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Old 04-14-2010, 05:16 PM   #54
Nogrod
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Games at Goblin Town (Group E)

There were no major disturbances during the night before the games started at the lap of the Misty Mountains beside the entrance to the Goblin Town. One formerly unknown Balrog from the east had to be chained to the mountain by Melkor after he had started demolishing the mountainside in rage of not being invited to any team. That obviously happened after he had taken a good too many draughts of goblivodka. A few wandering eagles suggested whether they should go on picking his innards during the night but the MEFA authorities though that too brutal a punishment. Later it was indeed ruled that he should be rechained higher up to the mountain side so that he could watch the matches from there.

Otherwise it had been quite amiable. Only a several hundred patients had visited the local infirmary that night for cuts, concussions and bruises. Local authorities called it the level of a normal Friday-night, and it was just Wednesday. Part of the truth might have been that the Rivendell and Numenor fans were made to camp about a kilometre down the slope at a lower valley.


Goodies fight each other and both lose!

Unlike at some other venues, the great stadium of The High Pass was half empty in the afternoon game. The elven and Numenorian supporters (plus some random constituencies of Beornings and men living nearby) managed to fill only something like one tenth of the capacity. That was partly due to the goblins and other creatures of darkness being happier sipping their beer to get ready for the late night classic, but also because the bright sunshine outside annoyed them. Some claimed it was some elven craft and were ready to pick up arms but the authorities managed to keep the temperaments low with some free beer and the game took place in relative peace.

From the first kick the name of the game seemed quite obvious. Numenor was attacking and Rivendell relied on Elrond to take care of the rush against them. And even if the game settled down after the first twenty minutes the Numenorians still retained the control of the game. The few opportunities Rivendell got on the first half were generated merely from counter-attacks.

But just two minutes before the end of the first period, Arwen gave a splendid long pass from the midfield and behind the defensive lines of Numenor that had come forwards pretty high on the field – to Boromir in full speed. Tar Atanamir had no chances with the one-on-one against Boromir. The Imladris fans went just nuts with the undeserved goal – as the commentators put it. But no one denied the ingeniousness of Arwen or the killing precision of Boromir.

On the second half the Numenorians pressed even harder but the Rivendell defences held as much. And in the end it seemed Elrond was able to take any shot on target with relative ease. But even he could not save everything.

On 62nd minute Thorin took a second yellow card for biting Ar Adunakhor to the side while fighting for a header. Thorin being sent out, the Rivendell team had to play with one man disadvantage and Numenor was more than ready to capitalise on it. So ten minutes later, after some really high pressure on the undermanned Rivendell defences, Ar Adunakhor himself balanced the scoring sheet with a nice volley from a pass by Tar Palantir and the game was even.

Against all odds Rivendell managed to hold the Numenorian attacks in check for the last twenty minutes, mainly because of the great saves by Elrond, but also with the effective defence that didn’t let the opposing side into places where they could shoot in the first place.

When the final whistle was blown by the referee, the Rivendell team rushed to congratulate their keeper Elrond but the heads of the Numenorians were bent down. That about sums it up.

Numenor 1-1 Rivendell
tot shots 15-6
on target 8-3
GOALS:
*43, 0-1 Boromir II (Arwen)
*71, 1-1 Ar Adunakhor (Tar Palantir)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Numenor- Tar Ancalimon, Ar Adunakhor, Ar Zimrathan
*Rivendell- Boromir II, Thorin, Elrohir
RED CARDS:
*Rivendell- Thorin (62, second yellow)


Row over the refereeing: goodies beware!

If the High Pass Stadium was only 1/10 filled with the first match then it was filled 11/10 when the night-match took place. And it was a night-match indeed. As it fit both teams they had agreed that the game would start at 11 hours PM. At that time some heavy clouds had gathered over and above the stadium and with the beginning whistle a thunder broke out. Now there was some feeling! The goblins, the orcs, the older creatures of darkness were all chanting their songs of support – and every once in a while they all joined in the “national anthem” of Melkor Always look at the dark side of life. The few thousand elves and humans scattered around the pitch must have felt quite terrified. But what wouldn't one be prepared to face if there was top-quality football on offer?

The home team looked quite intimidating with the trolls and eagles marching / flying to the field. The crowd were awed by the entrance. But when team Utumno came into the stadium the spectators had a real feel of what it means to be intimidating. The Balrogs, Ungoliant, Tevildo, Thuringwethil, Tilion… and Melkor. It felt like they filled the whole playing field. The balrogs actually had to lean on each other to fit inside the perimeters of the field the referee required from them.

The crowds were cheering madly: they were just peeing honey. The home supporters were still hoping for a miracle but it was clear the other team was just ten sizes bigger, stronger, nastier, uglier and more evil they were. Maybe Azog could pass unnoticed behind the defences, maybe those petty dwarves could do it? Maybe the terrible eagles could challenge the Balrogs? The home crowds knew that was wishful thinking but it was the more dearer to them. And who cared? Melkor, the maker of the Misty Mountains, was here. The balrogs were here. It wouldn’t be so bad if the home team lost. Their targets were the goodie teams of Rivendell and Numenor and maybe Utumno could prepare their team to meet the goodies?

Well the home team surely was given a lecture. What they learned is then another thing.

Utumno was just so much better in everything they did. They defended more solidly, they controlled the ball more wisely, they didn’t need to foul to take the possession of the ball, they were able to build up organized attacks – and they were able to finish the attacks successfully.

Melkor was the heart and soul of their team, but Tilion rose to the occasion as well and was in the end selected as the game’s most valuable player with his goal and a pass. The 3-0 goal was a special proof of his craftsmanship. Tilion got the ball back from Melkor from the edge of the box and flipped it diagonally to the right while looking to the left where Gothmog was rushing towards the goal. That left open space for Tevildo to receive the pass and dribble Tom, the last defender around, to a coffee shop and score with a hammering shot the Watcher had no chance of picking up.

The three eagles of Misty Mountains got booked with a card and that spurred some controversy within the home crowds. The goblins would not love the eagles for sure, but as they were carded against the opposing team the feelings were quite mixed. It was clearly outrageous the eagles were carded for roughing just because they were flying players and had to fall down on their opponents from high above. What the Great Goblin had said in the press conference the day before seemed just have taken place there. And even if one can say the goblins are nasty and evil, they have a sense of honour and justice, especially a sense of injustice if it’s played against them. In the end they were furious.

In the post-game press meeting The Great Goblin was careful to put his words nicely not to offend Melkor who was attending the event from team Utumno, but he sure let his feelings out for the referees.

Not surprisingly Melkor actually more or less backed him and his accusations. “Football is a physical sport as my friend Goblin here says. The referees should not decide the outcomes of the games but the players. I’m considering a disclaimer if the line of the referees will be that sissy in the forthcoming matches. Just warning you…”

So it was no wonder the “good teams” were quite intimidated looking for the prospects of meeting the teams of Misty Mts. and Utumno under such a pressure to the refereeing. Melkor had once again proved his craftiness in the psychological warfare… and in the physical warfare as well. Who could stand up against team Utumno?

Misty Mountains 0-3 Utumno
tot shots 9-15
on target 4-7
GOALS:
*29, 0-1 Gothmog (Melkor)
*42, 0-2 Tilion (Thuringwethil)
*60, 0-3 Telvildo (Tilion)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Misty Mts- Gwaihir, Landroval, Meneldor, Bert
*Utumno- Balrog #2


To sum up, Utumno is showing some impressing football and they only got one booking. So whatever the general line in refereeing will be in the future games, they sure look like going to the next rounds with confidence. Numenor was more or less a disappointment, and all that talk of the losses to their team’s frontline being too much looked like being to the point. How many goals would Ar Pharazôn or Sauron made from the chances their forwards had? But a lot is also depending on Elrond’s personal effort. Today he was just plain magical. And what is Misty Mountain’s real level measured against the goodie teams? All that remains to be seen.
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