[the phantom]

The great arena by the docks of Eglarest was filled to the brim and even a bit beyond for the highly anticipated match between Mithrim and Numenor. The team from Numenor was largely the same team that had won the title the year before, while Mithrim was perhaps the most statistically dominant squad in this year’s tournament thus far.

Men and Elves had flocked down from the north to support the house of Hurin and the sons of Feanor, while an equal sized armada from Numenor streamed in from the west. Locals wished to see the contest, but there were very few willing to hold onto their tickets in the face of the prices they were being offered. In the end there were equal numbers of fans from both sides (around 35,000 each), and about 5,000 Elves from the Havens mixed in (and that isn’t counting the individuals who snuck in to stand in the aisles, or somehow managed to climb to the top of the walls surrounding the stadium).

Everyone was looking forward to seeing a hard fought game, but in the early minutes it looked as if they’d be disappointed. Mithrim came out extremely flat and Numenor owned the ball for the first 20-plus minutes, earning a couple of great opportunities that were barely turned aside by the great hound of Valinor, Huan. The valiant hound barked at his defense to get it together, and as time neared half an hour Mithrim finally got things on course and started shutting down the Numenor attack, and soon had the ball on the attack.

In minute 32 the deadlock was finally broken thanks to a brilliant run by Turin and Beleg. The best buds worked together as one entity, taking it right down the middle on the counter and putting it in for the lead. Numenor tried to swing things back their direction by upping the effort, but the sons of Feanor were by this point fully on top of things and Numenor simply did not have the speed or energy to attack them, and the half ended 1-0.

In the second half it was clear from the start that Mithrim was only getting better, while Numenor did not have that higher gear to kick it into. After building several nice attacks, fifteen minutes in Mithrim struck again, this time on a long-range thundering strike from Hurin, who, as usual, shouted “Day shall come again!” as he drove it home.

For the final half hour Mithrim went into a more conservative mode, holding the ball brilliantly and stopping every attack cold. Numenor simply did not have a player with the game-breaking ability necessary to kick the door down and storm the castle. As the final minutes ran off the clock the Numenor fans filed out, knowing the defeat was inevitable. The loss of Tar Minastir, Ar Pharazon, and Sauron was just too much to make up, or at least it was when playing a highly skilled and on fire team like Mithrim.

Mithrim was through to the semis!

Mithrim 2-0 Numenor
tot shots 12-8
on target 6-4
GOALS:
*32, 1-0 Beleg (Turin)
*60, 2-0 Hurin (Morwen)
YELLOW CARDS:
Mithrim- Hurin, Celegorm, Gelmir
Numenor- Tar Meneldur, Ar Zimrathan, Ar Adunakhor