Yazici was waiting. And Yazici's shot was very dangerous indeed, only Vertonghn and Bossut in unity managed to kick the ball out of play for the first corner (1')!
And this proved no less dangerous than the initial shot: Oǧuzhan Özyakup brought the corner in, from the right side, and, although Va Damme seemed to have cleared the ball, his attempt at a pass landed with Cengiz Ünder. Ünder shot from the distance, and Saamy Bossut did not react (though some pundits would later claim that this shot was "saveable")! 1-0 Anatolia (2')!
And of course, the early lead boosted Anatolian morale and shocked the Flemish. More attacking play was now seen on the part of the Anatolians, and the Flemish were forced into making several mistakes - but those were not only on the Flemish side: Okay Yokuşlu lost the ball quite easily and unnecessarily, thirty metres before his own goal, to Kevin de Bruyne, who played one-two with Hazard, and with this dangerous a shot by Hazard, only an excellently-positioned Çaǧlar Söyüncü prevented the quick equalizer for the Flemish (10'). The resulting corner kick proved harmless and could be picked up by Volkan Babacan.
Which again boosted the Anatolians, but moreso, it made the Flemish uncertain. More mistakes were made, fouls were committed, and Anatolia gained several set pieces. Most of them ended in the Flemish wall or were shot over or wide of the goal and thus proved harmless. However, this should not be the case in the 23rd minute: Cengiz Ünder brought in a free kick from a left-wing, but not far-left, position, 29 metres away from the goal. It was not likely to be a direct attempt, and Ünder did not make it one, either. He brought it into the penalty area, but upon an attempt by Çaǧlar Söyüncü to jump high to head it into or at least onto the goal, he was clearly held back and his jersey was pulled on by Dendoncker and/or Debuchy. A clear penalty, but only after a signal by the VAR team around Clifford Houston did Michael Myters come into the control area and watched the replays himself. And soon after, it was clear: The "screen" gesture was made and Anatolia got a penalty!
Now it was Malli vs. Bossut!
Malli did not shoot the penalty badly, centrally into the right corner, but Bossut guessed it! And he saves the penalty shot! Bossut keeps Flanders in play (25')!
And this even boosted Flanders, to some extent at least. Flanders now managed to go into the offensive themselves, instead of just defending against Anatolia. It seemed to pay off as Okay Yokuşlu (again) lost the ball, this time it was Eden Hazard who profited from the turnover. He was able to dribble through the Anatolian defence, outwitting Söyüncü and Ersoy, but Volkan Babacan made an excellent save and even managed to pick the ball up (37')!
Soon after, the second VAR stint was to follow: Brecht Dejaeghere lost the ball to Yusuf Yacızı in the central circle, and he managed to outrun all of the Flemish defenders, until Brecht Dejaeghere fouled Yacızı. The referee was sure: red card and direct free kick for Anatolia (41')! But then, a signal came through from Cologne, and the scene was replayed.
A direct free kick for Anatolia was surely justified, but the replays showed that Vertonghn and maybe even Debuchy might have been able to stop Yacızı - it was not that clear of a chance as it first seemed. And thus, after reviewing the scene, Myters took back the red card! Dejaeghere was called back onto the pitch and given a yellow card instead - the first time ever that a player was called back onto the pitch in the history of the AHFA World Cup!
However, there still was the direct free kick. And Cengiz Ünder shot it excellently, above the wall and directly into the goal! 2-0 Anatolia (41')!
A misunderstanding between Vertonghn and Va Damme, or between Bossut and Va Damme, may have contributed to Bossut no longer being able to react when the ball came towards his goal, but most pundits agreed that this direct free kick was excellently shot and very difficult, if not impossible, to save!
It was half-time with a 2-0 advantage for Anatolia. However, there was a question mark over the fitness of Okay Yokuşlu and he had made two mistakes leading to great chances for the Flemish team. And thus, Yokuşlu was taken off the pitch at half-time for Írfan Kahveci.
Not much happened just after play restarted, but Flanders did want to prove that they were able to turn this result around. A notable first use of the VAR occurred in this time, too, when referee Myters wrongly booked Ertuǧrul Ersoy when it was actually Kahveci that took Stijn de Smet off his feet during an attempt at a Flemish counterattack. This was the first time the VAR was used because the referee gave a card to a wrong player (mistaken identity) (50').
A dangerous direct shot by Cengiz Ünder was deflected for a harmless corner by Saamy Bossut (59'), but this was the only major chance of this part of the match.
Flanders brought in two more attacking players, while Anatolia substituted for more defence in the midfield. And it seemed to work excellently, until Söyüncü fouled Hazard in a centre-left position in the 79th minute. The referee decided not to show the second yellow card, which was one of the few correct decisions by Myters alone. But a free kick was awarded to Flanders. And Hazard brought it into the penalty area, where Lukaku, mostly left alone by the Anatolian defenders, was free to head it directly into the goal! 2-1 (79')!
And Flemish morale soared! Anatolia could only defend now, while Flanders was in attack mode continuously! Lukaku (81', 85'), Benteke (82') and Hazard/De Bruyne (86') produced excellent chances, but Söyüncü, Ersoy, Özbayraklı or Babacan saved them all. The referee then justifiedly added six minutes of injury time to the match as there had been quite a lot of interruptions (use of the VAR, goals, direct and indirect free kicks, several debates). In the second minute of injury time, the Flemish coach brought his last attack option onto the pitch: Thibault Vletinck, a young 21-year-old talent, came for Debuchy.
And the last actions of the match arrived: Another shot by Emre Akbaba was picked up by Bossut, who kicked the ball wide into the field, and it arrived with Eden Hazard. He just about managed to control the ball around the touch line, and the assistant referee did not interrupt play - instead, Hazard ran on the left wing, into the penalty area, crossed the ball sharply into the penalty area onto the head of Vletinck, and he indeed scored! But Myters disallowed the goal at first, claiming that the ball was out of play before Hazard controlled it! Tumults and jeering erupted in the stadium!
The VAR checked whether the ball was out of play, and Myters got a signal to come and review the scene himself. And after, Myters indeed allowed the goal! The goal counted, the ball was not over the touch line with its full circumference!
The equalizer with the last action of the match! 2-2 (90+6')!
This means that Flanders advances to the Round of 16, at the cost of valiant Anatolians!
Anatolia 2 - 2 Flanders
Goals: 1 - 0 Ünder (2')
2 - 0 Ünder (41')
2 - 1 Lukaku (79')
2 - 2 Vletinck (90+6')
Yellow Cards: 4 - 6
Red Cards: 0 - 0
Corners: 10 - 5
Free kicks less than 40 m: 8 - 3
Referee: Michael F. Myters (Syndicalist American States) - Grade E:
Only a great VAR team around Clifford Houston saved him from absolute failure in several situations: The VAR awarded a deserved penalty shot to Anatolia (Dendoncker against Söyüncü, 23'), took back the sending-off of Brecht Dejaeghere (no professional foul against Yacızı, 41'), solved the identity mistake (Ersoy/Kahveci, 50') and rightfully allowed Vletinck's goal (ball was still in, 90+6'). Myters rightfully decided not to show Çaǧlar Söyüncü the second yellow card (foul against Hazard, 79') and to book Lukaku (90').
Both coaches sent their best starting elevens onto the pitch, with no notable changes from previous matches.
And the match started off well - though not for the expected favourites from the North Sea. Instead, Anatolia attacked right from kickoff and Saamy Bossut had to intervene within the first minute. Yazici had passed the ball backwards, as is necessary just after a kickoff, to Ersoy, but he passed the ball onto the offensive right wing, to Yunus Malli, who crossed the ball into the penalty area where again Yazici was waiting. And Yazici's shot was very dangerous indeed, only Vertonghn and Bossut in unity managed to kick the ball out of play for the first corner (1')!
And this proved no less dangerous than the initial shot: Oǧuzhan Özyakup brought the corner in, from the right side, and, although Va Damme seemed to have cleared the ball, his attempt at a pass landed with Cengiz Ünder. Ünder shot from the distance, and Saamy Bossut did not react (though some pundits would later claim that this shot was "saveable")! 1-0 Anatolia (2')!
And of course, the early lead boosted Anatolian morale and shocked the Flemish. More attacking play was now seen on the part of the Anatolians, and the Flemish were forced into making several mistakes - but those were not only on the Flemish side: Okay Yokuşlu lost the ball quite easily and unnecessarily, thirty metres before his own goal, to Kevin de Bruyne, who played one-two with Hazard, and with this dangerous a shot by Hazard, only an excellently-positioned Çaǧlar Söyüncü prevented the quick equalizer for the Flemish (10'). The resulting corner kick proved harmless and could be picked up by Volkan Babacan.
Which again boosted the Anatolians, but moreso, it made the Flemish uncertain. More mistakes were made, fouls were committed, and Anatolia gained several set pieces. Most of them ended in the Flemish wall or were shot over or wide of the goal and thus proved harmless. However, this should not be the case in the 23rd minute: Cengiz Ünder brought in a free kick from a left-wing, but not far-left, position, 29 metres away from the goal. It was not likely to be a direct attempt, and Ünder did not make it one, either. He brought it into the penalty area, but upon an attempt by Çaǧlar Söyüncü to jump high to head it into or at least onto the goal, he was clearly held back and his jersey was pulled on by Dendoncker and/or Debuchy. A clear penalty, but only after a signal by the VAR team around Clifford Houston did Michael Myters come into the control area and watched the replays himself. And soon after, it was clear: The "screen" gesture was made and Anatolia got a penalty!
Now it was Malli vs. Bossut!
Malli did not shoot the penalty badly, centrally into the right corner, but Bossut guessed it! And he saves the penalty shot! Bossut keeps Flanders in play (25')!
And this even boosted Flanders, to some extent at least. Flanders now managed to go into the offensive themselves, instead of just defending against Anatolia. It seemed to pay off as Okay Yokuşlu (again) lost the ball, this time it was Eden Hazard who profited from the turnover. He was able to dribble through the Anatolian defence, outwitting Söyüncü and Ersoy, but Volkan Babacan made an excellent save and even managed to pick the ball up (37')!
Soon after, the second VAR stint was to follow: Brecht Dejaeghere lost the ball to Yusuf Yacızı in the central circle, and he managed to outrun all of the Flemish defenders, until Brecht Dejaeghere fouled Yacızı. The referee was sure: red card and direct free kick for Anatolia (41')! But then, a signal came through from Cologne, and the scene was replayed.
A direct free kick for Anatolia was surely justified, but the replays showed that Vertonghn and maybe even Debuchy might have been able to stop Yacızı - it was not that clear of a chance as it first seemed. And thus, after reviewing the scene, Myters took back the red card! Dejaeghere was called back onto the pitch and given a yellow card instead - the first time ever that a player was called back onto the pitch in the history of the AHFA World Cup!
However, there still was the direct free kick. And Cengiz Ünder shot it excellently, above the wall and directly into the goal! 2-0 Anatolia (41')!
A misunderstanding between Vertonghn and Va Damme, or between Bossut and Va Damme, may have contributed to Bossut no longer being able to react when the ball came towards his goal, but most pundits agreed that this direct free kick was excellently shot and very difficult, if not impossible, to save!
It was half-time with a 2-0 advantage for Anatolia. However, there was a question mark over the fitness of Okay Yokuşlu and he had made two mistakes leading to great chances for the Flemish team. And thus, Yokuşlu was taken off the pitch at half-time for Írfan Kahveci.
Not much happened just after play restarted, but Flanders did want to prove that they were able to turn this result around. A notable first use of the VAR occurred in this time, too, when referee Myters wrongly booked Ertuǧrul Ersoy when it was actually Kahveci that took Stijn de Smet off his feet during an attempt at a Flemish counterattack. This was the first time the VAR was used because the referee gave a card to a wrong player (mistaken identity) (50').
A dangerous direct shot by Cengiz Ünder was deflected for a harmless corner by Saamy Bossut (59'), but this was the only major chance of this part of the match.
Flanders brought in two more attacking players, while Anatolia substituted for more defence in the midfield. And it seemed to work excellently, until Söyüncü fouled Hazard in a centre-left position in the 79th minute. The referee decided not to show the second yellow card, which was one of the few correct decisions by Myters alone. But a free kick was awarded to Flanders. And Hazard brought it into the penalty area, where Lukaku, mostly left alone by the Anatolian defenders, was free to head it directly into the goal! 2-1 (79')!
And Flemish morale soared! Anatolia could only defend now, while Flanders was in attack mode continuously! Lukaku (81', 85'), Benteke (82') and Hazard/De Bruyne (86') produced excellent chances, but Söyüncü, Ersoy, Özbayraklı or Babacan saved them all. The referee then justifiedly added six minutes of injury time to the match as there had been quite a lot of interruptions (use of the VAR, goals, direct and indirect free kicks, several debates). In the second minute of injury time, the Flemish coach brought his last attack option onto the pitch: Thibault Vletinck, a young 21-year-old talent, came for Debuchy.
And the last actions of the match arrived: Another shot by Emre Akbaba was picked up by Bossut, who kicked the ball wide into the field, and it arrived with Eden Hazard. He just about managed to control the ball around the touch line, and the assistant referee did not interrupt play - instead, Hazard ran on the left wing, into the penalty area, crossed the ball sharply into the penalty area onto the head of Vletinck, and he indeed scored! But Myters disallowed the goal at first, claiming that the ball was out of play before Hazard controlled it! Tumults and jeering erupted in the stadium!
The VAR checked whether the ball was out of play, and Myters got a signal to come and review the scene himself. And after, Myters indeed allowed the goal! The goal counted, the ball was not over the touch line with its full circumference!
The equalizer with the last action of the match! 2-2 (90+6')!
This means that Flanders advances to the Round of 16, at the cost of valiant Anatolians!
Last edited: