ARDA CUP Football 2012

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

Gondolin at AC Beleriand, Mithrim

This was only the second Arda Cup game to be held in the lakeside stadium of Mithrim, but the stadium was once again playing host to a team touted as one of the favourites to win the Cup. When Fëanor accepted his half-brother’s offer to provide a home arena, he also gave provisions for its expansion. The original stadium had a capacity of forty-thousand spectators, but the new arena seated almost fifty-thousand with the same level of comfort as the old stadium.

And it was indeed fit to host the latest team assembled by Fëanor, a collection of talent that, admittedly, would not rival the great Formenos team, winner of the 2008 tournament; but in the new era of the salary cap, it was one of those closest to being a super team. Surely few need introduction to the football talents of the Fiery Boot, as well as Fingolfin, Beren, Eöl, and Ecthelion. But even their less renowned names were pulling their weight: Marach was one of the ten best goalkeepers in the tournament, and the Imlach-Rochallor pairing was one of the best centre-back tandems, the core of the fourth-stingiest defence in the tournament, allowing the fewest shots per game (10) against names such as Glaurung and Thuringwethil. Their closest rivals were the mearas pair Snowmane-Shadowfax (10.3 shots allowed per game), but the only comparable striker in Rohan’s group was Durin’s Bane. AC Beleriand was definitely strong on both ends of the pitch, and they have proven it against quality opponents.

They would have to prove it again, however. They were up against another quality opponent in Gondolin, led by the Sharp Boot Maeglin and the Lord of the Balrogs Gothmog, qualifying second from Group B due to a draw with Inter Beleriand and a crushing victory over Arnor. After meeting Glorfindel in an Eriador uniform and Turgon in an Inter Beleriand one, Gondolin would once again face their city’s son in another shirt: AC Beleriand defender Ecthelion was part of their 2010 Arda Cup-winning squad (Fingolfin and Eöl as well). Ecthelion would also be meeting his bane and close friend Gothmog, and their match-up was one of the most heavily anticipated ones in this game.

There would be none of that, though. Guarding the Balrog chief would be Imlach and Rochallor, after Fëanor, with advice from Fingolfin, refused to break up the proven central defence partnership. They have kept a dragon silent before, and surely they could do the same to a Balrog. Ecthelion would then be free to make his runs from deep or act as a sweeper should their defence be breached.

The first half game turned out to be very conservative, as if the two teams were just shyly asking each other’s names for forty-five minutes. The only exciting moments came whenever Fëanor or Maeglin got enough space to make a solo run, but for most parts they were guarded well: the Fiery Boot by Aranwë and Pengolodh, the Sharp Boot by his grandfather Fingolfin.

When the two teams streamed out of the locker room after the interval, the supporters of both teams gave a nervous cheer. They were uneasy; both teams were built to score in buckets, so why were they being passive? The home crowd heaved a huge sigh of relief just three minutes after the restart. Elemmakil was caught napping when Ecthelion dribbled past him and continued past Galdor. He got a cross in as Beren streaked towards the six-yard box. With Fëanor holding back the Gondolin centre-backs, the One-Handed was unmarked as he headed in Ecthelion’s ball. Rog parried it out, but there was Eöl to bicycle-kick in the rebound, and finally, the scoring was opened.

Everyone expected Gondolin to push for a goal more fiercely after that, and so they did. But the chances they gained were too few and too tame. Meleth, pressed by Beren, was unable to send forward balls to Duilin or Elemmakil. Duilin found Bregolas persistently goalside of him, and he couldn’t get enough space to make a sudden forward run or to play a through pass to the forwards. Fingolfin chased Maeglin all around the pitch, willing to be dragged centre or right just to keep the Sharp Boot from finding room to work in. And Gothmog found himself bracketed by Rochallor and Imlach; he couldn’t outrun Rochallor, nor could he outdribble Imlach. The few times he got away from them there was Ecthelion to stand as the last sentinel between him and Marach. More often than not, a Gondolin run at goal resulted in a fast break opportunity for AC Beleriand, and Salgant once earned a booking for grabbing Beren’s shirt when Denethor was about to send him through for a one-on-one with Rog.

Disaster struck Gondolin in the seventieth minute, when Salgant collected his second yellow. Ulrad dispossessed the holding midfielder on the edge of the box, and his clumsy sliding tackle brought the outlaw down, clutching his shin. He had to be brought out to be treated, while the offender was sent off. Down to ten players, Gondolin found it increasingly difficult to muster an attack while keeping safe at the back. Soon AC Beleriand’s advantage in the midfield swung the possession battle in their favour, and Gondolin found themselves pegged back in their own box. Fëanor ended all resistance with an impressive effort, a roulette that took him past Pengolodh and then a dragback that sent Aranwë the wrong way; his subsequent curler proved a bit too high for Rog to reach.

Gondolin fans started streaming out of the stadium after AC Beleriand’s second goal. This was a team that had limited Nargothrond to only one goal, and there was no way Gondolin would get two in fifteen minutes, not with the way the two teams were playing. Maeglin almost pulled a goal out of thin air three minutes before time with a stunning right flank run; his cross connected with Gothmog’s head, but the Balrog fired straight at Marach. Soon, the final whistle was blown, and most of the AC Beleriand players calmly walked out of the pitch to the applause of the home crowd (Eöl and Ecthelion stayed behind to exchange shirts). A quarterfinal berth was not this team was created for; they wouldn’t be happy until they have the Cup at hand.

AC Beleriand 2-0 Gondolin
GOALS:
48, 1-0 Eöl (Beren)
75, 2-0 Fëanor (Ulrad)

Total Shots
15-11
Shots On Target
6-3

YELLOW CARDS:
AC Bel: Imlach, Rochallor
Gondolin: Galdor, Salgant
RED CARDS:
Gondolin: Salgant (70, second yellow)

Exit interviews from Doriath and Gondolin shall soon be provided in the ArdaCup.com Tactical Review.