ARDA CUP Football 2012

[Nogrod]

Group D at Armenelos, round 2

With the home team’s great win over Tirion on the first round it felt like an overwhelming load of tension had been lifted from the Númenorian fans’ shoulders. And the next day the visitors to the great city of Armenelos experienced such hospitability only the greatest of the men could offer. The day between the games was a day of rejoicing and anticipation – and the sun shone from clear skies to underline the general mood.

But as the second game-day broke one could feel some tensions rising behind the smiling faces and general courtesy. It was felt strongest with the fans of Real Valinor and Tirion though as both teams had lost their first game and so the afternoon-game would be a “game of life and death” to both of them: the loser of the match would have packed two losses from two games and would be out of the tournament whereas the winner would more or less have their fate in their own hands come the third round.

In the pre-game press conference the representatives of the teams still managed to be quite relaxed, but some tensions could be found as well. Read the clip from the Armenelos Stadium lounge to learn more…

The Armenelos Times: Mr. Curufin, sir, some people say you are growing overconfident and that gives chances to your opponents. Are you familiar with the proverb that hybris is always followed by nemesis?

Curufin: I’m not too much into proverbs. We call our way determination…

The Armenelos Times: But you must be familiar with the concept, for exactly here I think your renowned family and we Númenoreans share some common ground.

Curufin: You do the best with what is given to you, right?

Nerdanel: As your mother I could say a thing or two about doing the best with what you are given… and were your grandma here I bet she would tell you the same thing. *flashes a sarcastic smile*

Curufin: Oh mom, please. *frowns and smiles*

The Númenorian: Please lady Nerdanel, how do you feel your chances running for the second position against the home team?

Nerdanel: They won Tirion so we have to do the same today and then we’ll see in a match-up on round three which one goes forwards. Unlike most things in life it seems as simple as that.

Túna Watcher: What do you Mahtan think of what your daughter speaks here? Is Tirion going to be walked over like that today?

Mahtan: Of course not. I think she has spent too much time with the Fëanorian side of her family, even if I still love her dearly. But we’ll prevail in the end as we know the trade and have taught it to the others – have you ever seen an apprentice to beat the master or the child to outshine the parent?

Curufin: With all due reverence, aren’t you now messing the strength of blood with football dear Granpa? And many might disagree with your principle even when it comes to smithery…

Ar Pharazôn: Excuse me. We know for a fact that generations evolve into higher forms unless there are some catastrophes that cut the races or nations down and suck the life-blood from their veins. You Tirion guys lost your game to us, so how does that count in your scheme of teachers or older masters always being better than their apprentices? Your team’s legacy may be great but we represent the heyday of the laterborn – and we will go far in this tournament!
*cheers from the local media representatives*

Túna Watcher: So you see Mahtan’s Real Valinor beat his daughter’s Tirion then, and feel good about it?

Ar Pharazôn: Oh, you’re playing it unfair now my good elf… You all firstborn are so last season.
*more laughter*


~*~

So it was the game of life and death then when the players of Real Valinor and Tirion jogged to the pitch with the full stadium roaring in applause. It was clear the homeside fans were taking sides cheering loudly to the Tirion players. There probably wasn’t any special love towards the Tiron team (or hatred against the Real Valinor players), but looking at the table the Númenorians would love to see Tirion beat Real Valimar as that might mean they could qualify with a draw against Real Valinor – in case they didn’t win FC Valinor later the day, into which only a few actually believed even if many liked to say they did.

If one was looking for quality football the game was real value for the money. The game was fast, the individual skills of some of the players were just magical (Nerdanel’s soft touch, Miriel’s intelligence, Eönwë’s commanding stature…), and the team play produced some heart-stopping combos that would wet the eyes of any aesthetically astute person.

But competition-wise it started to look pretty clear from the early minutes on. The game flowed more or less evenly from one end to the other and both teams produced some quality chances while both keepers performed some major saves, but everyone could see that the attacks by Real Valinor were always that magical inch sharper, that little bit more dangerous-looking – and their visits on the Tirion’s defence seemed to become all the more frequent, longer, and more concentrated the older the game turned.

The goal was hanging in the air, and it did land on the pitch at 26th minute when Real Valinor’s deadly trio just tore the Tirion defence to pieces. Arien had an easy job to move the ball into the empty net from beside the post of the goal after Miriel had taken Finarfin with her – being in turn released alone against him by a perfect pass by Nerdanel – and made a dazzling back-heel pass leaving Finarfin totally helpless.

Oftentimes the dynamics of the game change considerably after the first goal, but this time it went on exactly it had gone before the goal, and thus Real Valinor pressed even more, slowly taking the whole game into their hands. And before the half-time they did actually score again. Now it was Nessa’s flashing speed that left the Tiron defenders look as mobile like statues of marble. With Miriel’s perfectly timed pass she broke free from them and scored beautifully first running out of reach of Finarfin who tried to come forwards to challenge her.

But those who thought at the half-time that the game was over and done with couldn’t have been more wrong.

Real Valinor players are an experienced and smart bunch and they know that securing the lead with just falling back and trying to defend the goal leads to ever more opportunities to the opposing team, building of ever more pressure, and to a high risk of a thriller come-back by the other team. But leading with two goals it is hard not to fall back just an inch when you have everything to lose with a bit riskier game.

Tirion on the other hand was with their back against the wall: lose now and basically be kicked out of the tournament. So they came into the second half with a fury. Eönwë had grown to his full stature creating awe everywhere he went and Finwë looked as noble and high as the great father and the first High King of Noldor should look like – and his grand-daughter Aredhel looked just plain dangerous: tall, strong and beautiful.

With a newly found determination they started rolling their attacks one after another against Real Valinor’s defences and for the first 15 minutes it seemed there was only one team in the field. Real started to find their form slowly and managed some offencive play at times after that, but it was clear where the dangerous situations were. Aredhel headed the ball to the post, Eönwë’s freekick boomed just inches over the crossbar, Thorondor beaked the ball straight to the upper corner of the goal but Tulkas managed to tip it a way at the last possible moment…

And Tirion got their well-deserved goal at the 75th minute when Finwë slided to the ball from a rebound at close range after Aredhel’s top shot.

So the last 15 minutes were a thriller with Tiron chasing for an equalizer and Real Valinor willing to keep their goal safe. But here the greatness of team Real came to the fore. They started attacking more decidedly forcing Tirion into the defence every other time and keeping them on their toes not to allow Real to score a 3-1 decider… And that decided the game.

Tirion was out of the tournament and would only play for their honour in their last match against FC Valinor. But looking at their squad there surely is a lot of honour to defend, so FC Valinor will get nothing from them for free. Real Valinor in turn should now have everything in their own hands: win Armenelos in the last game and qualify. Other options would be known only after the evening game…

Real Valinor 2-1 Tirion
on target 7-5
tot shots 16-13
GOALS:
*26, 1-0 Arien (Miriel)
*41, 2-0 Nessa (Miriel)
*75, 2-1 Finwe (Aredhel)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Real- Caranthir, Arien
*Tirion- Anaire


After the thriller it was the home team’s turn to run into the arena – and to face the number one favourites for the whole tournament by any decent footballing agency there are. The sun was already setting and the hundreds of torches planted around the pitch were being lit to light the field and the exits from the stands – on top of the stadium there was a ring of greater fires creating a general light over the audience and even to the pitch. It’s hard to describe the mood with anything else but saying it was just awesome: the dark bluish sky with a tint of bright colors from the setting sun, the bit flickering but strong light from the torches and fires, the tension; the hopes and fears of the homeside fans, the majesty of the players of both teams, the anticipation of a great game, nervousness, joy, the amounts of wine spent that day already.

It is these moments, among others, that make football such a larger than life phenomenon.

The game itself was an awesome torture to the homeside crowds and a sovereign show of just how strong the FC Valinor team is at the moment. Armenelos played beautiful football: the big, strong and graceful kings moved the ball with astonishing ease and confidence but the defences they faced were just even bigger, stronger and more graceful! Nahar, Oromë’s great white horse seemed to be everywhere and never late dominating the Nümenorian kings also with it’s pure size and stamina. And where Nahar was absent, Penlod, the tallest of the Noldorin was shutting the way with Maglor, the son of Fëanor with some real staying-power and integrity. And Lórien also fell down repeatedly to help the defences with his commanding presence. So even if the Númenorians fought bravely their alleys of attack were just shut off before them forcing them oftentimes to shoot form a far (that actually explains the bigger than normal difference between the overall shots and those on target).

Now team Armenelos has a tough defence as well, but facing a forwards squad made up from brothers Curufin and Celegorm, one of the hottest and toughest duos this year (and last), and Yavanna’s and Idril’s grace, well that spells trouble – and will do it to any defence this year. Actually one thing that makes team FC Valinor such a strong one this year seems to be their great balance of skills and different characteristics: there’s brutal force and stamina, there is speed and elegance, there’s creativity and determination, there is poetry and heroism, spiritual and physical prowess, you name it.

After half an hour of play FC Valinor started to deliver. Celegorm just pushed himself trough the defencive line and hammered the ball in behind Tar Atanamir from the edge of the box at 31st minute. And only eight minutes later Tar Atanamir had to pick the ball again from inside the net when Lórien had risen highest of the crowd after a cornerkick and headed the ball unstoppably to the low corner. The visitors were leading 2-0 at the half-time and had been impressive indeed in everything they did.

Which doesn’t mean Armenelos didn’t or couldn’t fight back. And especially early on the second half Armenelos was even closer to score than FC Valinor who had lessened the pressure a little being two goals ahead and not willing to use their energy 110% anymore. But there was still Huan to beat and both shots on target on the second half were picked up by the hound. The second by Ar Pharazôn was actually quite a spectacular one when Huan “nosed” the ball off from the upper-left corner of the goal just at the last moment making such a leap to it the spectators were gasping their breath when most were already rising up to celebrate a goal.

Towards the end of the game the tensions loosened little by little when it started to become evident Armenelos was not going to score, at least not going to score twice to even the game. So the ending of the game was a kind of an anti-climax when for the last five minutes both teams seemed happy to just kick the ball around. But it was understandable as well when FC Valinor had nothing to gain for adding a goal more and Armenelos was keen to save their energies to their last match against Real Valinor which would decide the other qualifying team from group D.

Armenelos 0-2 FC Valinor
on target 3-6
tot shots 12-14
GOALS:
*31, 0-1 Celegorm (Curufin)
*39, 0-2 Irmo (Celegorm)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Armen- Ar Zimrathan, Tar Ancalimon
*FCVal- Irmo


Two games:

FC Valinor 6pts. 5-0
Armenelos 3pts. 3-4
Real Valinor 3pts. 2-4
Tirion 0pts. 3-5


Last matches:

FC Valinor vs. Tirion
FC Valinor has secured the first place in the group and a place on the next rounds. Tirion has no chance of qualifying and will play their last game purely for honour.

Armenelos vs. Real Valinor
Armenelos and Real Valinor will fight it out for the second qualifying slot. In case of a draw Armenelos will qualify because of their better goal-difference.

[the phantom]

Group C @ Moria

The Group C games were scheduled a bit closer together in the second round at Moria, for the host committee simply could not justify a late-morning start for the highly anticipated match between Erebor and Wilderland. Pretty well every publication had both teams ranked in the top 10- some of them in the top 5. The much-respected TTN Power-Rankings had Wilderland slotted at #2 and Erebor at #6 heading into the clash.

Wilderland was the favorite in the eyes of most, and with Galadriel, Orome, Elwe, and Scatha making the attacks it was easy to see why. But Erebor was nearly dismissive of the threat at the pre-game interviews. Defender Girion said: "Gwaihir is right up on par with Thorondor himself- he's a swift-flying defending menace, and has a lightning quick beak and huge size to boot. Frankly I think he'll lock up anyone he's on. And his relatives Meneldor and Landroval have similar skills, and I'm no slouch, and even if we grant the edge on a play or two we've got Beorn minding the nets. This end of the field is going to be even. The difference will be at the other end- and we've got the advantage there."

And the publications didn't entirely disagree with the second half of Girion's statement. Bolg, Bard, and Nazgul #7 were all solid supporters of the attack, and Thranduil is of course a proven play-maker, and there was absolutely no question that Smaug could prove too hot to handle. Monster Magazine dragon-columnist Ruharg the Red noted before even the first round of group play that Wilderland's Ent defenders were not going to match up well with Erebor. "Fire-breathers like Smaug freak Ents out to be honest, even if they're not allowed to blow fire. But when he's breathing hard out there, the air directly in front of his face is going to get spicey like it or not, and should there be ready kindling close by (in the form of Ents), well... they will certainly be nervous about it."

And when the late afternoon game in the beautiful Dimrill Dale kicked off Ruharg and other such critics looked smart indeed, as the Ents were definitely giving the dragon too much space, and already in the fifth minute Thranduil found him open and the Great Warg was lucky to keep it out. After applying steady pressure to open, Erebor cracked the scoreboard at fifteen minutes, and no surprises- it was the dragon.

The Ents were sending some passes at the back and Smaug suddenly launched forward to challenge, momentarily panicking Beechbone. The frightened Ent mis-kicked a ball over to Skinbark, and the Ent was not quick enough changing directions and Smaug swooped over and beat him to it with a flick of his tail, and Erebor had the well-deserved lead!

The defenders got verbally hammered by Orome and Galadriel after that- told that like it or not they had to D-up on Smaug. The ashamed Ents took the advice to heart and got up close to the dragon, matching their tough bark to his iron scales. Smaug appeared flustered by it, as the Ents had the strength and size to upset his movements and give him a bruise or two. Skinbark even drew a card for being a bit excessive. Fumes emerged from Smaug's maw and it looked certain he would start retaliating in a big way, but Dain and Thranduil ran to calm him, pointing out that Wilderland's tactics were probably to get him carded out of the game.

Smaug and company countered by sending the dragon to the air, having him dive down for quick touches and constantly threatening to beat the defenders on a long-ball behind them should they push up the field. In the meantime Wilderland was finally getting some threats of their own at the other end with some nifty passing from the front four, but the great eagles were equal to them and always took up enough space to clutter up the box, forcing their shots to be ones that Beorn could handle.

Just before the half, Erebor executed to perfection to gain the two-goal lead. With Smaug distracting the defense, Thranduil and Bard outmaneuvered the back line of Wilderland with some delightful back and forth, sharp as the archers they were, and it ended with Bard finding a sliver of space through just inside the right post and the Erebor crowd screamed, high-fived, and exchanged looks of shocked delight. The world hadn't expected this!

During halftime there was much discussion in the Erebor locker room as to the tactics they should follow in the second half. Bolg and Bard wanted to ride the wave of momentum and put up some more goals, but Girion, Dain, and Thranduil insisted on focusing on their defensive efforts. Eventually caution won the day thanks to the support of Beorn. "We can't leave ourselves open for them to jump back into the match in the opening minutes. We could lose doing that. We're playing fantastic, but let's not fool ourselves into thinking we're far and away superior. Let's just lock this thing down. If we do, I can't see any way we give up three goals. We have points in our hands- let's make sure and capitalize."

So with that strategy in mind Erebor came out and tightened their defenses. Wilderland accepted the tactics grimly- they had guessed what was coming, and put their own plans into operation. Knowing they weren't going to beat the three eagles back on a counter anyway, Wilderland didn't mind Erebor falling back to defend, and focused on a fast-moving passing game to cross up the defense.

Erebor cleared it whenever possible, happily handing Wilderland corners. And indeed Wilderland barely ever tried to send it all the way in on corners, as with three giant eagles and now even Smaug back in the defense, header opportunities were as scarce as mushrooms after a hobbit dinner party.

Erebor's defenses held until 74 minutes, when finally Scatha muscled his mark away and tail-struck a deft one-touch pass from Elwe after a wonderful flipping of attack-sides by Wilderland. The riotous Erebor supporters quieted somewhat and chanting began to spill out from the Lothlorien Elves in the west side of the stadium, but as the minutes passed Erebor cranked it up again, particularly after minute 84 when Beorn professionally handled Wilderland's best last hope- a distant free kick taken by Orome.

The Dwarves in particular began partying in earnest as the final seconds ticked off. King Dain and Erebor had won. Perhaps today was the day of the Dwarves. Perhaps this victory foreshadowed a win by Dwarves United in the underground night match.

Erebor 2-1 Wilderland
on target 7-7
tot shots 18-16
GOALS:
*15, 1-0 Smaug
*42, 2-0 Bard (Thranduil)
*74, 2-1 Scatha (Elwe)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Erebor- Bolg, Bard
*Wilderland- Skinbark, Beechbone

The contest between Dwarves United and Anduin got off to a later start than planned, as it took a bit longer than expected for the crowds to funnel across the famed Bridge of Khazad-Dum and on down to The Underground, the famed arena at the roots of the Misty Mountains.

There was plenty of optimism in the cheers of the Dwarf crowd as the teams warmed up. Erebor had pulled off the upset earlier, so why couldn't they follow suit? And once the match started up, the home squad looked like it believed as well. Anduin had a bit more possession, but the iron will of the Dwarves was unwavering when meeting the attacks of Anduin.

Aule countered the size and strength of Grimbeorn, while the nimble of deft-footed Celebrimbor hounded Haldir. Azaghal and Durin took it in turns to body up on the athletic Boromir II, doing their best to make things rough-going for him. On the opposite end Legolas and Gimli both gave their friend an opening with a nice through ball, but Fram managed to get in the way of both of them enough to give Amroth a manageable save.

Late in the half Anduin managed a couple quality headers from Boromir II, but Bombur's girth denied them both, and there was little else brewing for either side. The fans were restless, waiting for something to happen.

After the half it was more of the same- solid defending on both ends, careful attacks nicely foiled. Anduin had more chances and possession, however no tale of this was seen where it counted- on the scoreboard. But the imbalance could not last forever without telling, and predictably it was Boromir II breaking the tie with a header over top of his marks and the home crowd was silenced.

The mood was worse than a one-goal deficit dictated, but the fans couldn't help it. They hadn't seen much to cheer for in the opening game either. Could their squad score? Could the dwarves on their back line do anything about headers?

The squad on the field on the other hand had not given up- they were fighters. And as the final fifteen minutes arrived their big-name defenders, Celebrimbor and Aule, thrust themselves forward into the action, taking command of the offense and hoping Anduin wouldn't take advantage at the other end. And indeed they did not, for Anduin had fully committed to defense.

And to the delight of the shocked home-crowd Anduin paid for their conservative play, as they passed up two quality chances to run and push the lead and gave up the goal anyway. The equalizer came on the foot of Celebrimbor, who caught the Anduin defenders entirely unprepared for the skill of the Feanorian line, and he cut through the heart of them after receiving it from Zirak and Amroth had no shot at stopping the point-blank drive!

At first the Dwarves were too shocked to cheer, but then they exploded with the beating of drums and the clashing of cymbals. Boromir II and Grimbeorn bellowed at their teammates to shake away the cobwebs and mount a push in the final minutes to retake the lead, but the Dwarves were energized and committed to securing the draw they had forged, and there was nothing Anduin could do.

The hosts were still alive in Group C!

Anduin 1-1 Dwarves United
on target 5-4
tot shots 15-9
GOALS:
*68, 1-0 Boromir II (Leod)
*82, 1-1 Celebrimbor (Gamil Zirak)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Anduin- Lenwe, Borondir, Amdir
*DwUnt- Gimli, Azaghal, Aule