Pre-Game Analysis
One last friendly of the year, this time to Hrvatska and a top division team there: dada team is in 1.HNL in Croatia. Since Storm bumped, he'll be at wing as we try and sell him. Wellens and Little will be in the midfield along with Tryggvesson: this might actually be an improvement over last week's inadequate. As I suspected, last week was Derrick Solomon's final game as a Hippo unless an injury occurs. We'll definitely have a jersey retiring ceremony at a game next season.
Prediction
They tend to put up a passable midfield and solids and excellents elsewhere. We should probably not be playing them but it makes for a good challenge. We might even be able to hang with them if we get that inadequate midfield from last week. Still, they're better: a 4-2 loss.
Gameday Live
Date: 10/29/2003 at 08:45
MatchID: 9939617
Arena: lahovica stadion
Crowd: 3311
Fairly good weather for football had drawn a crowd of 3311 to lahovica stadion. dada had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. The following players had been chosen: Svandahl - Askenmar, Vale Junior, Nilsson - Blánquez Pérez, Danièiæ, Nevešæanin, Heinen, Vinterland - Jozic, Roland.
Hippopotami had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. The following players had been chosen: Sánchez - Bush, Miquel, Sánchez - Storm, Tryggvesson, Wellens, Little, Teepen - Tizón, Phelan.
dada seemed to prefer attacking in the middle. Hippopotami had several good opportunities to take the lead, especially in the 17:th minute when Juan Miguel Tizón came up alone against Magnus Svandahl who managed a block. Daniel Storm of Hippopotami received a yellow card in the 25:th minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour. Hippopotami had a good opportunity to score the lead goal but the home team goaltender Magnus Svandahl saved Edwin Phelan´s shot headed for the top corner. The teams went for a half-time break at 0 - 0. Hippopotami held the ball, with a clear 60 percent possession rate.
The terraces were silenced in the 59:th minute as Hippopotami´s Juan Miguel Tizón put the guests ahead 0 - 1, following an attack from the right. Phillipe Roland pulled a real crowd pleaser as he, in the 60:th minute, wove through the guests whole central defense line and put the 1 - 1 equaliser away. After 77 minutes Hippopotamis Juan Miguel Tizón made his way through the middle, putting the visitors up 1 - 2. After several obvious shirt pulling incidents, dada´s Robin Heinen got himself booked. The visitors Robert Tryggvesson took advantage of an error due to a misunderstanding between the home side´s goalie and full backs in the 79:th minute. 1 - 3 for Hippopotami. Hippopotami held the ball, with a clear 65 percent possession rate.
Most important dada player was Jan Askenmar. Robin Heinen on the other hand, had a terrible day. The most dominating Hippopotami player was without a doubt Thomas Little. Arcadio Sánchez on the other hand, had a terrible day. The match ends 1 - 3.
Statistics
Stadium
Terraces: 0/20000
Basic seats: 0/8000
Seats under roof: 0/3200
VIP seats: 0/800
Total: 0/32000
Notes: Another smaller than expected crowd: only 3311. Still, more than enough to offset the travel expenses.
Team Ratings
dada team
Midfield: weak (4)
Right Side Defence: excellent (8)
Central Defence: excellent (8)
Left Side Defence: solid (7)
Right Side Attack: solid (7)
Central Attack: formidable (9)
Left Side Attack: passable (6)
DataKing/Nevstar Index: 53/57
Houston Hippopotami
Midfield: inadequate (5)
Right Side Defence: inadequate (5)
Central Defence: passable (6)
Left Side Defence: passable (6)
Right Side Attack: passable (6)
Central Attack: solid (7)
Left Side Attack: solid (7)
DataKing/Nevstar Index: 47/52
Notes: Quite a few things of note here. First, this was his typical outing except normally he puts up a passable instead of weak midfield- I wonder what was up with that. Second, that's our first ever 50 for our B Team. Third, this is one of those games where I got beat on the NSI and still won through some fluke.
Player Ratings
GK Ignacio Sanchez **~
DM Elmer Bush ***
DW Jose Maria Miguel **~
DW Arcadio Sanchez *~
WI Daniel Storm (m) **~
MI Thomas Little ***~
MI Pierre Wellens (x) **~
MI Robert Tryggvesson **~
WI Koos Teepen (o) ***~
FO Edwin Phelan **~
FO Juan Miguel Tizon **
Total Stars: 28.5
Total player experience: poor
Team Attitude: Friendly
Tactics: None
Notes: Another B Team high- this one in stars. Little continues to amaze me at how quick he's progressing. Teepen also got a ***~ when I accidentall- I mean, when Coach Braden saw his offensive prowess and played him offensively. I'm going to have to try that. Arcadio Sanchez is still in a big slump, only getting *~ despite being a pass/solid wingback with inad experience.
The Postgame Show
Their three star goalie, Magnus Svandahl, saved a pair of shots in the first half, the only two scoring events. Tizon scored in the 59th minute but then they answered in the 60th. But then Tizon scored again in the 77th minute to give us the lead and Tryggvesson scored in the 79th minute, sending the 4 Hippo fans that traveled to Croatia back happy.
Three Stars
Two of the three are repeats from last week
Bronze: Koos Teepen
Got ***~ out on the wings for his first time
Silver: Robert Tryggvesson
Scored a goal for the second week in a row
Gold: Juan Miguel Tizon
Scored a pair for the second week in a row including the game winner
Press Release
11/3/2003 at 04:24 Hippos a Hit in Hrvatska
For the second straight week, the Hippos went on the road and won against a top league opponent. Also, like last week, Juan Miguel Tizon scored a pair as Houston came away from Croatia with a 3-1 win against dada team, who is in 1.HNL. This concludes the Friendly Hippo World Tour with Houston going 5-1 in international play.
Next week is rivalry week and Houston gets their first home friendly in weeks as reciprocal supporter Doug5984 brings his Louisiana Cyclones to visit the Hippodrome.
Friendly Hippo World Tour(TM) Wrapup
Six weeks ago, we hit the road with the intent to get some extra experience with an away game or two. But once it started, it sounded like a good idea to spend the rest of the season on the road visiting different locations. $36K in travel expenses and 4 continents later (NAmer/Aus/Eur/Asia), the Hippos had visited Canada, Oceania, Prathet Thai, Israel, Island, and Hrvatska. We went 5-1 including wins against two top league teams.
Next year, I'm going to try and do the Hippos Baltic Cup at some point, hitting Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania now that all three have leagues. Now, my goal is to visit as many countries as possible before I stop playing hattrick and spread the gospel of the run-and-shoot.
In Closing
A great way to end the season! Next week, we have the rivalry game against Louisiana in the inbetween week. Training update then Louisiana game and then awards. Eventually, I'll have a post to a new thread and hopefully I won't take 4 weeks to get caught up and be behind all season. Lastly- check out the FAQ thread on the Hattrick board! I'm reviving the FAQ and anything you want included- post it there and it will likely get in there.
SI