Group G at Nargothrond
It was a beautiful summer afternoon in Talath Dirnen, the Guarded Plain of the realm of Nargothrond. But even if it had been raining cats and wolves it would hardly have mattered to the promise of quality football in the indoor stadium beside the Narog River, the High Faroth Arena.
According to the allotment scheme presented by Nargothrond to the Arda Cup Hosting Committee, twenty-thousand tickets would be allotted to the fans of the teams playing a game, with the rest up for grabs on site. AC Beleriand’s extensive fan base snapped up almost half of these free-for-all tickets, ensuring that Fëanor’s squad would enjoy the semblance of a home crowd for their afternoon game. The remaining seats were taken by Nargothrond neutrals, interested mainly in a good game of football.
When the two teams walked into the field these ten thousand cheered along with the more partisan crowd, happy to be finally witnessing a home game for the first time since 2009, a round of sixteen tie that ended in victory for the visitors, Tol-in-Gaurhoth. And unlike that game, this time there was the promise of five more afterwards, including three from the home team.
Beren and Lúthien were seen hugging each other by the touchline during the warm-ups. Beren then ruffled the hair of Dior, who was saying something to his father. The three shared a laugh afterwards. Melian, Beleg, Mablung, and Eöl were wistful in conversation in the centre circle, doubtless recalling last year’s championship squad.
Soon the opening whistle was blown. One of the biggest surprises in the game had already been sprung even before then. Melian, Doriath’s best defender and the indefatigable left back who contributed to all aspects of their game, was playing central defender with Galathil, up against AC Beleriand’s main scoring threat, Fëanor. Nimloth and Saeros took turns marking the opposition’s other forward, Eöl, committing only when the Dark Elf was in their side of the pitch.
Doriath’s plan to play a possession game was soon in tatters due to the pressure of the AC Beleriand midfield. The Fenced Land’s deep playmaker Daeron was harried by Ulrad, Galadhon was tailed closely by Denethor, and Nellas was guarded by Bregolas. When Lúthien moved in to help, Ecthelion simply followed her there, allowing AC Beleriand to retain their man advantage. And when that man was Beren…
Beren, Fëanor, and Eöl formed passing triangles in front of the Doriath penalty area, occasionally making forays to test the Girdle of Melian. In the fourteenth minute, Eöl found space to chip the ball over the Doriath back four for Beren, and only the linesman’s raised flag, signalling an offside offence, prevented the One-Handed from getting the opener. Five minutes later, almost the exact same play happened, this time with Beren timing his run perfectly. It took a Melian sliding tackle to deny him a goal-bound shot. With Doriath still starved of the ball, the forward from Nan Elmoth found a third opportunity for the same play in the twenty-seventh minute. This time Fëanor made a move to distract Melian, and Beren thundered in the ball past his son for the one-nil lead.
It seemed that there was no adjustment Doriath could make to shift the tide in the favour. True, they gained a few counterattacking chances, but they were profligate with it. During the half-hour mark Galathil sent a long ball to Mablung, but the Heavy Boot lost possession when he attempted to dribble past Imlach. Ten minutes after Saeros headed away Eöl’s cross in Beleg’s direction, and the march-warden dashed downfield, sending a hurried cross a moment before Fingolfin could challenge him. Lúthien connected with it, but her header fizzed wide.
Two minutes before the end of the first half AC Beleriand doubled their lead. Saeros’s cynical tackle on Beren earned Fëanor’s squad a penalty kick. The Nandorin courtier muttered ‘Baseborn mortal’ as he looked down at the fallen midfielder, and Beren jumped up, pushing Saeros as he shouted, ‘Say that again and I’ll leave you as one-handed as I am!’ Melian pushed Saeros away from Beren, not before casting an apologising glance at her former teammate. The referee had already given the Doriath defender a yellow card, and he was forced to deal Beren a similar punishment for his threat. Afterwards, Fëanor calmly converted his spot kick, giving his side a two-nil score line to take into the break.
After the half time the Doriath squad walked in with a determined glint in their eyes. When the game resumed their adjustments were made apparent. Saeros was tasked to mark Eöl, and Nimloth stuck with Beren whenever he approached the penalty area. And it was paying off. Eöl no longer had time to send weighted forward passes, Beren found his dwindling number of shots blocked by Nimloth. Even Fëanor couldn’t dribble his way in; Galathil and Melian did not allow the Fiery Boot to get past them.
The shifting tide was soon felt even in the scoresheet. In the seventy-second minute Saeros made a successful tackle of Eöl and sent a long ball towards Beleg, who dashed forward before being checked by Fingolfin. The Strong Boot found time to send a pinpoint pass between him and Imlach, and there was Lúthien to take it. With one touch she froze Rochallor, and then her left foot rifled the ball past a startled Marach into the net.
Incensed by the goal, Fëanor took it upon himself to put Doriath away for good. He displayed a dazzling display of ball control, dribbling past defensive midfielder Galadhon before turning central defenders Galathil and Melian inside out. But his shot was barely tipped away by Dior, and Nimloth’s clearance landed near Daeron. The minstrel, seeing Beleg making a run, threaded a pass between the AC Beleriand midfielders that found the march-warden in stride. Imlach had to stop him against the rules, earning a booking and giving Doriath a dangerous free kick twenty metres from the goal. Beleg took the kick, and his shot rose above the wall before dipping down just beyond Marach’s outstretched hand. Doriath had their equaliser!
Melian put all ten outfielders behind the ball to defend the draw, and for fourteen tense minutes they held on, aided by erratic finishing from Fëanor and Beren. When the referee signalled the end of the match most of the team were hugging and jumping for joy. Melian tried to remind them that they still had two games to play, but for now, it didn’t matter. They have stolen a point from one of the tournament favourites!
AC Beleriand 2-2 Doriath
GOALS:
27, 1-0 Beren (Eöl)
43, 2-0 Fëanor
72, 2-1 Lúthien (Beleg)
76, 2-2 Beleg
Total Shots
18-12
Shots On Target
7-5
YELLOW CARDS:
2-1
AC Bel: Beren, Imlach
Doriath: Saeros
The afternoon result left the home supporters smelling blood. A win would put their team on top of the table, giving them a good chance to advance (despite still having a game at hand against the still much-feared AC Beleriand, as well as the Doriath squad who pulled even with them.) A loss, on the other hand, would all but consign them to elimination.
The first game’s crowd exited, and a great mass of Nargothrondrim and Anfauglith fans flowed into the stadium. With Morgoth playing in Michel Delving, and Gothmog in Weathertop, the baddie team playing closest to Angband and Utumno was Anfauglith. Thus it was not uncommon to see large bands of Orcs and Trolls among the Elves and Men in the underground streets of Nargothrond. The wardens kept a close eye on them, stopping those who bore signs of carrying a weapon, but for most part the fans from the north kept the peace, respectful of the home team with their talismanic centre forward Glaurung.
Still, this mob was raucous, their war drums almost drowning out their chanting. The Nargothrond faithful singing ‘
Nargothrond will endure’ raised their voices as one in an effort to keep up. Soon the music turned into a roar, as the two teams walked into the pitch. Finrod shook hands with Thuringwethil, and Glaurung shared a fiery laugh with the three Balrogs. Soon it was time for kick-off, and the home crowd was given a reason to cheer when, a mere minute after the opening whistle, Gwindor stole a pass from Gundor and rushed like the wind downfield, as he did in millennia past during the fifth battle of Beleriand. He cut inside, leaving Balrog #4 behind, and, at the edge of the penalty area, shot the ball narrowly over the crossbar.
Gwindor continued to give his marker fits as the pacey winger’s play contributed to the opener six minutes later. Wary of him cutting inside, the Balrog showed him to the byline. Gwindor centred the ball for a cutting Orodreth, whose header was blocked by Ungoliant. But then Finrod darted in with a diving header towards far post, and the High Faroth Arena exploded in a wall of sound.
Anfauglith made swift adjustments against the left-wing incursion. Defensive midfielder Gorgol moved from his holding role in the centre of the line of defenders to the left, his role to stay goalside of Gwindor. The effect was noticeable; Gwindor was frustrated with Gorgol denying him a byline run, and Balrog #4 denying him a path inside. In half-hour mark the Gasping Dust squad displayed its own version of wing play, initiated by Balrog #3, who blocked a Finrod through ball to Glaurung. He passed the ball to Gundor, who hugged the touchline, brushed past Mîm, and crossed for Thuringwethil. The vampire muscled past her markers to guide the ball just under the crossbar.
When the second half began, it was soon apparent that a draw was not good enough for Anfauglith. They pressed and disrupted the Nargothrond passing game, hoofing the ball in Thuringwethil’s direction as soon as they have gained possession. Towering Arminas helped contest her in the air, and doughty Baran did his best to keep pace with the vampire. Bëor pulled off a few saves, but the woodwork did more to save them from being a goal down. Although credit to Guilin’s positioning should be given, denying Thuringwethil the easier shots.
But they cannot deny her forever. Taking a long pass from Balrog #3, he split Baran and Arminas and dribbled past Guilin before shooting over Mîm’s head and into the top-right corner of the goal. Anfauglith has taken the lead, and the Nargothrond faithful groaned in despair. Meanwhile the creatures of Angband banged their drums louder. They just have to use their suffocating defence to hold on to the lead.
Just when they thought that the dream of qualifying was dying before their eyes, the Nargothrond crowd was given a sign of life just before the hour. Glaurung and Gwindor pushed even harder against the Balrog line (once earning the dragon a booking for being too rough), and Finrod looked for space between the Anfauglith defence and midfield, daring anyone to mark him. Galdor and Haldir took the challenge, leaving Finduilas free to do a forward run. She took a pass from Felagund, and, finding her path blocked by a Balrog, back-heeled the ball to Barahir, who had managed to drift unseen towards the edge of the 18-yard box. His shot bounced in off the crossbar, catching Ungoliant unprepared, and Nargothrond has drawn level.
The squads were not content with a draw, and they began looking for a winner. Momentum was with Finrod’s side, but the captain urged caution, as Thuringwethil had been single-handedly giving their defence too much trouble. Laborious in their build-up, but dogged in their defending, Nargothrond were unable to get a third goal in the last half-hour, but didn’t concede one either. When the final whistle was blown, a few questions were asked of Glaurung’s motivation this game, but most of the home crowd were relieved to escape with a draw. Just as Barahir had saved Finrod in ages past, he has saved him again. The host's dream of advancing was still alive.
Anfauglith 2-2 Nargothrond
GOALS:
7, 0-1 Finrod (Orodreth)
30, 1-1 Thuringwethil (Gundor)
53, 2-1 Thuringwethil (Balrog #3)
59, 2-2 Barahir (Finduilas)
Total Shots
14-15
Shots On Target
6-6
YELLOW CARDS:
1-3
Anfauglith: Balrog #3
Nargorthrond: Arminas, Barahir, Glaurung