[DataKing]

Season 5 – International Friendly Match

Vigge Boys vs. Screamin’ Seamen

Date: January 27th, 2004
Venue: Anfield Road (Vastergotland, Sweden)
Attendance: 2,487 (26,000)
Weather: Overcast

The boys seemed a little down this week, despite the convincing win over the weekend against the Harrisburg Harries. No doubt they were hoping to go a bit deeper into the FOFC Cup than they did, though myself and Coach Fluieras weren’t particularly upset. Either way, we decided that an international trip was in order, and so arranged for a friendly match against the Vigge Boys, a club from Sweden’s 6th Division.

The Vigge Boys typically run a 3-5-2, and like to push the ball up the gut rather than rely on their wingers to create chances for them. We’ll be playing our own typical 3-5-2 against them, but will try to keep midfielder Milan Dufek back to help out on defense when needed.

Starters (# appearances, *s last time out)

Keeper: #13 Darryl Read (32 career appearances, **)

Right Wingback: #17 Mattias Leier (13 career appearances, ***~)
Central Defender: #3 Ben McMahon (46 career appearances, **~)
Left Wingback: #5 Arlen “Headcase” Lucas (74 career appearances, ****~)

Right Winger: #9 Ad Taxwell (5 career appearances, ***)
Inner Midfielder: #10 Milan Dufek (10 career appearances, ***)
Inner Midfielder: #6 Agustin Alustiza (6 career appearances, **~)
Inner Midfielder: #7 Rune Kolberg (6 career appearances, **~)
Left Winger: #20 Walter Bosch (10 career appearances, ***)

Forward: #11 Johannes Henriksson (77 career appearances, **)
Forward: #15 Forrest “Gump” Tobias (35 career appearances, **)

Team Captain: #11 Johannes Henriksson
Set Pieces: #11 Johannes Henriksson

Substitutes
-Keeper: #1 Cornelius “Corny” Jernigan (69 career appearances, ****)
-Defender: #24 Sven Svensson (112 career appearances, ****~)
-Midfielder: #4 Jaimy van de Kerkhof (16 career appearances, ***)
-Forward: #14 German Galvez (39 career appearances, **)
-Winger: #23 Ivan Richardy (15 career appearances, ***~)

Arlen “Headcase” Lucas has been in a bit of a slump as of late, and was held out of Sunday’s match, so he’ll see action today instead. Otherwise it’s pretty much business as usual for us today.

Game time…

Match Report

PRE-GAME

2487 spectators had come to Anfield Road this cloudy day.

Vigge tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. The following players had been chosen: Broblad - Kjellsson, Fjelén, Jansson - Althoff, Höggmo, Aletten, Strömkvist, Sommardahl - Jansson, Mamede.

Screamin' had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. The following players had been chosen: Read - Leier, Mcmahon, Lucas - Taxwell, Dufek, Alustiza, Kolberg, Bösch - Henriksson, Tobias.

FIRST HALF

Vigge clearly preferred attacks in the middle. Vigges Cristiano Mamede gave, after 11 minutes, the home team a 1 - 0 lead after an attack coming in from the right.

Arlen “Headcase” Lucas sailed high, high above the opponents as he headed the 1-1 in after a corner kick after 15 minutes of play.

A questionable penalty in the 31st minute gave the home side the lead 2 - 1. The visitors goaltender didn´t stand a chance as Paul Jansson knocked the ball home.

A speedy charge from the left side of the field put Vigge lead up with 3 - 1. Cristiano Mamede finished that one off competently, firing from an acute angle.

The teams went for a half-time break at 3 - 1. Vigge, bringing the final ball possession rate to 52 percent, dominated the battle.

SECOND HALF

Vigges Klausjürgen Althoff got himself booked after a foul.

A questionable free kick call just outside of the home side´s penalty zone gave Screamin' a chance at reducing the score in the 66:th minute. At any rate, the ball went wide.

In the games 74:th minute Vigge´s Mattias Sommardahl fell dramatically just outside the penalty area. However, the referee booked Mattias Sommardahl for taking a dive.

Screamin' fought on and, in the 78:th minute Rune Kolberg was able to reply with 3 - 2 after some excellent moves on the right side finished off by an incredibly clever chip.

The fortyfive minutes were dominated by Vigge, with an impressive 54 percent possession of the ball.

POST-GAME

Vigge´s best player was Cristiano Mamede. Magnus Fjelén on the other hand, had a terrible day.

Screamin'´s best player was Arlen “Headcase” Lucas. Forrest “Gump” Tobias was a disappointment, however.

Final Score: Vigge Boys 3, Screamin’ Seamen 2

Goals

Lucas – 1
Kolberg – 1

Cards

None

Player Ratings

Read: **

Leier: ***~
McMahon: **~
Lucas: ****~

Taxwell: ***
Dufek: ***~
Alustiza: **~
Kolberg: ***
Bosch: ***

Henriksson: **
Tobias: **

Team Ratings

Screamin’ Seamen
-Midfield: Passable (6)
-Right Defense: Outstanding (10)
-Central Defense: Formidable (9)
-Left Defense: Formidable (9)
-Right Attack: Passable (6)
-Central Attack: Inadequate (5)
-Left Attack: Solid (7)
-Experience: Wretched (2)
-NSI: 64

Vigge Boys
-Midfield: Passable (6)
-Right Defense: Inadequate (5)
-Central Defense: Solid (7)
-Left Defense: Excellent (8)
-Right Attack: Solid (7)
-Central Attack: Excellent (8)
-Left Attack: Excellent (8)
-Experience: Wretched (2)
-NSI: 61

Comments

The only shining moment in the first half was a nice header goal by “Headcase” Lucas, but otherwise the half was a disaster. Nothing seemed to go our way, and we gave up an embarrassing three goals. Our lads fought back in the second half, and Rune Kolberg managed to make things interesting. Unfortunately we weren’t able to tally another one in the last twelve minutes, and we dropped the game 3-2.

Up Next: The weekly training update. Stay tuned!