Shanghai Premier League

 
Team:

Gk: Banners
RB: Luke
LB: Santi
CB: Pete
CB: Ivan
RM: Roddi
LM: Obi
CM: Mikey
CM: Phil
ST: Pete
ST: Andrey

 

After the New Year off season there’s nothing better than a bit of cup action to clean out the cogs and work off the Spring Festival hangover. Going into this quarter final tie boasting a 2 year unbeaten record in the competition, there was more than pride at stake for the side whose league form has seen a slight blip in recent weeks.

However though the Chinese are back to work, the side found themselves without holidayers: Uidam, O’Maonaigh-Lennon, Cutler, Ortiz (senior) and Captain Kelly. So it was left to a makeshift outfit to defend the teams honour and recapture the fluidity seen in last year’s success.

With Kelly absent, podcast veteran Phil Boyle assumed the motivational role, organising and barking orders whilst fulfilling his traditional ball winning duties in midfield with partner Mikey.


-Kick Off-


The game started slow, the Galacticos appearing slightly unfamiliar with the new side. Yet eventually, having pressed hard a goal was yielded. After some fine play down the left, Andrea was left to coolly slot the ball past the hapless keeper.

Yet as so often warned, a team is most vulnerable when they have just scored. How mantras hold true. Riding a crest of optimism from the breakthrough, a brief loss of shape left an otherwise watertight defence hapless to prevent a well taken headed goal from the Bulls. Game on.

 

-Half Time-

 

Up and ready again, the Galacticos attacked their opponents’ goal with renewed vigour. Roddi continued to run ring down the right with the same drive and weave he has produced all season, proving he is not a mere Messi lookalike. With the pressure of several went close, part-time striker Robinson netting only to see his maiden goal ruled offside by the judicious linesman.

The deadlock was eventually broken approximately 15 minutes from time. With a freekick about 30 yards from goal up stepped centre back Pete. Despite the murmurs of the Bulls defence that it was “too far out”, Pete undeterred sent a curling shot towards goal. Though seemingly a tame catch, the keeper and players alike were aghast to see the ball spin out of the keeper’s hands into the net. 2-1

A short while later the same man went close again from a similar position, skimming the outside of the right post. Roddi and Mikey both had chances to kill the game off and with the Galacticos dominating every stat, it seemed more likely that it would be a third rather than an equaliser in the future.

Yet football is a fickle sport, and five minutes from time the Bulls meted out punishment for the failure to put the game beyond doubt. From a corner the ball cruelly struck the arm of a Galacticos defender with the ref pointing to the spot, followed by a cool conversion, we were set for a shootout.

On the back of the shootout defeat in the Santa Cup final, nerves were raised and eyes downcast as the question was asked “So, who wants to take one?” Yet in reality the worry was for nothing. With Banners in goal making two panther like save and all the Galacticos kick takers nonchalantly netting their kicks, it was the Men in Gold who won the day and advanced to the next round.

 
 


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