[sterlingice]

Preview
After our disappointing cup showing and three straight losses, I was ready for a no-stress friendly for the team so they could loosen up. Unfortunately, there was a little bug going around so I couldn't get friendlies with the teams I wanted games with. With some Lithuanian heritage and with them getting a team this season, I wanted to have my own little personal Baltic Cup and start in Estonia. However, after finding two teams with decent supporter size who were out of their cup and a decent challenge, I got errors whenever I tried to challenge them.

So I stewed for a little bit, trying to decide what to do. Out of the blue, I was challenged by a team from Prathet Thai, Lurking FC. It was just an international friendly at my place with no strings attached and I was more than happy to play. The Prathet Thai team which is #2 in V.4 and owned by lurker1 came to the 'drome this overcast day.


Game Summary
Date: 8/14/2003 at 01:00
MatchID: 9455351
Arena: The Hippodrome
Crowd: 2129

Overcast weather free of rain made for a crowd turnout of 2129 at The Hippodrome today. Hippopotami tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. The following players had been chosen: Buckley - Schrader, Miquel, Bush - Viseslav, Tryggvesson, Storm, Little, Wellens - Solomon, Tizón.

Lurking had chosen a strategic 4-5-1 formation. The following players had been chosen: Chinda - Jaruphan, Apasra, Kukrit, Abhasra - Mcnamara, Tulaya, Chong-Kien, Yodbangtoey, Boon-mee - Pu Yai Bahn.

After 18 minutes Lurking put themselves up by 0 - 1 as Maha Kukrit finished off a strike from the left with a real cannon placed at the far post. After 23 minutes of play Robert Tryggvesson equalised for Hippopotami after an elegant attack from the right. Derrick Solomon gave his Hippopotami the lead with 2 - 1, as he successfully challenged both the guests central defenders, then placed the ball unreachably at the goaltenders right post. One of many good passes from Pierre Wellens at the wing was recieved and skillfully taken care of by Derrick Solomon, scoring for Hippopotami to 3 - 1. A great save by goaltender Chulamai Chinda in the 33rd minute kept the visitors in the game as Robert Tryggvesson struck from the left with a real cannonball. The teams went for a half-time break at 3 - 1. Hippopotami, bringing the final ball possession rate to 52 percent, dominated the battle.

In the 69:th minute of the match the visitors central line of defence had to look on as Robert Tryggvesson dashed through, knocking home 4 - 1 for Hippopotami. Things were going to get worse for the visitors. Robert Tryggvesson squirmed himself through the central defense line in the 71st minute, asserting the lead to 5 - 1. This third goal made a hat trick for Robert Tryggvesson. Lurking made a substitution in the 72nd minute. Thammanoon Jaruphan limped off the field and was replaced by Paul Drãghici. Santichai Tulaya had a couple of good opportunities to reply, but the home team´s goaltender Sidney Buckley just wouldn´t surrender. Elmer Bush of Hippopotami received a yellow card in the 85:th minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour. Lurking seemed to suffer a certain amount of confusion about the organization of the team. Lurking, bringing the final ball possession rate to 55 percent, dominated the battle.

The most dominating Hippopotami player was without a doubt Elmer Bush. However, Robert Tryggvesson made a disastrous appearance. Most important Lurking player was Chulamai Chinda. Jayavarman Apasra on the other hand, had a terrible day. The match ends 5 - 1.


Events and Stats
A few notes:
1. Our score will always be first, whether we are ahead or behind
2. The (F) after the names shows this is a friendly game
3. "xx" means the time of the goal was not specified
4. Most stats will only be for our team

Formations
HH: 3-5-2
LFC: 4-5-1

Events Summary

1st Half
LFC: 18: 0-1
HH: 23: Robert Tryggvesson (F): 1-1
HH: xx: Derrick Solomon (F): 2-1
HH: xx: Derrick Solomon (F): 3-1
Halftime Score: 3-1
Possession: 52%

2nd Half
HH: 69: Robert Tryggvesson (F): 4-1
HH: 71: Robert Tryggvesson (F): 5-1
Final Score: 5-1
Possession: 45%
Final Possession: 49%

Cards
HH: 85: Elmer Bush (yellow- unsportsmanlike behaviour)

Injuries
None


Stadium
Terraces: 1344/20000
Basic seats: 526/8000
Seats under roof: 203/3200
VIP seats: 56/800
Total: 2129/32000

Our largest crowd ever for a home friendly. I definately would like to thank lurker1 for coming.


Team Ratings

Houston Hippopotami
Midfield: poor (3)
Right Side Defence: passable (6)
Central Defence: passable (6)
Left Side Defence: passable (6)
Right Side Attack: inadequate (5)
Central Attack: passable (6)
Left Side Attack: inadequate (5)
DataKing/Nevstar Index: 40/43

Lurking FC
Midfield: poor (3)
Right Side Defence: inadequate (5)
Central Defence: weak (4)
Left Side Defence: inadequate (5)
Right Side Attack: weak (4)
Central Attack: poor (3)
Left Side Attack: poor (3)
DataKing/Nevstar Index: 30/33

He won possession due to our poor stamina yet we got a lot more chances. I guess this is why.


Player Ratings
GK Sidney Buckley *~
DW Clement Schrader (d) **
DM Jose Maria Miguel **~
DW Elmer Bush (d) ***
WI Ivan Viseslav (n) **
MI Thomas Little (o) **~
MI Daniel Storm (x) *~
MI Robert Tryggvesson (d) *
WI Pierre Wellens **~
FO Derrick Solomon **
FO Juan Miguel Tizon **


Total Stars: 22.5
Total player experience: wretched
Team Attitude: Friendly

Buckley's still a bit rusty from his lack of play during cup season. Schrader needs to get his form out of the crapper. Fortunately it's balanced by Bush's amazing streak at excellent form *knock on wood* and Miguel's continuously good form. Viseslav, Storm, and Tryggvesson also need to get out of their form funks.


Three Stars
Goal scorers and a goalkeeper

Bronze: Sidney Buckley
Battling poor form, but still made a save
Silver: Derrick Solomon
It's a shame his ratings aren't higher- he's one hell of a player
Gold: Robert Tryggvesson
Announcer-torturing Swede gets a hat trick despite defensive positioning and only * rating


Game Summary
It was a nice low-stress game. I enjoyed that we won, but I would have enjoyed it almost as much even if we had lost. Fortunately only one injury (on his side) and it quickly healed. I'm enjoying these int'l friendlies. Probably will get some more this season after FOFC Cup.


Press Release
8/17/2003 at 09:34 Tryggvesson Leads Hippos Past Visiting Thai Team
The Hippos played host to their second ever int'l friendly, this time against Lurking FC of Prathet Thai. UberTrainee(TM) Robert Tryggvesson scored a hat trick and second string keeper Sidney Buckley held Lurking scoreless after a goal in the 18th minute. The Hippodrome saw its largest ever friendly crowd as 2129 Hungry Hungry Hippos saw a sky filled with threatening clouds but no rain fell until after the game concluded. A battle of Run-and-Shoot next week as the Galesburg Avengers visit.


Notes
Big game coming up this week. Not so much because of it's difficulty or who we are playing, per se, but because it's eminently winnable and we need to win a game. As it says above, next week we have a battle of the run-and-shoot as we host CoffeeWarlord's Galesburg Avengers!

SI