Preview
Unofficially, this is "Player We Shall not Refer to by his Name Cup". And that's because we are playing illinifan and his Spring Grove Fighting Eagles and The Eagles Nest in this week between rounds of the FOFC Cup. It's just a little no stress friendly with an FOFC opponent. Even better, we'll both be playing the run-and-shoot. Unforuntunately, my second team is not known for scoring goals.
Game Summary
Date: 9/11/2003 at 01:00
MatchID: 9609448
Arena: The Eagles Nest
Crowd: 1114
Due to an all-day shower, 1114 paying spectators got to see a match on a pitch-turned-bog at The Eagles Nest . Fighting had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. The following players had been chosen: Duggan - Westfall, Martínez Galan, Beverly - Moore, Scruggs, Ramalimgam, Stapleton, Cagle - Sisk, Breaux.
Hippopotami had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. The following players had been chosen: Sánchez - Schrader, Miquel, Bush - Wellens, Tryggvesson, Storm, Little, Viseslav - Solomon, Tizón.
It was obvious that Fighting were using pressing as their primary tactic. The home side put themselves ahead 1 - 0 in the 16:th by a breakthrough from Norman Scruggs, who unaided came in out of the right wing hooking the ball over the visitors keeper. Fighting put themselves up 2 - 0 when David Ramalimgam broke through on the right, leaving the entire defensive box behind him. In the 34:th minute Fightings Ildefonso Martínez Galan received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. In the 40:th minute of the match the visitors central line of defence had to look on as Roger Sisk dashed through, knocking home 3 - 0 for Fighting. The structure of the game started to change as Fighting decided to pull back and meet their opponents in the defensive zone. Fightings Kristopher Westfall got himself booked after a foul. Hippopotami were forced to a substitution as José María Miquel couldn´t continue playing due to the rough treatment. 3 - 0 was the half-time score. Fighting, bringing the final ball possession rate to 63 percent, dominated the battle.
Hippopotamis Robert Tryggvesson got himself booked after a foul. A couple of quick and successful challenges, followed by a shot from just outside the penalty area after 59 minutes might have resulted in another goal for Fighting. However, Ignacio Sánchez made a spectacular save. Norman Scruggs of Fighting received a yellow card in the 61st minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour. There wasn´t much opportunity for rapid movements this wet day, which hindered Rocky Beverly in particular. The visitors replied in the games 75:th minute, scoring the 3 - 1 goal, as Juan Miguel Tizón broke through from the left, easily lobbing the ball over the home teams keeper. The game was close to savage at times, and Fighting`s Ildefonso Martínez Galan received a second yellow card in the 89:th, his ticket out of the game. Fighting, bringing the final ball possession rate to 70 percent, dominated the battle.
The most dominating Fighting player was without a doubt Will Stapleton. Tyrell Cagle was a disappointment, however. The most dominating Hippopotami player was without a doubt Lorenzo Cristiano. Clement Schrader was a disappointment, however. The match ends 3 - 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
SGFE: 3-5-2
Events Summary
1st Half
SGFE: 16: 0-1
SGFE: xx: 0-2
SGFE: 40: 0-3
SGFE: 40: *pulling back*
Halftime Score: 0-3
Possession: 37%
2nd Half
HH: 75: Juan Miguel Tizon (F): 1-3
Final Score: 1-3
Possession: 30%
Final Possession: 34%
Cards
HH: xx: Jose Maria Miguel (2 weeks, rough treatment)
He got four of them. Dirty, dirty *shakes finger at illinifan*
Injuries
None
Stadium
Terraces: 0/20000
Basic seats: 0/8000
Seats under roof: 0/3200
VIP seats: 0/800
Total: 0/32000
Unfortunately the rain kept some fans away from The Eagles Nest. Only 1114 showed up, which is our smallest crowd of the season including all friendlies, fixtures, and cup games.
Team Ratings
Spring Grove Fighting Eagles
Midfield: inadequate (5)
Right Side Defence: weak (4)
Central Defence: inadequate (5)
Left Side Defence: inadequate (5)
Right Side Attack: solid (7)
Central Attack: passable (6)
Left Side Attack: inadequate (5)
DataKing/Nevstar Index: 42/47
Houston Hippopotami
Midfield: poor (3)
Right Side Defence: passable (6)
Central Defence: passable (6)
Left Side Defence: solid (7)
Right Side Attack: passable (6)
Central Attack: passable (6)
Left Side Attack: passable (6)
DataKing/Nevstar Index: 43/46
Only a poor midfield. Ick. I am training playmaking, right? I forget sometimes.
Player Ratings
GK Ignacio Sanchez **~
DW Clement Schrader **
DM Lorenzo Cristiano ***
DW Elmer Bush **~
WI Pierre Wellens **~
MI Daniel Storm **
MI Robert Tryggvesson (x) **
MI Thomas Little (o) **~
WI Ivan Viseslav **~
FO Derrick Solomon **
FO Juan Miguel Tizon **
Total Stars: 25.5
Total player experience: wretched
Team Attitude: Friendly
Cristiano puts up an excellent *** after Miguel went out with an injury. New keeper Ignacio Sanchez debuts with a **~ tonight. Not bad star numbers considering how poor our ratings were. In fact that was our highest stars total ever for a friendly. Then again, after further review, a 47 is our highest friendly rating ever. Imagine if we actually had a decent midfield rating.
Three Stars
Goal, sub, and new keeper- I see nothing in common here
Bronze: Ignacio Sanchez
Pretty good debut with **~ despite giving up 3 goals
Silver: Lorenzo Cristiano
Highest star rating in the game after coming in for the injured Miguel
Gold: Juan Miguel Tizon
Has goals in 3 straight friendlies
Game Summary
Dirty, dirty game played by those dastardly Eagles. Four cards and an injury to our defensive team captain. Oh, and we lost, oo.
Press Release
9/16/2003 at 01:26 Hippos Lose Tom Sanders Friendly
The Hippos lost a friendly to the Spring Grove Fighting Eagles in the "Player We Shall not Refer to by his Name Cup". The weather and Eagles defense conspired against the Hippos to only allow one chance (a Juan Miguel Tizón score). However, by that point, the Eagles already had 3 goals and were pulled back. Also, team captain and starting center defender José María Miquel was hurt and will be out for two games with a leg injury. FOFC Cup play continues next week after a one week layoff.
Dueling Guestbooks
As much as I'd like to give Tom Sanders his due since this was his Cup... I just couldn't do it for too long. I mentioned the press release to illinifan and the following guestbook exchange ensued.
SGFE: Love the press release! It's awesome! Good luck with the rest of your season!
HH: Tom Sanders, blah, blah, blah,
Tom Sanders, blah, blah, blah,
Tom Sanders, blah, blah, blah,
Tom Sanders, blah, blah, blah,
Tom Sanders, blah, blah, blah,
Tom Sanders, blah, blah, blah,
Tom Sanders, blah, blah, blah,
Tom Sanders, blah, blah, blah,
Tom Sanders can bite me 
SGFE: Tom Sanders wubs you 
Notes
Well, that was fun. Next week we resume FOFC Cup play with the run-and-shoot West Henrietta FC, run by bigjdotcom01. I'd really like to win this game so I can face CW and the Avengers the next week with my starters during a stamina week. However, I'm not sure I can get past West Henrietta. As for our fixture this week, we have a slim chance of beating Kaishaku at their place but I'm not holding my breath. Until next time, Hungy Hungry Hippos!
SI