[Boromir88]

Group G @ Angfauglith & Tol-in-Gaurhoth

All rounds in Group G will use two arenas to play matches as 3 of the teams in the group could be considered the home team with Imladris being the one feeling "we're not in Eriador anymore." So, the 6 o'clock game would be at Angfauglith Coliseum vs. Imladris, with the primetime match between Angband and Tol-in-Gaurhoth would be played at Tol-in-Gaurhoth's Stadium.

Angfauglith knew they needed a positive result in their match against Imladris, with the deadly Angband and Tol-in-Gaurhoth looming. So, the Coliseum was packed with screaming orcs, murderous-looking balrogs, and swarms of Ungoliant's children. Elladan and Elrohir managed to get a travelling party put together, but it wasn't very large and when combined with the few hundred swooning Figwit fanelves, it only totaled to about 6 or 7 thousand. (those operating the ticket booths had somehow found a way that would break up the Figwit party. While not being a large bunch they could be annoyingly loud and obnoxious all gathered together. But instead of all hundreds being in one section, they were split into groups of 3 to 5 throughout the stands. The organizers thought the stadium was so large they could accomplish this and if surrounding tiny individual pockets of Figwit followers with enthusiastic Angfauglith fans didn't intimidate them into shutting up, then the noise they could make would at least be drowned out). So it was a sea of blood-red in the stadium seats, crowned in unlight (since the spiders were perched on their webs at the top of the stadium)...and the crowd was looking for elvish blood to be spilled yet again on the barren fields of Anfauglith.

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Moments before Imladris entered the field, all the baddies in the stands were gearing up to start jeering. They were going to let this Imladris side really have it. "We're going to let them know right away they're far away from home and will find no comfort with us!" they thought. Yet, when Imladris entered, led by Varda, it was as if the Angfauglith crowd suddenly forgot how to taunt and yell. There was nothing, so great was Varda's entrance they could not raise a sound against her. And all the Imladris heard were the greeting cheers of their own small band of followers. But then Angfauglith entered the stadium and the fear Varda struck into the heart of evil was driven from their minds, they were now roaring and supporting Angfauglith and as the match began, the confidence Imladris would be an easy meal for their team returned.

Yet as the 1st half minutes kept ticking away, it became clear Imladris was not going to be so easy to defeat. Their defense when led by Varda are Arda-class professionals, who were not going to be rattled or intimidated by the crowd. Gothmog was having no room to maneuver, being heavily guarded by Varda. And Ecthelion, who is a good goal-scorer but can't beat being doubled by Erestor and Galdor. It was the issue many had foreseen with Angfauglith this year, their mid-field was not good enough to get enough touches to their scorers up front. It was being easily dominated by Imladris' mid-field.

Although, at the other end, Imladris was having no more creating their own scoring chances against the solid Balrog defenders with a fearsome Ungoliant as the last line of defense. Elladan and Elrohir might be superb against orcs, but they were getting bullied by the balrogs. The half ended without really any excitement during the first 45 as both teams had only managed 3 total shots each. It was a display of defensive excellence by both teams, but the crowd had died down to near silence after 20 minutes or so, and realizing the ineffectiveness of both offenses.

The 2nd half started and the crowd appeared waiting for something to happen and cheer about. It wasn't a goal, but something did happen in the 60th minute that got the crowds attention back into the game. Figwit was given a yellow card after his pass was intercepted by Balrog #3. He tried to get the ball he lost back quickly, and got a bit overzealous clearly charging the Balrog and not actually trying to make a play on the ball. Figwit's fans were swooning over the elf's bravery to challenge a Balrog, but the Angfauglith fans were laughing hysterically because it was Figwit who ended up on his back and he got booked for it too! Then they booed even louder when they realized the ref also gave a yellow to the Balrog because the ref judged it used excessive retaliation force. Kneeing Figwit in the chest was not seen as "accidental."

It did spark the crowd back into the action though, as they began realizing this could be a 0-0 draw, and that was just unacceptable. This was the game Angfauglith needed to win if they wanted to advance. Chances just still weren't materializing though, for either team. Imladris' attack was too weak to get past the Balrogs, but Angfauglith's midfield was too weak to move the ball cleanly from their back line to their upfront playmakers.

Having enough of this nonsense, in the 66th minute, Angfauglith moved their defenders up further, close to the mid-field and Balrog #2 instead of passing it to one of the midfielders, just passed it to Ecthelion. Then Ecthelion and Gothmog played a fantastic 1-2 tandem down the left flank. It was a sudden and smooth attack, and Varda realized Gothmog created a match-up problem as Celebrian was now forced to try to stop the balrog captain. Varda sprinted out of her area to challenge Gothmog, and aid her teammate. But once Gothmog saw Varda was committed to him, he rolled a pass back to the middle. Ecthelion was through! He split the double-team of Erestor and Galdor! It was a perfect feed from Gothmog. once Valandil gave away he was trying to take away the right post, Ecthelion had an easy time shooting to the open left post and it was a goal.

Angfauglith got their lead and were focused on protecting it for the remaining 25 minutes. We had chided Gondor earlier for switching conservative to protect a 1-goal lead. But we can't chide Angfauglith, because their defense is not only well organized by Ungoliant but they are exceptional athletes and they showed anyone witnessing the game, what a shutdown defense looked like. Even if Ungoliant had to make a few saves, they were Imladris taking long prayers from a distance which were just never going to give a goalie of Ungoliant's caliber any problems.

Angfauglith 1-0 Imladris
on target 3-3
tot shots 9-8
GOALS:
*66, 1-0 Ecthelion (Gothmog)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Angfaug- Gelmir, Balrog#3
*Imlad- Figwit, Erestor

The 2nd game of Group G took place in Tol-in-Gaurhoth, during the primetime 9pm slot. Tol-in-Gaurhoth, nicknamed "The Den" (which the Doriath Elves perceived as a mockery of their "Cave") was quite an unsettling and gloomy place to be. So, naturally the fans for both teams were feeling right at home. It's interesting that TIG had build a retractable dome stadium, but what's so unusual is...in all other stadiums covered by a dome, the dome is for protection from the outside elements if the weather is too bad. But for Tol-in-Gaurhoth it's the exact opposite. They welcome terrible weather (which is the norm in the haunted isle) and so when it's storming, cold, and thundering outside the roof is left open. But on occasions when the weather is decent and fair, it's closed and it can get very dark and damp underneath the dome. Conditions weren't too awful today, there was a light drizzle and cool breeze, so the roof was open.

It was rather evenly split, Angband was nearby, and there was Morgoth too so of course they would have plenty of fans. Being in Tol-in-Gaurhoth practically every werewolf and ghoul had to be in the stadium (and thousands upon thousands of bats were flying over head to support Thuringwethil). And as always TIG has a small population base to draw from, but their fans can create far more noise than most.

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Like in the first game, the first half ended in a goalless tie. However, that didn't mean there was nothing happening and the fans attention never left the action happening on the field. Both defenses were strong but the offenses were also capable and created good chances. The wolves were playing hard not only for their fans but to show off their talent to Morgoth. Telvildo was looking rather scared, but Ancalagon was having his way with the werewolf defenders. Shastawolf could not be caught napping though and the wolf stopped 2 quick early chances from the dragon.

When TIG had the ball they had a quite an easy time getting through the Easterling midfield of Angband but then seemed to hit a brickwall that was Morgoth and his defense. And not to be outdone in goal Carcharoth also came up with important saves to keep the game 0-0 going into the break. But it seemed everyone in the stands knew goals were coming. Both offenses were just too talented, too athletic to be shutout, even if the same could be said about their defenses.

Having played a more defensive game the 1st period and having Ancalagon be the large target in the center Morgoth started the 2nd trying to get more players involved in the attack, hoping the TIG defense had been properly set up to pay too much attention to Ancalagon. Morgoth must have lit a fire under the cats during the break because they looked less scared by the wolves now and their agility was starting to cause real problems.

But just when it seemed Oikeroi and Telvildo were going to breakthrough with a goal, TIG had the tactics to freak out Telvildo again. GaladriWight was following Telvildo and could be heard telling the cat he was a handsome kitten and she couldn't wait to take him back to the barrow to add him to her already large handsome cats-in-bow-ties collection. It was too much to Telvildo who ran away hissing (chased by GaladriWight). Oikeroi had passed it to the spot Telvildo was supposed to be, but the only one there was NilpWolf and the wolf launched a sudden counterattack.

TIG had no trouble getting through Angband's midfield in the first half, and they had no troubles this time either. But the speed they were able to cut through the midfield caught Morgoth off guard and when phantomwolf hung a pass up into the box for Thuringwethil, it was a rare occasion Morgoth's defense was out of position. Carcharoth thought Thuringwethil would try to head the ball in, but instead the vampirebat knocked it back on the ground, to SallyWight who kicked it in. TIG had drawn first blood! And even the Angband fans had to admit it was a well deserved goal based on how both teams had played so far.

Unlike Angfauglith though, TIG was aware they couldn't play out the remainder of the game defensively, Angband's attack was just too good. They had Angband by the throat, so now it was time to go for the kill. A few minutes later it looked like InzilWolf would make it 2, and the wolves and wights would really start partying, but no...Carcharoth made a great save, knocking the shot out of bounds. Everyone applauded the save. This was fantastic. This was excitement. Two admirable teams going for it all the way to the end. And it would be a TIG corner now.

Phantomwolf took the corner, hitting a hard drive into the box. It was a congested battle in the middle and it seemed like phantomwolf overshot his target, as no one could see a TIG player and the closest one to the ball was Angband's Balrog defender. But out of the jumbled mess lept up Nilpwolf, outleaping the Balrog at the last second, Carcharoth was caught flat-pawed and could not spring up in time to stop Nilpwolf's header that got over Carcharoth and into the goal. 2-0 TIG!!

Morgoth was looking furious. He knew the wolves were going to be tough this year, but he was not accustomed to conceding 2 goals and losing in this fashion. Angband tried to claw their way back into the match, perhaps trying get at least 1 goal and salvage something. But as the time kept winding down towards the end, their attempts became more and more desperate, which did not trouble the confident wolves in the least bit. TIG carried their momentum and confidence all the way until the referee's final whistle. They had shut out Angband. It was said Morgoth quickly returned and shut himself in Angband after the match. He has much to think on after Angband's opening round loss and starting last in the group.

Angband 0-2 Tol-In-Gaurhoth
on target 4-6
tot shots 14-15
GOALS:
*67, 0-1 SallyWight (Thuringwethil)
*72, 0-2 NilpWolf (PhantomWolf)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Angband- Ulwarth, Ulfast, Ancalagon
*TIG- SallyWight, BoroWolf

Standings (after Round 1)
Tol-in-Gaurhoth, 3 pts, (+2)
Angfauglith, 3 pts, (+1)
Imladris, 0 pts, (-1)
Angband, 0 pts, (-2)