5th of July, 2016
Authored by TNC Media Writer, Kasch. Antarticeuropa 2 - 0 Aragnatim
The Aragnatimian national team was not looking as strong as they previously had been as they walked out of the stadium tunnel and onto the newly washed pitch. The atmosphere soaked the air as people got to their seats, watching on as the players trained before the game. It was almost time for kick off, the refs prepping the officials and the players getting into their positions for the start of the match. The whistle went, and the game began. A loud echoing cheer of applause rippled throughout the stadium as the game rushed into action, the players settling into the matchup.
Straight away, it was clear that Aragnatim were on the back foot, the Antarticeuropan midfielders passed it out wide to the wingers, who would proceed to ruthlessly whip the ball into the box. The defence looked worn out at 20 minutes, proving that the Aragnatimian team were in for one hell of a battle if they wished to stay in the tournament. Antarticueropa were here to prove that they were not a team to be underestimated. Just before the 44th minute, it was up to AE striker Pepe Kalmár to score the first goal. A beautifully weighted through-ball tore apart the defense as Kalmár rushed in behind the back two defenders. One on One with the keeper, she smartly faked a shot, sending the keeper tumbling towards the bottom left corner, before calmly slotting the ball into the center of the net.
Getting the second half started, Aragnatim seemed to have forgotten their passion and left it in the changing rooms. The players looked like zombies, even the manager hadn't gotten up from his seat yet. The Antarticeuropan strikers had not let the Aragnatimian defenders take one minute off as they mercilessly fired at the net. Chance after chance came until the 82nd minute when AE defender Jeptha Bartosz was taken down just outside the box. The ball was placed on the spot and drew the attention of everyone in the stadium. AE winger Wallace Thayer stepped up to take the shot. He ran slowly up to the ball and struck hard through it. The ball rose far too high but seemingly chose a path of its own and dipped incredibly fast to match the height of the crossbar. The keeper saw it too late and couldn't get a hand to it, putting AE two goals up with 7 minutes remaining. The final whistle followed shortly after, that was it for Aragnatim.
Lorbank 0 - 2 Northern Scovia
Northern Scovia shocked everyone today by beating one of the tournament favourites, Lorbank. Everything was going well for Lorbank throughout the first half, they had managed to keep the ball for most of the time. 95% of their passes were successful and things were looking good, They were yet to score, but things were getting close. After many chances in front of goal, Northern Scovia utilised the Lorbankian fatigue and shot off into a number of lethal counter attacks. One of these counter attacks, fell just short of 67 minutes when Northern Scovian winger Issiah Churchill skipped past the defensive midfielders and rushed through into the box. He laid the ball off to striker Gavin Polanska, who buried it in the top right corner. The stadium fell silent as the 76% of Lorbankian fans who had shown up didn't know what to say, but they all thought the same thing. Could this be it?
Lorbank had nothing to lose during the last 20 minutes and went all out attack to try and save their tournament campaign, but in the end, nothing came of it. In a brutal last minute push, Norther Scovia managed to get the ball into the box and create a very last chance. The ball rolled out of the box to the feet of powerful defensive midfielder Melecio Rudolph, who powered the ball through a cluster of players and into the bottom left. Northern Scovia had seen one of the best victories in their national sporting history.
Kialga-Lourti 1 - 2 Sadakoyama
Possibly one of the greatest international footballing comebacks in history, the Sadakoyaman spirit prevailed in this great contest of power and determination. Both teams had it in their hearts to win for their country. Both wanted to prove the world that they could win at such a desperate stage of the tournament. Both countries froze as people from all over tuned in to watch one of the greatest games of the tournament. All of the players were not there to earn money, nor were they there for their own individual gain, they were there to show that they loved their country and that they would do whatever it takes to put their team into the next round. If there was a game to represent the values and the expectations of international football, this match would be it. The goals did not matter in this match, the emotions however, held all the experience one could need. What started with a kick, ended with a hug and a handshake.
The game began with a slow start, each player taking in the experience. Each player looking out over the ocean of heads and flags, smiling as they knew that they had won. Not the game, but the fans. Each player could feel the support, the overwhelming sound of your name in a chant. It was visible to see that they couldn't have been happier to play in such a match. The managers stood at the base of a 97,500 fan stadium, completely packed. So many people had done whatever they could to watch this game. Then what the fans saw, was the true greatness of the beautiful game. Pushed into just 90 minutes. It was no longer about the result. It was about the moment, never to be forgotten by anyone who witnessed it.
Kialga-Lourti managed to score the opening goal in the 66th minute after a precisely delivered cross from the edge of the box met the head of Colby Giles. The ball drilled hard into the grass and bounced out of the keeper's reach. The fans erupted into cheer as they jumped and celebrated. An overwhelming sense of joy filled the stadium, chants from both sides, waves and laughter. Sadakoyama had taken a big hit. They needed two goals to go through. But to the surprise of the fans, they were more patient than expected, waiting for the energy reserves of the opposition to run dry. In the 89th minute, they finally managed to equalise.
A late injury meant that ball was to be kicked back to the keeper, but there were just 55 seconds left in the game. The keeper launched the ball up into the corner of the pitch where it rolled out of play. All seemed lost. The Sadakoyaman strikers had nothing left to give, but the world was backing them as the underdogs. With just half a minute left in play, the Sadakoyaman midfield managed to gain possession. This was it, now or never. Rodger Seward, the experienced Sadakoyaman midfielder, lobbed the ball into the box, where the ball was brilliantly controlled by young striker Ally Faerber. He turned the last defender and crossed the ball low into the 6-yard box. Super substitute Cesarino Sherman tapped the ball into the bottom right corner, sending the crowd into a frenzy of joy and celebration. The stadium shook as players and fans rushed onto the pitch to celebrate with the scoring player. Even the manager jumped in on the pile. The game was going on into extra time.
The final half an hour or so was upon us. Now was the chance for each player to make themselves legends. The ball wasn't moving as quickly around the pitch, each team carefully planning their attacks so that a mess up wouldn't happen. Within the final few minutes, it would be a decisive tackle that seals the game. The ball came through to the promising Sadakoyaman striker Manny Hutson who took the ball past two of the defenders before being taken down roughly inside the box. The referee, exhausted as he was, pointed to the spot and blew his whistle. Everyone had their eyes fixated on the player and the ball as he stepped up to take the shot. A goal would mean a win and a miss would mean a penalty shootout. The confident young lad ran up to the ball and struck it powerfully down the center of the net. The keeper went the wrong way and that was the game, sealed. Everyone, from the fans to the manager, rushed onto the pitch, screaming and laughing as their team had finally won. After 120 minutes of grueling football, it had finally concluded.
Serwall 0 - 1 Kaschovia
Unfortunately, this game was not as good as the previous, but still held it's ground as a good game. Things were boring, very boring. Kaschovia had decided to go with five defenders and just one striker, trying to limit the chances that the opposition could have at scoring. It would eventually take 78 minutes for the very first chance of the game to happen, a shot fell wide of the post. Many fans started leaving early on, already knowing that not much was there to watch in the first place. It was a rainy cold night, the players were not used to playing in such conditions and therefore slipped over quite often. The goal came at 82 minutes in when a very inaccurate pass back to the goalkeeper was intercepted by lone Kaschovian striker Oliver Hayes. He dribbled deep into the box and took the ball around the keeper. All he needed to do was tap it in, and that was what he did. There wasn't much of a crazy reaction from the 30,000 or so fans who had travelled to see their teams play.
But that was it for the first Knockout Round.
Thanks for reading!