[Nogrod]

Anfaughlith at Westernesse


The Brave Fight of the Undermanned Side


Before the first play-off game the people of Númenor had forgotten any possible rifts there had been between the supporters of team Númenor and team Westernesse Now Westernesse was their champion and the games would be held at the very same Armenelos Stadium, the Wembley of Arda.

In their usual way the Númenorians were confident their team would prevail whoever came against them, but Anfaughlith was one of the teams that did send some shivers into the backs of the Númenorians. The team had some really awe-inspiring players; like Gothmog lord of the Balrogs, the slayer of Fëanor, Fingon and Echtelion, with two others of his kin; but also Echtelion himself, the slayer of Gothmog in turn; and Maeglin the “sharp glance”; Fingolfin the “strongest of all”; Tuor’s father Huor; the mighty Gwindor…

Team Westernesse had more or less the top-stars of the island aided by the Gondorian lords from the days immemorial. But would it be enough against these heroes of the past? Some said an all-Númenorian team would have had better chances, but nonetheless the support of the home crowd was unreserved when the game came down upon them.

The old Armenelos Stadium took in about 60 000 spectators. The organisers had told twenty-thousand would go to Númenorians, another twenty-thousand to team Anfaughlith supporters and the last twenty-thousand would be up for grabs to anyone – and if there was not a full twenty-thousand coming to support Anfaughlith, they would sell the rest “at the door” to anyone willing to come in. That was accepted by the AFA authorities as it sounded like a fair deal – but in fact the Númenorians opened internet booking lines for those last twenty-thousand in Númenor and Gondor two days before opening them to every nation – and thus most of the seats were already taken when the selling opened for all, not to talk that all those “at the door” tickets went predominantly to Númenorians with their food baskets and wine skins queuing at the gates a fine five hours before the game while the hopeful football-tourists from outside Númenor were just having breakfast after having a nice night out.


~*~

So it was once again a feast and/of football at Armenelos Stadium, and the crowds were entertaining themselves with food and wine for hours before the game just to be together and to share the nice day-out. And with the tactics on the ticket-booth it was more than two thirds home-team supporters on the crowd – and they were enjoying themselves in the afternoon sunshine beside the towering presence of Meneltarma.

Anfaughlith came into the game with all the gusto their flaringly attacking game thus far should have predicted and the home team supporters had to bit their nails looking at the wave after another of dashing attacks by Anfaughlith, the Westernesse defenders having a hard time to push them back. And to the horror of the homeside-fans they scored after just 17 minutes of play. And what was the worst: Tar Atanamir was not infallible! He had to give in a goal! And only from the second shot of the game on target!

It was kind of a classic goal. After dribbling two midfielders Gwindor made a quick run on the left flank outrunning the defenders at first but when a few of them finally reached him a few meters from the corner-flag he sent a nice high pass into the middle – and Maeglin headed it in to the lower right corner of the goal despite Tar Palantir’s effort to deny him the header. Tar Atanamir had been following the situation at the left post so when the crossing came he was just too late – even if he dived bravely when he saw what was up.

After the goal Westernesse shifted into more aggressive tactics of cutting off the passing-lines and practically denied Anfaughlith from any major outbreaks on the first half. Gothmog had a few chances but the Balrog either sent the ball wide or into the hands of Tar Atanamir. But as the first half got older Westernesse started to gain the upper hand pulling their ranks together.

And they evened the game just before the half time! The dynamic duo Elros – Ar Pharazôn were at it again. This time Elros broke free dribbling Balrog #4 and went towards the goal from the edge of the box, but Rochallor galloped to shut him out. Just before Fingolfin’s best friend succeeded, Elros heeled the ball behind him and Ar Pharazôn was indeed trailing and shot the ball into the back of the net while Huor was still concentrating on Elros and Rochallor. The home crowds exploded with the equalizer and the songs suddenly caught the air and went on loud through the half time pause.

But even through their happiness, the home crowds realised there was another half to be played and just getting even was not enough – they had to win, as they thought their team would do, but Anfaughlith was just as tough an opponent the pessimists among the islanders had warned they would be.


The lay-Númenorians thought their team would just turn the game around on the second half, continuing from where they left in the end of the first half – but how wrong they were! Anfaughlith came to the second half with refreshed attacking-force and they really made the Westernesse defense to sweat. And to the horror of the hometeam fans they scored again after about fifteen minutes of play into the second half. Fingolfin got the ball passed neatly to him close by the post by his grand-daughter’s husband’s mother , and he was totally unguarded, and just passed the ball in as the rush was at the other end of the goal. Great pass by Rían and cool execution by Fingolfin while Gothmog, Maeglin, Ecthelion and others were making the fuzz elsewhere.

And Anfaughlith was not yet done. They kept attacking after the goal with even more energy: they had clearly decided to kill the hosts then and there, it was the time of their momentum. But neither would Westernesse give in – and with the ever-rising support of their home crowd they started pressing back. The last twenty minutes of the game were some of the most entertaining football this season’s games have had to offer: two highly skilled and attacking teams clashing against each other with full force!

At 63rd minute Maeglin hit the crossbar from 25 meters.

At 66th minute Ar Pharazôn’s shot from between the two balrogs went just an inch wide while Huor was decisively late.

At 67th minute Rochallor just ran over Ar Adunakhôr who was getting free from the defenders, hitting him into the back of his head with a hoof. That was unquestionably a straight red card and Ar Adunakhôr had to be carried outside the pitch to be looked after with the bleeding wound he got from the hit.

At 68th minute, from the ensuing free kick, Elros boomed a real cannon-shot a meter from the box only to be tipped away by Huor’s fingertips from the upper corner of the goal.

At 70th minute Gwindor and Echtelion made a nice wall-play setting Echtelion to a superb place to shoot, but at the last possible moment Elendil managed to slide the ball across the line.

At 74th minute Tar Telperion sent a long pass from the defense and Ar Pharazôn took the run for it but his shot was denied by Fingolfin forcing him out of balance.

At 75th minute the referee called for a free kick from Fingolfin’s error on midfield and Ar Adunakhôr re-entered the pitch with his head now bandaged. Elros took the free-kick fast when some of the Anfaughlith team members were still unawares. Ar Pharazôn received the ball and sent it forth immediately to Ar Adunakhôr who was running like mad towards the goal looking for a revenge. Balrog #4 shut his way but he turned around and passed the ball diagonally backwards to the feet of Tar Minastir who blasted the ball from top-speed into the back of the net. The game was even!

The goal was built by some flashing performances of the top-players, but also due to the confusion, both of Elros’ fast kick and Anfaughlith facing the undermanned situation for the first time in the game when Ar Adunakhôr was finally able to return to the field and Rochallor was out for good. So Maeglin yelled at his team to regroup and Gothmog wasn’t quiet either. Rían and Azaghál were giving orders to others as well – and Huor gave his advice shouting from his goal. It was a chaos.

There was still 15 minutes to go and Westernesse took the advantage of the chaos. With one player advantage and the defenses in disarray they started hammering attacks after another towards the Anfaughlith side and dominated the game – giving the opponents no chance of making a counter-play. Westernesse was now playing it’s best game thus far, sent flying by the chanting and cheering crowds who had now risen to their feet from excitement. Even Maeglin and Gothmog had drawn back to support the defense as they left only Gwindor to look for a happy turn-over attack a bit higher on the field.

It was now a game played on one end of the pitch only, but the time though was running short for Westernesse and their supporters, minute by minute. It was a thriller!

If Anfaughlith could stretch the game to overtime they’d have a chance talk their regrouping with one player disadvantage. It looked grim but given a chance to try and deal with it was all they asked – and all they played for the last minutes.

Four minutes to go: Elros boots a mighty shot from the edge of the box but it goes just wide.

Three minutes to go: Anfaughlith tries to do some counterplay only to be robbed of the ball in midfield by Hyermendacil – who gives it to Tar MInastir who in turn lends it to the flank to Ar Adunakhôr who’s centering just misses the head of Ar Pharazôn by an inch.

Two minutes to go: Ar Pharazôn gets the ball near the corner-flag and passes it towards the goal – and Elros reaches from between the two balrogs for a header… and he hits it… and it is… a GOOOOOOOOOL!!!!
Westernesse scores two minutes before full time against the undermanned Anfaughlith! The people go wild in the audience. It takes a minute or two for the referee to get the game started again after all the jubilation. But the game is over even if the ref. allows four minutes of extratime (Ar Adunakhôrs injury, some fakedly long wailing from Anfaughlith players gone down after contact with Westernesse players, the end jubilation…). There just wasn’t anything Anfaughlith could have done when Westernesse took on a high-pressure defense-mode after their lead, not the least for being underhanded.

The home team won after a real fight, but even if the star players exchanged shirts amiably after the game – Huor’s and Rían’s shirts were almost fought over by the Númenorians – the Anfaughlith fans were disappointed and cursed the referee, even if they knew his decision to send Rochallor off was a fair judgement.


Angfauglith 2-3 Westernesse
tot shots 15-16
on target 9-6
GOALS:
*17, 1-0 Maeglin (Gwindor)
*41, 1-1 Ar Pharazon (Elros)
*59, 2-1 Fingolfin (Rian)
*75, 2-2 Tar Minastir (Ar Adunakhor)
*88, 2-3 Elros (Ar Pharazon)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Angfauglith- Azaghal, Gwindor, Balrog #5
*Westernesse- Tar Palantir, Malbeth
RED CARDS:
*Angfauglith- Rochallor (67, straight red)


Westernesse goes through to meet the winner from the game T-I-G vs. Barad Dûr.