[Nogrod]

Group F

The Númenorians gathered into the Armenelos Stadium for the last time this year filling the benches as soon as the gates were opened. Wineskins were passed from hand to hand as all the savoury snacks, tapas, pies, salted almonds and pistachios, nuts and figs, all that food the Númenoreans loved. And on this third day of the games also the visitors from Beleriand and Tol Eressëa were starting to blend in enjoying the festive athmosphere and the local habits of having a several-hour pic-nic at the stadium before the games began. But even if the general mood was light and playful, even congenial, there was nervousness and fears mixed with high hopes and excitement bubbling under.

Hithlum had been relegated already but how well would they stand up against the mighty Ulmo and his Maiar and the great elves? The Númenorians prayed for grandfather Tuor´s squad to somehow find a new gear and beat Tol Eressëa, or at least force them to a draw – and they laid their hopes strongly on TolEressëa’s bad track record in scoring (only one goal in two matches), hoping they would not find a cure for that defect in their team. The Tol Eressëa supporters were naturally afraid of just that and praying for the exact opposite; that the female trio of Earwen, Elwing and Uinen would find their game and start to deliver like the powerhouse of Miriel, Nerdanel and Arien does for team Valinor in Group G.

What comes to the match between Númenor and Westernesse, it seemed the islanders had started to separate more strongly into two groups. The one party thought team Westernesse should let team Númenor win to give them chances of qualifying as in that way both Númenorian teams could make their way to the play-offs. That tactical defeat should be done for the greater glory of Númenor, they argued. The others naturally argued the opposite: to them losing willingly was not only degrading and un-Númenorian, but also a very bad omen predicting troubles to team Westernesse – which in the eyes of most people belonging to this latter party represented the height of Númenorian strength, honor and greatness. If Westernesse played a sloppy game now, how would they find their top gear in the next match in the play-offs against Anfaughlith or Angband where both the stakes and the quality of the opponent were so much higher?


~*~

The first match was a game between two defensive teams – even if a glance at Mithrim’s goals allowed column couldn’t tell that to a casual reader. But to the honour of team Mithrim one must admit they didn’t seem to have come to the pitch only to kick the ball around as they had nothing to gain in this match, but they seemed to be playing seriously, playing for their honour if for nothing else. Some of course noted that Tuor might have rallied his team around him in the lockers to play not only for their honour but also for his grandchildren.

Be it as it may, Mithrim was playing well and the game looked pretty even in the beginning. But the very thing the homecrowd feared the most happened anyway at the 25th minute. Tol Eressëa got a corner and Ulmo himself came up to aid with it. Uinen delivered the corner as usual, but not into the front of the goal where most players were packed, but diagonally backwards to the middle where Lindo stood totally unguarded about 25 meters from the goal. The defense reacted to this new situation which gave Ulmo just enough room to jump for it (meaning Brodda let go of his shirt turning to look where the ball was). With a wisely timed pass Lindo found Ulmo’s head rising the highest in front of the goal – and Ulmo scored.

And then it was the time for the famous Tol Eressëa lockdown play the Númenoreans had learned so bitterly to hate on round 1. So everytime they lost the control of the ball, they hastily grouped all their players under the ball so MIthrim was always facing all ten players and the goalie in front of them. It was like a wall of defense never showing a weak spot. It didn’t give Tol Eressëa too many chances to score themselves either, but they were at the lead and that was enough for them. It was not beautiful, but it sure was effective, once again.

Like the last time, parts of the crowds started booing to Tol Eressëa on the second half as they found their tactics both boring and unfair, but the football aficionados knew better: it was admirable and cool how they cut every Mithrim lines of passing, how they took away the time and space from Mithrim attack after they had gotten to the midfield, how they managed to always find someone to guard any forwards of Mithrim trying some unpredictable runs, well just how total and overwhelming it was. TolEressëa’s lockdown play was just superb, and no wonder as the mastermind behind it was none less than Ulmo himself.

And the crowd hadn’t seen all yet. The Tol Eressëa forwards had made a few individual efforts on running it forwards but after a crude mistake by Aerin at midfield Uinen managed to cut her pass and sent it forwards to Earwen who got Elwing with her into the sudden change of tempo. Together they zigzagged the defenses down unawares and Earwen scored into the empty goal as they had fooled Tuor big time in the end.

That was more like what the Tol Eressëa supporters wished to see and they praised their ladies in standing ovation. The Númenorians were impressed by the performance, but at the same time they realized the chances of team Númenor were getting ever slimmer.

And that was how it ended: Tol Eressëa got a secure 2-0 victory and took a huge step towards qualifying.

Let’s hear what Tuor had to say in the post-game press-conference:

“Well, of course I’m disappointed. And I do think that some of the criticism towards me has been to the point – even if it hasn’t always been fair. Yes, I may have taken this post a bit hastily thinking gathering players you just know could make for a team while forming a team seems to require so much more. Also I think I have not been the best man to lead other men and women as all of my life I have lived with elves. So that would be a natural direction to me the next year… maybe playing with my dear Idril and well, Eärendil, that would be a dream come true… my father in law, oh that would be great, or Glorfindel, Voronwë, or Gelmir and Arminas… you know. I do miss my elven family and friends.”


Mithrim 0-2 Tol Eressea
tot shots 10-11
on target 3-5
GOALS:
*25, 0-1 Ulmo (Lindo)
*74, 0-2 Earwen (Elwing)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Mithrim- Aerin
*TolEressea- Voronwe, Osse


Tol Eressëa’s confident victory over Mithrim had forced team Númenor into a situation where a three goal win was required from them if they wished to qualify. Would Westernesse ever submit to that? Any sensible answer to that would have to be no. The supporters of team Númenor knew it deep down in their hearts even if they wished to think it was possible.

From the first minutes it was clear both teams were into it for real and the crowd was served some real quality football with both teams keeping a balanced formation all the time while showing some really nice combinations in building the attacks, some flashing individual talent in attack and defense, and sacrifying defending (with Númenor having a free kick from 18 meters both Elros and Ar Pharazôn took their places in the wall exposing themselves to the cannon-blast of Ar Gimilzôr).

Both teams played for their pride, but Númenor also needed the win, a big win, and thus they were slightly dominating the field the first twenty minutes or so. But Westernesse never gave in and slowly the tables were turned and Westernesse started having the edge while team Númenor got somewhat exhausted from the effort.

So when Tar Minastir hammered the ball in from a neat freeing pass by Elros just about five minutes before the half-time, no one was actually surprised. Westernesse was in the lead, and looking at what was going on in the field, they truly earned it.

The second half started with Númenor giving it yet again a spirited effort and gaining the control of the game for a short while but little by little the more physical and talented Westernesse-players turned the game once more into their advantage. At sixtieth minute Westernesse scored untypically for them from a quick counter-attack. Númenor had managed to make a decent build-up for an attack and was passing the ball around Westernesse’s box when Tar Telperion cut the pass from Vardamir to Tar Miriel and sent in far away to the offense. The two lowest defenders were guarding Elros and Ar Pharazôn – and the ball was coming some ten meters left of them. But seeing that Ar Adunakhôr was rushing forwards as well the two made a nice trick: they ran diagonally towards the ball looking like they were both trying to cut it’s flight. Tar Calmacil and Tar Ciryatan were forced to reckon with the dangerous forwards and rushed after them… while Ar Adunakhôr sneaked forwards beside them. When Elros and Ar Pharazôn shut the defenders away Ar Adunakhôr was free to run with the ball. Silmariën had no change against the rushing Ar Adunakhôr – and it was 2-0 with half an hour of the play left.

But that goal actually broke the backbone of team Númenor. With a quick count they realized they would have to score five goals in the last half an hour to qualify. That truth was slowly emerging in the minds of their most fervent supporters as well. There was no way team Númenor would qualify. And there wasn’t. Westernesse took it a bit easier the rest of the game but it was clear Númenor wasn’t making a maximum effort either. And so the game ended with 2-0 to Westernesse and the Númenorians cheered for the clear group-winners even if half of them felt betrayed and sour about team Númenor’s fate at the same time. Why couldn’t Elros and Ar Pharazôn yield for once to get two Númenorian teams into the play-offs? It had to be the Gondorians’ fault. Those cousins were to blame for this!

There were actually a few incidents during the following night at some tavernas where Númenor supporters got into heated debate with Gondorian supporters of Westernesse, but the King’s Men dealt with any bar-fights swiftly and effectively dragging all rebel-rousers into custody. No one died and just a handful needed checking at Armenelos Central Hospital.

The press was ready to eat team Númenor representatives alive in the post-group press-conference. Was Númenorian talent so thin that they needed Gondorians to succeed, what was done wrong as they didn’t qualify? What next?

Tar Ancalimon: “I should be one who has seen what becomes when the Númenorians get divided into two rivaling parties… It is sad and we need to learn from our mistakes.”

Tar Miriel: “Well, from my POV forcing unions is no better…”

Tar Ciryatan: “We should build peace as we build our ships, together and with no ire: with respect and mastery of the skills.”

Tar Miriel: “And I do have confidential knowledge from my husband *grits teeth* that there will be no team Westernesse next year, whatever they achieve this year.”

Tar Ciryatan: “We’ll pull our act together the next year.”

Tar Ancalimon: “That maybe a fool’s hope, but Númenor will prevail any year. This time it’s not us but Westernesse, next year, who knows. But Númenor will produce a quality team every year contending for the championship. Mark my words.”


Númenor 0-2 Westernesse
tot shots 9-12
on target 3-6
GOALS:
*39, 0-1 Tar Minastir (Elros)
*60, 0-2 Ar Adunakhôr (Tar Telperion)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Numenor- Tar Meneldur, Tar Elendil
*Westernesse- Ar Pharazôn


Final results, Group F

Westernesse 9p. 8-0(+8)
Tol Eressëa 6p. 3-2(+1)

Númenor 3p. 2-4(-2)
Mithrim 0p. 1-8(-7)


Westernesse will meet the runners up from group C and Tol Eressëa the winners of group C.