[Boromir88]

Group B

Match 3 - Anduin vs Misty Mts
The Gladden Fields Memorial Stadium was sold out yet again for both the morning and afternoon matches. It was fairly split for what team the crowd would be supporting, but Misty Mts did have a slight advantage. The orcs and baddies out of the Misty Mts had come in full force to cheer for their team and their star, Durin's Bane. They were also rowdy and raucous, as a win against Anduin would almost guarantee Misty Mts advancing, because no one believed Esgaroth could challenge Wilderland in the late match. The Black Chasm hasn't been awakened in many years, until now, until Saruman came. And thus far he has delivered on his promises, so the Orcs were confident they would crush the patchwork Anduin team.

Anduin would not be a walk-over, as it took a late goal for Wilderland to beat them, and they had drawn against the Misty Mts in the friendlies. "We weren't trying in the friendlies" jeered the orcs "and Durin's Bane still scored against your weak defenders whenever he wanted. We'll give you credit for being barely better than Esgaroth, but we'll still crush you by 2, or 3 goals. No one can beat our keeper!" Was it smart to get the Anduin team riled up with harsh trash talk? As the Anduin jogged out to the field to shake hands and get the match underway, everyone on the Anduin was stone-faced except for Beorn, he looked like he had orcs for breakfast.

However, when the game started Misty Mts were the aggressors and controlled all the action. The orcs kept singing their crude chants and taunts, it looked like they would be correct to not fear Anduin based on how the game began. Azog, Durin's Bane, Saruman, and Narvi were really pressuring and getting some decent shots. The Anduin defenders couldn't steal the ball away and Fram had to make some great saves just to keep it 0-0 in the first 20 minutes.

All the pressure was not turning into goals though and after Anduin had weathered the early assault. Durin's Bane was pressing too much, getting frustrated by not having scored yet, and he was even more angered when it was Durin who took the ball right from under his metaphorical wings. Now Anduin was building the attack and pressuring the Misty Mts defenders. In traditional Moria fashion, under good pressure they begin picking up a lot of cards.

Beorn was yet again causing havoc, and Misty Mts seemed to try to adopt the strategy of "rough up the bear." However, everyone knows if you try to play rough with a bear, you'll just get an angry bear. Beorn was immune to all the blatant attempts of the Misty Mts defenders to injure him and finally, in the 29th minute he blasted such a shot that it tore straight through the heart of the storm in the Misty Mts goal.

Anduin withdrew to defend the lead the rest of the half and were able to do so relatively easy. The Misty Mts crowd had been quieted by the goal, but at the beginning of the 2nd they got back behind their team and began the taunts and jeers all over again. There was some new founded wisdom to the Misty Mts. In previous years they would get overly-aggressive, turning over possession and collapsing defensively. However, with the presense of Saruman, they stayed smart, knowing they had a powerful strike force, that if they just kept working on the game plan eventually Anduin and Fram will break.

Break it did, and in the 71st minute, Misty Mts was level. Since sheer power did not work in the 1st period, they tried clever deception leading to the equalizing goal. Saruman had possession, while Narvi and Durin's Bane made simultaneous runs. Durin's Bane had his shadow all about him, and when Saruman passed it towards the shadow. Rumil and Orophin were both marking the Balrog, however to Anduin's surprise Azog had also been cloaked under Durin's Bane shadow. So as the 2 defenders followed the shadow, when Azog burst out of the darkness he was left unguarded for the easy score.

With under 20 minutes left, Misty Mts was the team making more of an effort to take the lead, and Anduin desperately trying to hold onto the 1 pt. However, not wanting to lose on a good counter attack, Misty Mts also made sure they were not overly aggressive, because even with a secured point, it would be extremely difficult for Anduin to overtake them in the standings based on the goal differential. So, it was Anduin who needed the win, and the 3 pts, more, but with a draw they are still not eliminated. It would just take a miracle to overtake the Misty Mts in the last round of matches.

Anduin 1-1 Misty Mts
tot shots 11-12
on target 4-6
GOALS:
*29, 1-0 Beorn (Leod)
*71, 1-1 Azog (Saruman)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Anduin- Orophin, Beorn, Durin
*Misty Mts- William, DBane, Great Goblin, Chief Wolf

Match 4 - Esgaroth vs Wilderland
Esgaroth was just hoping to play better than their 1st round loss, and hopefully with better play they could still keep in the playoff hunt. It would not be to Esgaroth's benefit though that Sauron would be going all out for the win. With the draw from in the earlier match, Sauron knew they could lock up their advancement with a win, and also be in great position to win the group.

Whether it was nerves, just trying to play a little more cautiously so to not let the game get out of hand, or that Esgaroth was severely outmatched (probably more the latter reason than the former), this was another embarrassment for the Lake-Men.

While Esgaroth did begin the game defending better, once Wilderland got the first goal from Sauron in the 28th minute the nightmare for Esgaroth began, and Wilderland blazed through like a wild brush fire. There was no chance for Esgaroth to hold possession and Wilderland came in a ceaseless wave of attacks. While everyone got involved in the scoring, Sauron was the architect of it all. Sad thing is, a 4-0 thumping is bad enough, this could have been 5 or 6-0 if Wilderland's shooting was a bit more accurate.

The game was long over before Scatha thundered in the 4th goal of the game, but only then did Sauron call off the onslaught. All the Esgaroth fans had left before the end whistle and their team sauntered back into the showers. The Wilderland team stayed long after the match was over and partied with their fans who had witnessed the great victory well into the night.

Esgaroth 0-4 Wilderland
tot shots 9-18
on target 2-8
GOALS:
*28, 0-1 Sauron (Alatar)
*42, 0-2 Khamul (Bolg)
*62, 0-3 Smaug
*75, 0-4 Scatha (Sauron)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Esgaroth- Thorin, Tomnoddy
*Wilderland- Bolg, Great Warg, Scatha

~*~*~*

Group B (after Round 2)
1. Wilderland, 6 pts, (+5)
2. Misty Mts, 4 pts, (+3)
3. Anduin, 1 pts, (-1)
4. Esgaroth, 0 pts, (-7)

Round 3 Matches:
Anduin - Esgaroth
Misty Mts - Wilderland

Wilderland has already advanced (but can lose 1st place if loss to Misty Mts in round 3). Esgaroth has been eliminated. A win or draw, Misty Mts advances. A Misty Mts loss, with an Anduin win over Esgaroth, and combined goal differential of 4 Anduin will advance.