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the phantom · 05-24-2010, 01:59 PM

Doubtless there was no other playoff location that featured such confidence from both sides entering the first round match. Barad-Dur had great talent and was led by a champ from the year before, Sauron, while Gondolin had looked nearly flawless at times this tournament (against Dale, Dol Guldur, and Wold especially).

Barad-Dur supporters were quick to point out that at other times Gondolin hadn't looked so good, but Gondolin fans countered that it hadn't been necessary to go full bore every game and that would leave them better rested for a playoff run. Gondolin also had the advantage of their beautiful home field, but a much larger than expected party from Mordor was there, and a surprising number of them had tickets- certainly more than the original percentage allotment given to the away side. Many of the locals were very upset by this, but there was no foul play involved- simply the very deep pockets of Sauron's kingdom offering too many gold pieces for many ticket holders to resist.

And so it was that the stadium was split only about 60-40 when the highly anticipated match kicked off, and the group of men from Gondor and orcs and trolls from Mordor were making as much noise as the elves. But only for a very short while.

Gondolin came right out of the gate charging hard and looking dangerous, and the players from Barad-Dur and their fans were taken aback. The speed, the precision, the flare- it was simply too much. At eleven minutes Gondolin went up on the scoreboard thanks to Maeglin and Fingoflin and they pressed for more. Just before the half hour mark Aredhel was assisted by her husband, now working together again, and doing so beautifully. Just to make the point, they reversed their order and scored another goal before the half, and it turned into a party in the stands! This was what the elves had come to see!

After the half Barad-Dur made their best push yet, but time and again it was only Sauron who was able to make any progress against the defenders and Huor. In minute 58 he managed with a brilliant long run to save Barad-Dur from the embarrassment of getting shut out, but the three goal margin was quickly reclaimed by the Gondolin midfield tandem of Ecthelion and Glorfindel and Gondolin joyfully and skillfully kicked it around the rest of the game, with Barad-Dur unable to do a thing about it. They were simply outclassed here, and Sauron was sent home to dream up new schemes of claiming another Arda Cup, while Gondolin would advance to face Tirion in what was certain to be one of the most anticipated quarterfinal matches ever in Arda Cup.

Barad-Dur 1-4 Gondolin
tot shots 8-19
on target 4-10
GOALS:
*11, 0-1 Maeglin (Fingolfin)
*29, 0-2 Eol (Aredhel)
*43, 0-3 Aredhel (Eol)
*58, 1-3 Sauron (Isildur)
*65, 1-4 Ecthelion (Glorfindel)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barad-Dur- Nazgul #7, Isildur
*Gondolin- Eol, Maeglin

05-24-2010, 01:59 PM	#100
the phantom Beloved Shadow Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: The Stadium Posts: 5,971	playoffs at Gondolin.... Doubtless there was no other playoff location that featured such confidence from both sides entering the first round match. Barad-Dur had great talent and was led by a champ from the year before, Sauron, while Gondolin had looked nearly flawless at times this tournament (against Dale, Dol Guldur, and Wold especially). Barad-Dur supporters were quick to point out that at other times Gondolin hadn't looked so good, but Gondolin fans countered that it hadn't been necessary to go full bore every game and that would leave them better rested for a playoff run. Gondolin also had the advantage of their beautiful home field, but a much larger than expected party from Mordor was there, and a surprising number of them had tickets- certainly more than the original percentage allotment given to the away side. Many of the locals were very upset by this, but there was no foul play involved- simply the very deep pockets of Sauron's kingdom offering too many gold pieces for many ticket holders to resist. And so it was that the stadium was split only about 60-40 when the highly anticipated match kicked off, and the group of men from Gondor and orcs and trolls from Mordor were making as much noise as the elves. But only for a very short while. Gondolin came right out of the gate charging hard and looking dangerous, and the players from Barad-Dur and their fans were taken aback. The speed, the precision, the flare- it was simply too much. At eleven minutes Gondolin went up on the scoreboard thanks to Maeglin and Fingoflin and they pressed for more. Just before the half hour mark Aredhel was assisted by her husband, now working together again, and doing so beautifully. Just to make the point, they reversed their order and scored another goal before the half, and it turned into a party in the stands! This was what the elves had come to see! After the half Barad-Dur made their best push yet, but time and again it was only Sauron who was able to make any progress against the defenders and Huor. In minute 58 he managed with a brilliant long run to save Barad-Dur from the embarrassment of getting shut out, but the three goal margin was quickly reclaimed by the Gondolin midfield tandem of Ecthelion and Glorfindel and Gondolin joyfully and skillfully kicked it around the rest of the game, with Barad-Dur unable to do a thing about it. They were simply outclassed here, and Sauron was sent home to dream up new schemes of claiming another Arda Cup, while Gondolin would advance to face Tirion in what was certain to be one of the most anticipated quarterfinal matches ever in Arda Cup. Barad-Dur 1-4 Gondolin tot shots 8-19 on target 4-10 GOALS: 11, 0-1 Maeglin (Fingolfin) 29, 0-2 Eol (Aredhel) 43, 0-3 Aredhel (Eol) 58, 1-3 Sauron (Isildur) 65, 1-4 Ecthelion (Glorfindel) YELLOW CARDS: Barad-Dur- Nazgul #7, Isildur Gondolin- Eol, Maeglin __________________ the phantom* has posted. This thread is now important. Last edited by the phantom; 05-24-2010 at 02:27 PM.