Group E @ Erebor
The day was full of anticipation. With the homeside drawing with Wilderland on the first round everything was open – and a lot would depend on this day’s games. And the draw had also rekindled the hopes of those who supported the Misty Mountains. So even if Eriador was like it would qualify, with the draw of Erebor and Wilderland there were now three contenders for the second place. And sure the homeside fans and many others wished Eriador could be beaten and thrown off – the posh Westerners… And yes, if they only managed to win Misty Mts. 2-1 – would they be vulnerable indeed, or was it because Misty Mts. is indeed a good team?
Loads of orcs and trolls and Lothlórien elves had rushed to Erebor after the first round to support Misty Mts. and so in the end the fans of both Wilderland and Misty Mts. were quite even in attendance while many of the local dwarves tended to support Misty Mts. just hoping their support to the opponent of their own perceived rival number one would somehow help things out for their own team.
It is funny how things go. Before the tournament no none would have thought Misty Mts. but a walk-through for Wilderland – but suddenly with a draw in Wilderland’s back and Misty Mts., making a decent effort against the favourites Eriador – everything seemed like open in a totally new way – even if neither result was like some real news to anyone…
So when the referee whistled the game started there was a huge roar of the crowds. The winner of this first game would be soo close qualifying – and Misty Mts. was taken seriously by every Wilderland supporter – this was going to be a killer!
Both teams started the game in careful fashion which earned them some booing from the stands as everyone were looking for daringly attacking football – and slowly things started happening and Wilderland started controlling the game. But with no results.
Indeed Misty Mts. defences proved especially hard for Wilderland attack to get rid of: Caradhras was immobile maybe but hard to get around while the witless troll William had pure physical power and stamina to hold lesser attackers in check quite easily; The Watcher’s eerie and timeless presence was enough to make even stronger souls to hesitate – and Gwaihir had speed, power and presence to challenge even Scatha.
But just before the half-time it happened! Thranduil wrestled himself free from William’s embrace and went for a header to the ball centered by Radagast – and heading it with a curve from behind Caradhras left the Chief Wolf no chance of seeing it coming until it was too late.
Wilderland was thus leading 1-0 when the teams retreated from the field for the half-time – the Wilderland –fans were singing loudly whilst the supporters of Misty Mountains team were too nervous to stay at the stands and were queuing for sausages and beer at the interval.
Misty Mts. came to the second half with some real decision forcing Wilderland intob defencive mode. Durin’s Bane was especially on fire forcing his way through the ent-defences despite their supposed eqaulity of physical power.
And to the great delight of the Misty Mts. fans and the mixed joy of Erebor supporters Durin’s Bane actually set the scores even with a scaringly powerful curveball from the edge of the box.
Wilderland answered the equalizer with putting in a new gear and went on their normal frenzied-attcking –style – which gave their fans a real boost – and with that to them as well. And suddenly Misty Mts’s decisiveness and self-confidence was washed away.
Six minutes from the earlier goal Scatha then scored Wilderland into the lead again with his typical tail-shot from inside the box totally dieregarding the attempts of William to stop him. Well what was a troll to move a dragon?
But from somewhere the Misty Mts. still found a new pace to fight for the evener – and the game was back on the Wilderland half of the pitch – even if especially Thranduil proved dangerous with his fast runs forwards when Misty Mts. concentrated all their effort in the offence.
It paid off though for Misty Mts. Pressing on resulted in a number of corners and from one given by Rumil the ball went to the edge of the box from where Durin’s Bane chested it towards the goal but just as Skinbark was “boughing” it away Azog dived in between and headed the ball from the reach of Skinbark and into the net behind the totally astonished Great Warg.
Wilderland tried to force the game back to the Misrty Mts. side for the last ten minutes and partly succeeded – but only partly for the whole Misty Mts. team had dropped back to defend their goal – except Durin’s Bane and Azog whose presence at the midfield forced Wilderland to keep a few players back there to guard them as well.
And so the game ended in a draw. A great result for the Misty Mts. fans but nightmare to the Wilderlanders.
Misty Mts 2-2 Wilderland
on target 5-7
tot shots 13-18
GOALS:
*43, 0-1 Thranduil (Radagast)
*60, 1-1 DBane (Narvi)
*66, 1-2 Scatha (Fimbrethil)
*78, 2-2 Azog (DBane)
YELLOW CARDS:
*MMts- Gwaihir, Orophin
*Wilder- Oropher, Fimbrethil
With Wilderland struggling against Misty Mts. and forced to a draw the home crowds were torn with different interpretations they should make out of it… but winning Eriador would just change everything – or even drawing the game – and was this Eriador team really the last year’s finalists, winning Misty Mts. only 2-1? If the Misty Mts. managed such a result why shouldn’t Erebor make it better?
With an insecure confidence the home crowds welcomed the hometeam into the field – while most of the visitors to the mountain gave their loudest cheers to the Erebor team as well – oh how they loved to hate the Western elves and men with their self-imposed “nobility” – although some elves from Lórien did support the Eriador team.
The name of the game became quite clear early on. Eriador was shutting the wild offence of Erebor out quite confidently not letting them shoot but from very bad angles or under pressure. But Eriador was neither the attacking team number one as everyone knew: yes they made decent attacks and in the end seemed even a bit more dangerous on offence than the home team, but there was not the flair or sparkle of going forwards you could see with Wilderland or Erebor at their best. Sadly for the fans Eriador seemed more than cabable of shutting up any flaring attacks from the home team this day.
And just before the break Eriador hit it in. NogWight gave a neat backwards heel-pass on ground to Isildur inside the box his back against the defence exploiting the weakness of the eagles in the defence – and Isildur manged to get rid of Thorin with the ball and to shoot it from near enough giving Beorn no chance to catch it.
It was 0-1 on the break and the homeside fans were gnawing their nails. It was not that uneven a game but somehow Eriador just seemed to produce the results unlike their own team. It was so annoying and yet Eriador played just that inch sharper and cooler – and there was nothing the fans could do about it.
And that was true of the second period as well – even if Erebor rushed into it with some real energy getting the crowds high with their effort – only to be shut off by the Eriador defences and their organized midfield.
Erebor was soon exhausted with the effort they made early on the second period and the game gradually turned towards the Erebor side in the end but even with the decent tries by Glorfindel, Isildur, Arveleg and NogWight there was not to be a second goal on their favour either – and so Eriador won 1-0 securing their qualification in no uncertain terms.
Like Gil-Galad had said in the press conference in the morning: “You fight only when you have to”. That is not probably entertaining for the crowds but it seems to be effective as far as the results go – and securing number one seat from this group was vital for them anyway as the second of the group will most probably meet FC Valinor the next round...
Erebor 0-1 Eriador
on target 3-5
tot shots 12-12
GOALS:
*40, 0-1 Isildur (NogWight)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Erebor- Smaug, Dain, Nazgul#7
*Eriador- Isildur
Code:
Team W-D-L Pts. Score
Eriador 2-0-0 6 3-1
Wilderland 0-2-0 2 5-5
Erebor 0-1-1 1 3-4
Misty Mts. 0-1-1 1 3-4
Last games:
Eriador vs. Wilderland
Erebor vs. Misty Mountains