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While the other group H match between Dol Guldur and the Havens was highly anticipated, the encounter between goal-hungry Tirion out of Aman and Minas Anor attracted less hype. After all, Tirion was already qualified for the second round, and Minas Anor had been eliminated. Many people, orcs, spiders and elves showed up nonetheless, and they were treated to a fine game of football.

Minas Anor was made up of proud Men who’d fight until the bitter to contain their illustrious opponents, but still it was plain to see that they lacked the motivation required to give Tirion a real challenge. The Aman side’s quick passing, flawless technique and flowing movement made the Gondorians chase shadows for the most part of the first half and the two goals Tirion did score was less than what the team deserved.

In the second half the Elves relaxed and became rather nonchalant, which could have cost them dearly against a better team. Minas Anor did pull one goal back as Feanor messed up an extravagant but completely needless spinning move just outside his own penalty area and gave Boromir a gift, but the Fiery one responded with a goal of his own later on, a nice solo effort which surely will feature in the Palantiri highlights of the Arda Cup. Tirion had made it into the second round with ease.

Minas Anor 1-3 Tirion
tot shots 8-17
on target 4-8
GOALS:
*5, 0-1 Finwe (Feanor)
*24, 0-2 Nerdanel (Miriel)
*51, 1-2 Boromir I (Naz #4)
*72, 1-3 Feanor (Nerdanel)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Minas Anor- Siriondil, Dervorin
*Tirion- Amrod, Amras

After the host team’s dramatic comeback win in the previous round the scene was set for a showdown against their age-old rivals from the Western Havens. Football fever had a firm grip on every resident of the Mirkwood stronghold, from the deepest dungeon under the hill to the loftiest tower overlooking the wide lands of Middle Earth. As kick-off approached, all and sundry showed up to support their team, sundry referring to the ticket-less spiders who had climbed the façade of the stadium and hung down from a piece of sting and to the countless vampire-bats fluttering high above this field of dreams. Each of them was donning the home team’s black and green colours and making a noise that made and earthquake seem timid.

Into this melting pot came the Havens but they looked undeterred and confident, joking and goofing around as if it were a training session. The Dol Guldur players, led by the imposing Witch-King, did not laugh. They knew that they could not afford to fall behind again and were determined not to let that happen this time around.

Yet so it did. Early on and completely out of the blue Havens took the lead, when the Numenorian seafarer Tar-Minastir struck a volley from way out that Oropher in the Dol Guldur goal could only watch as it looped over him and dipped under the crossbar.

Not much later it got even worse for the home team. Cirdan made space for himself on the left, tunneled each one of Attercop’s eight legs and whipped a cross into the box where Eärendil met the ball with an audacious flying header. Oropher did not even move as the ball whistled past him and into the top corner. The whole stadium fell silent, apart from the spirited but respectfully demure clapping of a small section of travelling Havens fan out of Lindon.

“Not again…” was written across the face of all the home supporters. Their beloved team had come back from the dead in the second round. But surely lightning cannot strike twice?

At this point some of the Dol Guldur players started to hang their heads low, but as soon as the Witch-King spotted weakness he gave the player in question an icy stare that came with a promise of something much worse after the game. Thus, Dol Guldur soldiered on, scrapping for every ball and finally getting the crowd behind them again.

However, goals weren’t forthcoming. All the attacking, apart from the occasional counter-attack, was now done by Dol Guldur. But the Havens was a weathered side of professionals who wasn’t going to make it easy for the Mirkwooders, and each time Dol Guldur came forward they were thwarted. As three quarters of the game had passed the crowd had all but resigned.

But just like in the previous game Dol Guldur were given a life-line when all seemed lost. Khamul advanced with the ball and the Havens defenders backed off, rather giving the Nazgul a chance to shoot from distance than passing the ball to a fellow. And what a mistake that was! Khamul drilled a rocket past Olwe from well over 35 yards out that got the crowd right back on its feet.

Once again the atmosphere was feverish as the home team now pushed furiously for more goals. And unbelievably an leveller came only a few minutes later, scored from close range by the Witch-King, who had lost his marker Eriol completely.

Dol Guldur had come back once against the odds once again, but a draw would not be enough for them to advance, and Havens knew this also. Now all ten outfielders was in the lap of Oropher, and the seafarers took every chance to waste Dol Guldur’s precious time.

Unfortunately for the Havens Eriol seemed to be suffering from the black breath at this point and could no longer follow the Witch-King as closely as he had done earlier on. And for this failure his team payed the ultimate price. An Attercop cross towards the far post was met unopposed by the chief Nazgul and he headed the ball across goal where Grimbeorn nodded home to complete another unbelievable comeback from Dol Guldur.

The Havens was shell-chocked as the Dol Guldur players celebrated the goal with the ecstatic fans. The stadium was a boiling sea of black and green, and wood-elves, Orcs and Spiders embraced each other as if they were long lost friends.

Now it was suddenly Havens who had to come forward and although they found it hard to change their game-plan at this point Cirdan got a glorious opportunity to put rain on the parade as he was allowed a free header deep into injury time. The crowd gasped for breath as the ball hit the crossbar and bounced down just outside the goal line. That was to be Havens last chance. The referee blew the full time whistle and Dol Guldur was through to the second round.

As the supporters filed out of the stadium they were in dreamland but neutrals agreed that each one of them looked at least five years older from the pain he or she had suffered before finally being delivered. Some of them actually left the stadium with a new hair colour: grey.

Dol Guldur 3-2 Havens
tot shots 12-9
on target 8-5
GOALS:
*7, 0-1 Tar Minastir (Earendil)
*20, 0-2 Earendil (Cirdan)
*70, 1-2 Khamul (Witch King)
*75, 2-2 Witch King (Bolg)
*86, 3-2 Grimbeorn (Witch King)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dol Guldur- Galion, Beorn, Bolg
*Havens- Uinen, Eriol


Final Standings GROUP H:
Tirion 3-0-0 11-5 9pts Q
Dol Guldur 2-0-1 8-8 6pts Q
Havens 1-0-2 7-8 3 pts
Minas Anor 0-0-3 4-9 0pts