[Nogrod]

At group E the next match would be between Armenelos and Doriath. The question had been raised after the first round whether the elf-supported teams had a good enough defence against teams like Armenelos or the duo Beleg-Turín. It had been asked rightfully.

Armenelos came on like a rolling thunder and lightning to the game leaving spectators to wonder whether the Doriath team was asleep or awake. It was already at the 14th minute when Ar Adunakhor gave a nice pass to Tar Minastir to the edge of the box and he scored with a beautiful shot following a rush forwards leaving the defenders on their marks.

And just fifteen minutes later Armenelos scored again. This time Tar Telperien gave a free kick from about forty meters – and the defence looked like it thought it was not that dangerous – and Ar Pharazon had it easy heading the ball in after getting rid of the wooden-legged defenders trying to keep him at bay.

And if that was not knock-out for the Doriath team there was more to come. On the tenth minute of the second half Armenelos striked again. Now Sauron dribbled a few defenders from his way and just as he could have scored he suddenly turned and passed the ball to Tar Ancalimon coming in with the second wave and letting him score into basically an empty net.

3-0 after 55 minutes of play and the game was over so much earlier the audience or the Doriath players would have wished to. The last half an hour was spent mainly passing the ball on both sides with no real intention on either team to try and actually play the game.

Doriath got a comfort-goal at 72 minutes when Eöl finished a great pass by Elwë himself into the back of the net from some two meters away from the goal. It was a beauty but sadly it didn’t ignite any resurgence by the Doriath team as Armenelos answered to it with ten minutes of pressure giving Doriath no chances of building other scoring chances.

It was clear Armenelos was playing a very efficient and controlling football and would get far in this tournament. With it’s two first opponents it had just played the “cat and mouse” –thing, striking when wishing, controlling when needed and easing when affording it. And Sauron was clearly a positive factor in the team – well he looked like a positive influence also in the early days of Numenore, but how would their collaboration end this time? Some were concerned, others were just horrified..


Armenelos 3-1 Doriath

shots 16-10
on target 8-4
GOALS:
*14, Armenelos (Tar Minastir, Ar Adunakhor)
*29, Armenelos (Ar Pharazon, Tar Telperien)
*55, Armenelos (Tar Ancalimon, Sauron)
*72, Doriath (Eol, Elwe)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Armenelos- Tar Cirytan, Ar Gimilzor
*Doriath- Nimloth, Daeron


The result of the early game got the fans of Lothlórien to the edge. If Armenelos beat Doriath that easily what would happen to the home team with Dor-Lomin against it? Were their defences solid enough for the sparkling attack of the opponents?

And the home team had the nightmare start. As early as the 6th minute the visitors had put the ball behind the goal guarded by Galadriel. And it was Beleg who did it with a long run being released by a great long pass by Hador and basically meeting Galadriel one on one.

But the home team stood up to the challenge and held their heads high, and slowly even the fans started believing in the Lothlorien team again. And they had the edge on the game although it didn’t materialise in the form of goals until the very last minutes of the first half.

At 42nd minute Celebrian took a free kick and passed it far right to Celeborn who headed it into the middle – and Arwen had ran up to the occasion and dived the low ball in from the close quarters! The stadium just burst with wild cheers and the elves were happy again.

And Lothlórien continued their good performances on the second half as well and it was close they didn’t get the lead. But to be fair, Dor-Lomin’s attacks were just as deadly and it was also the great saves by Galadriel the numbers didn’t swing for the visitors.

But then at 69th minute there was the collision a lot of talk was produced afterwards… and a lot would be discussed even in the future. Trying to reach for the ball, Gimli and Hador collided. From the impact – or whatever it was – Gimli got airborne and fell to the ground a few feet away from the collision when Hador just tumbled down. The referee saw nothing wrong with it but Gimli did.

Gimli got all red and mad and ran after Hador yelling that he would not be tossed around, threatening to challenge Hador to a duel. And that was it for the referee. He showed Gimli a yellow card for misconduct and unsportsmanlike behaviour – and that being his second one (the first coming from a rough tackle on the first half) – the dwarf was ruled out of the game.

Thus Lothlórien was forced to play with one-dwarf disadvantage and without one of their most solid defending midfielders for the last twenty minutes.

And Dor-Lomin was a good enough team to take advantage of that. Tragicly for the home team the visitors just out-numbered the midfield after Gimli had been sent to the showers and took total dominion of it. And eventually they scored at 78th minute.

Beleg made a nice distracting run towards the goal when Nienor had the ball and taking the nearest defenders with him Beleg made open space enough for Turín to run in and to receive the pass from Tuor to whom Nienor had been able to pass the ball quite freely with their advantage on numbers.

And Turín was a man who made goals from those places.

It is not hard to think a lot of elves being silent but the silence after that goal was just different. In that silence one actually heard the grief and longing particular to elves of the Middle-Earth but with a twist that was strong and peculiar. But the friends of Dor-Lomin team just broke out in enthusiasm! Even if they lost to Armenelos they still had chances to go forwards with this win!

So how would the home team fare against the mighty Armenelos on the last round and could Dor-Lomin beat (or possibly just draw with) Doriath to pass them? It would be a really tough call!


Dor-Lomin 2-1 Lothlórien

shots 14-14
on target 7-6
GOALS:
*6, Dor-Lomin (Beleg, Hador)
*42, Lothlorien (Arwen, Celeborn)
*78, Dor-Lomin (Turin, Tuor)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dor-Lomin- Nienor, Gloredhel
*Lothlorien- Gimli, Rumil, Nimrodel
RED CARDS:
*Lothlorien- Gimli, 69 (second yellow)


Standings after two games (points, goal difference):
Armenelos... 6 +4
Dor-Lomin... 3 -1
Lothlórien... 1 -1
Doriath........ 1 -2