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Nogrod · 06-10-2012, 01:55 PM

Group E at Grey Havens, round 2

After the first round games had both ended in a draw, everything was open in group E at Grey Havens. To make the day’s match-ups even more interesting, both the favourites were clashing against each other and both the less favourites were doing so as well – even if in general this group has been seen as one of the most even groups of all. So any team pulling out a win today would take a huge step towards qualifying…

The tabloid-media did all it could to make interesting people meet each other in order to make scoops or at least hot-selling headlines. It was clear they weren’t able to lure Valar like Mandos or Ulmo into their games so they had to settle with stories like The Lhûnandarwinian’s headline after arranging Elwing to shortly meet with Amrod and Amras: “Kinslayers do not repent but suicidal thief-bird forgives them anyway after running away with the prize!”; or Mithlond Mist’s exclusive interview with Andreth: “Wiseheart’s wisdom of heart: I chose to betray my kin and play for the elven team with good conscience – and better looking fellow midfielders!”; or The Seaside Gossip’s story: “Voronwë’s Stockholm syndrome: He might have jailed me to the sea for seven years only to then release me, but I do love and honour Ulmo still”.

The word had spread around the city that the Riverside Gardens would be the place to be on game days – and the local elves clearly had heard the call, for as early as the midday the park started to fill with people, even if many of them didn’t quite understand anything about football. But who cared if there was a party? Quite a many were bitten by football-frenzy though and those of them not able to purchase a ticket set their own camps to the park with flags and other Grey Havens –accessories. The organisers had learned their lessons from the first game day and now multiple loudspeakers were assembled around the park so that people could listen to a live commentary of the games also outside the stadium. Some of the not-so-keen-to-football partyers found that a bit disturbing and tried to complain but the after some fans showed them their place there were no major interruptions…

~*~

No one though the match between The Sea and Valimar would be the fastest or most furious one could see, but still the pace of the game was more or less bad publicity to the whole game. The players were skillful, top of the skill one might say, and the tactics were even better – from the POV of the coach who wishes to eliminate any randomness or chance and plays it as safe as possible. But for the spectators it was just boring, unless you took your enjoyment from tactical manouvering and great defencive positioning.

That said, Vairë the Weaver managed to create a web of anticipation distracting the Maiar defences of Ulmo for a second or two creating a blue moment with enough wide a path for Alatar to swing in behind them. And it was a goal for Valimar – with their first shot at the goal! Voronwë looked like he had sold his honour and the whole elven nation, but Ulmo was seen pacifying him and pointing at Vairë, like promising that kind of thing wouldn’t happen again.

Whatever Ulmo’s point was, nothing happened during the rest of the first half, and even the second half started with more or less the same as both teams took it extremely conservatively playing every attack carefully from the defence building them carefully with long passing combinations eventually broken by the opponent. But the farther the game got the more pressure there was for The Sea to actually start attacking in more active and risky manner.

Twenty minutes from the end of the game Ulmo finally blew his horn and the waters in the sea and the river started rising forcing pick-nicking crowds near the water to run for safety around the stadium. If one had time to take a glance into the Númenorian forwards’ eyes, one could have seen the flash of relief in there: that was finally the sign telling them to go for it for real! Meanwhile the eyes of the Maiar vassals of Ulmo narrowed and they grew in size and strength to compensate for the lack of defending aid of the Númenorians.

And suddenly the game was alive when The Sea finally started to go for the equaliser for real. And what a show it was! One rarely sees Manwë sweating, but even that wonder was witnessed by the crowds on Lhûnarena this day.

It was busy time for Fëanor’s sons as Mandos could not scare every Númenorian coming forwards at the same time. And eventually at 77th minute Amrod had to foul Vëantur when he was about to force himself free from him going for a perfect pass by the stargazer Tar Meneldur. There was a free kick from just outside the box. Tar Minastir, the one who beat Sauron himself, took the free kick and what a shot it was! Manwë just barely managed to fist the ball away only to fall and watch in terror how Tar Ciryatan slided to the rebound and the ball went… inches away from the post and an empty goal.

Three minutes later Ulmo himself rose highest to head in a corner given by Tar Aldarion but Manwë managed to tip the ball to the post from where Vana swept the rebound away – straight into the feet of Tar Meneldur who’s reaction-shot just went wide off the mark.

Three minutes from the previous Valimar had some rare counterattacking going on when Ulmo broke a half-risky pass backwards by Celebrian and sent the ball far forwards to Tar Minastir who took it in speed running for the far end of the pitch on the left side getting Amrod and Vana after him trying to shut his way both from ahead and from behind. Vëantur and his grandson Tar Aldarion rushed forwards being guarded by Mandos and Amras respectively. Suddenly, about ten meters from the box and when Tar Minastir was closing in the end of the pitch, Vëantur stopped, made a 180 degree turn and dashed towards the goal in the middle. Mandos yelled with the speed of the turn and followed, behind. Amras noticed the alarming situation and acted on his speed charging straight towards the old Vëantur to force him away from the coming pass. But given room, Tar Aldarion turned left and paced towards the center ten meters behind the action that was now centering a few meters inside the box. Tar Minastir saw him and centered the ball not in front of the goal the defenders were running into after Vëantur, but a little backwards to Tar Aldarion who shot a cannon one-timer from just the edge of the box from behind the crowd of defenders closing in. Manwë didn’t have a clear line of sight to the ball but still got his fingers in the way of the ball when it came, but it was not enough to change the trajectory of the ball to deny the goal.

The spectators burst into cheers, for even if there was slight favour in support for team The Sea amongst the locals it was not that great – but now everyone felt the equalizer was well earned indeed – and many hoped The Sea would put in a winning goal as well in the last seven minutes. But that never happened.

So one more draw from group E.

The Sea 1-1 Valimar
on target 5-3
tot shots 15-10
GOALS:
*35, 0-1 Alatar (Vaire)
*83, 1-1 Tar Aldarion (Tar Minastir)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Sea- Osse, Veantur
*Valimar- Amrod, Alatar

If the afternoon match between The Sea and Valimar had been more or less like a children’s train ride in an amusement park (except the last twenty minutes), the evening match with the home team against the men of Hithlum was a first class rollercoaster ride where the elderly spectators sure needed their pills to stay alive following the game. Let a random fact illuminate the intensity of the game: Hithlum shot 20 and The Havens 19 shots. That means, cutting the corners, that there was a shot intended at scoring every other minute during the whole game. Forty shots!

Knowing the result of the first match both teams knew a win would be worth silmarils in regards qualification, so both teams really pressed hard to score from the first minutes onwards. And it was easy to see why the game was so balanced between the two sides: Havens’ elven defence with Cirdan at the goal is steady and strong but Hithlum’s attack is one of the fiercest in the whole tournament. Then again Hithlum’s defences are not the best there are, but even if Tuor and Eärendil are major figures they are not in the same class with Húrin, Turin and Hador Goldenhead. But both teams gave it all they had.

It is actually interesting how different teams receive an image from the media and how unfounded those images may be. If you asked before the tournament from any journalist or analyst about teams Hithlum and The Havens they would have told you that Hithlum would be badly defending attacking whirlwind outshooting every other team in the cup and that The havens would be a mediocre and dull team not able to either attack or defend well enough to get through but maybe from the weakest groups (like G). And here the teams were arranging such a shooting-gallery not many teams could put up – and both teams were also defending remarkably well forcing a host of shots to go wide the mark while both goalies did a marvellous job picking those shots that came on target. So if there were elves in the stands watching the game who were not football fans yet they sure were turned into ones!

The home team opened scoring on 21st minute when Eärendil passed the ball to his dad between the legs of the great Arroch defending at the edge of the box – and Tuor nailed the ball in from close quarters, again between the legs, of Aradan this time.

After fifteen minutes it was time for Túrin to show some willpower. You can see an animated re-enactment of the goal here here. Now that could be called determination – and confidence in one’s own skills!

The second half was just as intense as the first one had been. After a few hits at the posts and few tight saves The Havens went ahead another time from a nice free-kick trick. Grithnir had fouled Eärendil close the box and was carded for his foul. The wall was prepared and both Tuor and his son stood behind the ball ready to give the free kick. With everyone’s eyes at the father and son, no one quite realised that Andreth was standing idly beside the ball looking forwards like concentrating on a run after the ball would be off. But when the referee blew his whistle and Tuor and Eärendil glanced at each other dashing forwards one after another it was actually Andreth who turned quickly about and passed the ball – with dad and son still a few meters away from the ball – sideways to king Olwë who rushed in from behind – and booted it from the bottom of his heart and to the back of the net having a clear path for the ball. Aradan stood no chance there as he realised it with all the others way too late what was happening. The homecrowds were cheering crazily.

But Hithlum was not giving in – and neither was The Havens falling back to just defend their goal. So the high-paced game continued. All fans were literally standing on their toes for any action on the field as it was so fast and furious any could lead into a goal by either side.

On 60th minute there was a beautiful family-effort when Morwen passed the ball from midfield to her husband running towards the box, but instead of taking the ball into his control he passed it back diagonally with a onetimer touch to where his daughter Nienor had rushed creating some major disarray in the defences.

But instead of passing the ball to Hador who was breaking through on the other side, Nienor just stopped the ball realising her brother coming behind her with full speed – and stepping aside she gave Túrin a perfect shot into open. The shot would have knocked out a raging bull but it went just a few inches off target (which actually wasn’t a bull of any sorts but The Havens’ goal).

On 63rd minute Aegnor made a run with the ball to the end of the field and centered the ball at the last moment being pressed by Grithnir. Eärendil slided to the ball from under Arroch but the touch was bad and the ball went high up ending up to the roof of the goal.

On 68th minute The Havens were up to it again. This time it was Eärendil’s astonishing singular performance when from a counter-attack he flew through half the field alone leaving Androg and Gethron behind with nice dribbles but finally shooting Arroch managed to dash into the way and the ball went from it’s back far off the pitch – giving the home team only a throw they managed to waste.

On 70th Nienor made an effort from 30+ meters and Cirdan managed hardly to fist the ball away. In the ensuing row for the rebound in front of the goal Túrin managed to nick the ball from between Elwing and Annael backwards to Hador who was breaking in – and he hammered the ball in from full speed with no one being able to deny him. It was even once again with twenty minutes to go!

On 78th minute Hithlum was on it once more. This time Morewn’s intelligent pass reached Húrin behind the defencive line and he was about to shoot when the referee whistled offside. Túrin protested mightily but was pulled away by his sister before he got booked.

On 84th minute Tuor and Eärendil made a combined run towards the goal on a quick turnaround. Nearing the box Eärendil suddenly fell back just a little to confuse Grithnir shadowing him enough to buy time for a pass – and he succeeded in sending the ball exactly to the feet of his dad rushing forwards on his left but just as he was going to shoot Arroch managed to put him off balance just enough for the shot to fly high over the goal. The crowds were demanding a penalty but the referee was firm.

On 88th minute Húrin was elbowed nastily by Elwing when they were reaching for the high ball coming from Aradan. Húrin’s mouth was bleeding and Elwing got carded. Húrin was taken outside the pitch to be stiched and Túrin took the free-kick from about 25 meters. The homecrowds were holding their breath…
The shot went straight to the wall and bounced high up. Hador beat Lindo to the header and the ball went towards the low-left corner of the goal. Cirdan dived for it but somehow couldn’t catch it… the ball slipped from his fingers and hit the post from where it bounced into Annael’s leg taking another bounce back towards the goal. Olwë and Nienor slided towards the ball both trying to reach it only to collide into Cirdan who was trying to rise up after the ball. The ball hit Olwë in the back and bounced outwards from the goal where Hador was running with full speed – and he was just giving it a shot when he missed his balance, possibly aided by Eärwen trailing him, and both of them ended up in the pile began by Olwë and Nienor felling Annael as well while they went down. Amidst the chaos Elwing finally beat Túrin to the ball and just kicked it as far off as she could to make good her initial fault.

It was still even. And when the game actually resumed after a lot of discussion as to who did what and to whom and in which purpose or within or off the rules, the referee whistled it over and done with.

With some heated feelings flaring after the final whistle Tuor came to Túrin offering his shirt as a token of good will and mutual respect, and after a short pause his cousin accepted the exchange with an embrace. With Hador and Andreth doing the same the other players finally realised the game was over and that they were friends after all – and slowly also the audiences started chanting for both the teams and in praise of a tough and even game.

The problem with group E though seems to be too many even games… After four games no one has won a game but all games have ended in a draw. So the stakes will be astonishingly high on the last round. And even if every team wishes to qualify, it is clear no team wishes to meet FC Valinor in their first play-off game. So it is not only about winning the last game but about winning the last game with better goal difference the other possible winner does it.
We sure are looking forwards to those games!

Hithlum 2-2 The Havens
on target 8-8
tot shots 20-19
GOALS:
*21, 0-1 Tuor (Earendil)
*37, 1-1 Turin (Hurin)
*56, 1-2 Olwe (Andreth)
*70, 2-2 Hador (Turin)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Hithlum- Arroch, Grithnir
*Havens- Andreth, Elwing

Two games:

Hithlum 2 4-4
The Havens 2 3-3
The Sea 2 3-3
Valimar 2 1-1

Last matches:

Valimar vs. Hithlum
The Havens vs. The Sea

As all games have ended in a draw any team who wins their last game will qualify. In cases of further draws Hithlum has as now the best situation having scored the most and Valimar is in the worst situation, but the number of goals scored in the last round will finally settle the order of the teams.

06-10-2012, 01:55 PM	#125
Nogrod Flame of the Ainulindalë Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Wearing rat's coat, crowskin, crossed staves in a field behaving as the wind behaves Posts: 9,308	Group E at Grey Havens, round 2 After the first round games had both ended in a draw, everything was open in group E at Grey Havens. To make the day’s match-ups even more interesting, both the favourites were clashing against each other and both the less favourites were doing so as well – even if in general this group has been seen as one of the most even groups of all. So any team pulling out a win today would take a huge step towards qualifying… The tabloid-media did all it could to make interesting people meet each other in order to make scoops or at least hot-selling headlines. It was clear they weren’t able to lure Valar like Mandos or Ulmo into their games so they had to settle with stories like The Lhûnandarwinian’s headline after arranging Elwing to shortly meet with Amrod and Amras: “Kinslayers do not repent but suicidal thief-bird forgives them anyway after running away with the prize!”; or Mithlond Mist’s exclusive interview with Andreth: “Wiseheart’s wisdom of heart: I chose to betray my kin and play for the elven team with good conscience – and better looking fellow midfielders!”; or The Seaside Gossip’s story: “Voronwë’s Stockholm syndrome: He might have jailed me to the sea for seven years only to then release me, but I do love and honour Ulmo still”. The word had spread around the city that the Riverside Gardens would be the place to be on game days – and the local elves clearly had heard the call, for as early as the midday the park started to fill with people, even if many of them didn’t quite understand anything about football. But who cared if there was a party? Quite a many were bitten by football-frenzy though and those of them not able to purchase a ticket set their own camps to the park with flags and other Grey Havens –accessories. The organisers had learned their lessons from the first game day and now multiple loudspeakers were assembled around the park so that people could listen to a live commentary of the games also outside the stadium. Some of the not-so-keen-to-football partyers found that a bit disturbing and tried to complain but the after some fans showed them their place there were no major interruptions… ~~ No one though the match between The Sea and Valimar would be the fastest or most furious one could see, but still the pace of the game was more or less bad publicity to the whole game. The players were skillful, top of the skill one might say, and the tactics were even better – from the POV of the coach who wishes to eliminate any randomness or chance and plays it as safe as possible. But for the spectators it was just boring, unless you took your enjoyment from tactical manouvering and great defencive positioning. That said, Vairë the Weaver managed to create a web of anticipation distracting the Maiar defences of Ulmo for a second or two creating a blue moment with enough wide a path for Alatar to swing in behind them. And it was a goal for Valimar – with their first shot at the goal! Voronwë looked like he had sold his honour and the whole elven nation, but Ulmo was seen pacifying him and pointing at Vairë, like promising that kind of thing wouldn’t happen again. Whatever Ulmo’s point was, nothing happened during the rest of the first half, and even the second half started with more or less the same as both teams took it extremely conservatively playing every attack carefully from the defence building them carefully with long passing combinations eventually broken by the opponent. But the farther the game got the more pressure there was for The Sea to actually start attacking in more active and risky manner. Twenty minutes from the end of the game Ulmo finally blew his horn and the waters in the sea and the river started rising forcing pick-nicking crowds near the water to run for safety around the stadium. If one had time to take a glance into the Númenorian forwards’ eyes, one could have seen the flash of relief in there: that was finally the sign telling them to go for it for real! Meanwhile the eyes of the Maiar vassals of Ulmo narrowed and they grew in size and strength to compensate for the lack of defending aid of the Númenorians. And suddenly the game was alive when The Sea finally started to go for the equaliser for real. And what a show it was! One rarely sees Manwë sweating, but even that wonder was witnessed by the crowds on Lhûnarena this day. It was busy time for Fëanor’s sons as Mandos could not scare every Númenorian coming forwards at the same time. And eventually at 77th minute Amrod had to foul Vëantur when he was about to force himself free from him going for a perfect pass by the stargazer Tar Meneldur. There was a free kick from just outside the box. Tar Minastir, the one who beat Sauron himself, took the free kick and what a shot it was! Manwë just barely managed to fist the ball away only to fall and watch in terror how Tar Ciryatan slided to the rebound and the ball went… inches away from the post and an empty goal. Three minutes later Ulmo himself rose highest to head in a corner given by Tar Aldarion but Manwë managed to tip the ball to the post from where Vana swept the rebound away – straight into the feet of Tar Meneldur who’s reaction-shot just went wide off the mark. Three minutes from the previous Valimar had some rare counterattacking going on when Ulmo broke a half-risky pass backwards by Celebrian and sent the ball far forwards to Tar Minastir who took it in speed running for the far end of the pitch on the left side getting Amrod and Vana after him trying to shut his way both from ahead and from behind. Vëantur and his grandson Tar Aldarion rushed forwards being guarded by Mandos and Amras respectively. Suddenly, about ten meters from the box and when Tar Minastir was closing in the end of the pitch, Vëantur stopped, made a 180 degree turn and dashed towards the goal in the middle. Mandos yelled with the speed of the turn and followed, behind. Amras noticed the alarming situation and acted on his speed charging straight towards the old Vëantur to force him away from the coming pass. But given room, Tar Aldarion turned left and paced towards the center ten meters behind the action that was now centering a few meters inside the box. Tar Minastir saw him and centered the ball not in front of the goal the defenders were running into after Vëantur, but a little backwards to Tar Aldarion who shot a cannon one-timer from just the edge of the box from behind the crowd of defenders closing in. Manwë didn’t have a clear line of sight to the ball but still got his fingers in the way of the ball when it came, but it was not enough to change the trajectory of the ball to deny the goal. The spectators burst into cheers, for even if there was slight favour in support for team The Sea amongst the locals it was not that great – but now everyone felt the equalizer was well earned indeed – and many hoped The Sea would put in a winning goal as well in the last seven minutes. But that never happened. So one more draw from group E. The Sea 1-1 Valimar* on target 5-3 tot shots 15-10 GOALS: 35, 0-1 Alatar (Vaire) 83, 1-1 Tar Aldarion (Tar Minastir) YELLOW CARDS: Sea- Osse, Veantur Valimar- Amrod, Alatar If the afternoon match between The Sea and Valimar had been more or less like a children’s train ride in an amusement park (except the last twenty minutes), the evening match with the home team against the men of Hithlum was a first class rollercoaster ride where the elderly spectators sure needed their pills to stay alive following the game. Let a random fact illuminate the intensity of the game: Hithlum shot 20 and The Havens 19 shots. That means, cutting the corners, that there was a shot intended at scoring every other minute during the whole game. Forty shots! Knowing the result of the first match both teams knew a win would be worth silmarils in regards qualification, so both teams really pressed hard to score from the first minutes onwards. And it was easy to see why the game was so balanced between the two sides: Havens’ elven defence with Cirdan at the goal is steady and strong but Hithlum’s attack is one of the fiercest in the whole tournament. Then again Hithlum’s defences are not the best there are, but even if Tuor and Eärendil are major figures they are not in the same class with Húrin, Turin and Hador Goldenhead. But both teams gave it all they had. It is actually interesting how different teams receive an image from the media and how unfounded those images may be. If you asked before the tournament from any journalist or analyst about teams Hithlum and The Havens they would have told you that Hithlum would be badly defending attacking whirlwind outshooting every other team in the cup and that The havens would be a mediocre and dull team not able to either attack or defend well enough to get through but maybe from the weakest groups (like G). And here the teams were arranging such a shooting-gallery not many teams could put up – and both teams were also defending remarkably well forcing a host of shots to go wide the mark while both goalies did a marvellous job picking those shots that came on target. So if there were elves in the stands watching the game who were not football fans yet they sure were turned into ones! The home team opened scoring on 21st minute when Eärendil passed the ball to his dad between the legs of the great Arroch defending at the edge of the box – and Tuor nailed the ball in from close quarters, again between the legs, of Aradan this time. After fifteen minutes it was time for Túrin to show some willpower. You can see an animated re-enactment of the goal here here. Now that could be called determination – and confidence in one’s own skills! The second half was just as intense as the first one had been. After a few hits at the posts and few tight saves The Havens went ahead another time from a nice free-kick trick. Grithnir had fouled Eärendil close the box and was carded for his foul. The wall was prepared and both Tuor and his son stood behind the ball ready to give the free kick. With everyone’s eyes at the father and son, no one quite realised that Andreth was standing idly beside the ball looking forwards like concentrating on a run after the ball would be off. But when the referee blew his whistle and Tuor and Eärendil glanced at each other dashing forwards one after another it was actually Andreth who turned quickly about and passed the ball – with dad and son still a few meters away from the ball – sideways to king Olwë who rushed in from behind – and booted it from the bottom of his heart and to the back of the net having a clear path for the ball. Aradan stood no chance there as he realised it with all the others way too late what was happening. The homecrowds were cheering crazily. But Hithlum was not giving in – and neither was The Havens falling back to just defend their goal. So the high-paced game continued. All fans were literally standing on their toes for any action on the field as it was so fast and furious any could lead into a goal by either side. On 60th minute there was a beautiful family-effort when Morwen passed the ball from midfield to her husband running towards the box, but instead of taking the ball into his control he passed it back diagonally with a onetimer touch to where his daughter Nienor had rushed creating some major disarray in the defences. But instead of passing the ball to Hador who was breaking through on the other side, Nienor just stopped the ball realising her brother coming behind her with full speed – and stepping aside she gave Túrin a perfect shot into open. The shot would have knocked out a raging bull but it went just a few inches off target (which actually wasn’t a bull of any sorts but The Havens’ goal). On 63rd minute Aegnor made a run with the ball to the end of the field and centered the ball at the last moment being pressed by Grithnir. Eärendil slided to the ball from under Arroch but the touch was bad and the ball went high up ending up to the roof of the goal. On 68th minute The Havens were up to it again. This time it was Eärendil’s astonishing singular performance when from a counter-attack he flew through half the field alone leaving Androg and Gethron behind with nice dribbles but finally shooting Arroch managed to dash into the way and the ball went from it’s back far off the pitch – giving the home team only a throw they managed to waste. On 70th Nienor made an effort from 30+ meters and Cirdan managed hardly to fist the ball away. In the ensuing row for the rebound in front of the goal Túrin managed to nick the ball from between Elwing and Annael backwards to Hador who was breaking in – and he hammered the ball in from full speed with no one being able to deny him. It was even once again with twenty minutes to go! On 78th minute Hithlum was on it once more. This time Morewn’s intelligent pass reached Húrin behind the defencive line and he was about to shoot when the referee whistled offside. Túrin protested mightily but was pulled away by his sister before he got booked. On 84th minute Tuor and Eärendil made a combined run towards the goal on a quick turnaround. Nearing the box Eärendil suddenly fell back just a little to confuse Grithnir shadowing him enough to buy time for a pass – and he succeeded in sending the ball exactly to the feet of his dad rushing forwards on his left but just as he was going to shoot Arroch managed to put him off balance just enough for the shot to fly high over the goal. The crowds were demanding a penalty but the referee was firm. On 88th minute Húrin was elbowed nastily by Elwing when they were reaching for the high ball coming from Aradan. Húrin’s mouth was bleeding and Elwing got carded. Húrin was taken outside the pitch to be stiched and Túrin took the free-kick from about 25 meters. The homecrowds were holding their breath… The shot went straight to the wall and bounced high up. Hador beat Lindo to the header and the ball went towards the low-left corner of the goal. Cirdan dived for it but somehow couldn’t catch it… the ball slipped from his fingers and hit the post from where it bounced into Annael’s leg taking another bounce back towards the goal. Olwë and Nienor slided towards the ball both trying to reach it only to collide into Cirdan who was trying to rise up after the ball. The ball hit Olwë in the back and bounced outwards from the goal where Hador was running with full speed – and he was just giving it a shot when he missed his balance, possibly aided by Eärwen trailing him, and both of them ended up in the pile began by Olwë and Nienor felling Annael as well while they went down. Amidst the chaos Elwing finally beat Túrin to the ball and just kicked it as far off as she could to make good her initial fault. It was still even. And when the game actually resumed after a lot of discussion as to who did what and to whom and in which purpose or within or off the rules, the referee whistled it over and done with. With some heated feelings flaring after the final whistle Tuor came to Túrin offering his shirt as a token of good will and mutual respect, and after a short pause his cousin accepted the exchange with an embrace. With Hador and Andreth doing the same the other players finally realised the game was over and that they were friends after all – and slowly also the audiences started chanting for both the teams and in praise of a tough and even game. The problem with group E though seems to be too many even games… After four games no one has won a game but all games have ended in a draw. So the stakes will be astonishingly high on the last round. And even if every team wishes to qualify, it is clear no team wishes to meet FC Valinor in their first play-off game. So it is not only about winning the last game but about winning the last game with better goal difference the other possible winner does it. We sure are looking forwards to those games! Hithlum 2-2 The Havens on target 8-8 tot shots 20-19 GOALS: 21, 0-1 Tuor (Earendil) 37, 1-1 Turin (Hurin) 56, 1-2 Olwe (Andreth) 70, 2-2 Hador (Turin) YELLOW CARDS: Hithlum- Arroch, Grithnir Havens- Andreth, Elwing Two games: Hithlum 2 4-4 The Havens 2 3-3 The Sea 2 3-3 Valimar 2 1-1 Last matches: Valimar vs. Hithlum The Havens vs. The Sea As all games have ended in a draw any team who wins their last game will qualify. In cases of further draws Hithlum has as now the best situation having scored the most and Valimar is in the worst situation, but the number of goals scored in the last round will finally settle the order of the teams. __________________ Upon the hearth the fire is red Beneath the roof there is a bed; But not yet weary are our feet...