All this has happened before. All this will happen again. The 12 Colonies of Kobol have come together to form the Colonial Football league.
Overview
Welcome to the crossover dynasty featuring Fifa 14 and Battlestar Galactica. This is designed to be easy to follow for everyone. Even if you've never seen or heard of Battlestar, you still can follow along, and hopefully will even develop a favorite team over the course of the run.
The current plan is for all of the games to be broadcast on Twitch on Friday afternoons. Full schedule in a later post. Edit: This is on hold for now due to video capture problems. I hope to return to this format in the future, however.
The Mechanics
I've created one team for each of the Twelve Tribes in the creation center. Then I selected a pool of 240 players from 12 countries (representing the 12 tribes), and did a serpentine draft to fill the teams (like a fantasy football draft).
I'm going to be running the league similar to American sports leagues in regards to contracts, trades, free agency, etc. Since this dynasty is limited to 12 teams, the worldwide nature of FIFA's player transfer model doesn't fit as well as something like the NFL's which is a closed system.
I'll leave it in a spoiler so those who don't want to read all of the technical rules don't have to, but here is the complete breakdown of the league contract/roster rules:
Spoiler
Teams are comprised of 20 players in the first season, 22 every season thereafter. There are also two Injured Reserve spots that an injured player can be placed to, freeing up a roster spot but not releasing the player. The salary cap is 30 million Cubits, with the minimum salary being 50,000 Cubits per year. There is no maximum contract salary.
Teams may trade both players and draft picks. The trade deadline is the Wednesday of Week 8.
After the first season there will be a pool of free agents. Teams may sign a free agent at any point during the regular season, and during the designated time frame of the off season. If a player is released to free agency during the season, that player's salary still counts against his old team's salary cap unless another team picks him up. There is a 24 hour waiver period for released players. Waiver priority is determined by reverse draft order.
The season
The season will be 12 games long. Each team will play each other team once. The final week's games are scheduled by random draw: A team with 5 home games will be drawn against a team with 6 to make sure each team plays 6 home and 6 away games. Teams alternate home and away each year (for example, if Caprica plays Gemenon at Gemenon in year one, they will play on Caprica in year two).
The Colonial Cup post-season tournament will feature the top 4 teams in the league at the end of week 12. The top seed will play the 4th seed, while seeds 2 and 3 will meet in the other semi-final. Both semi-finals and the Colonial Cup final are played at a fixed location, which rotates each year. Caprica City will host the Colonial Cup in the first season.
The Offseason
The offseason will be highlighted by Free Agency and the Draft. The draft will be 3 rounds, with pick order being reverse order from the table for the first 8 picks. The two semi-final losers will have picks 9 and 10. The finals runner-up will be 11, and the Cup winner will draft 12th.
The free agent signing period comes before the draft.
So that's all the boring stuff out of the way. Let's meet the teams.
First, a map of the BSG galaxy for those interested: map
Meet the teams:
Aerilon
About the Colony:
Aerilon is known as the food basket of the colonies, as it is primarily an agricultural world. Despite this, it is one of the poorest colonies, and home to the second smallest population of all the twelve worlds. The Thresher's home pitch is located in Promethea, a large city near the coast of the planet's largest ocean.
About the Team:
The Threshers drew pick #10 in the draft, and spent their first overall pick on a Midfielder, Xabi Alonso. Since the premier offensive players had been selected with earlier picks, Aerilon decided to build itself on defense, selecting defenders with its second and third round picks. Aerilon looks to be a solid defensive team that relies on counter-attacks and set pieces to score goals.
A note about the depth charts: The positions listed are the generic positions on the generator, and not necessarily the specific formation the team will play. View them more as a starting 11, and not as the tactical breakdown of the team.
Aerilon Depth Chart -
STARTER
2ND
3RD
4TH
G
Sergio Romero
Steeve Elana
Nick Rimando
RFB
Dani Alves
MLB
Holger Badstuber
Archimede Morleo
LFB
Marcell Jansen
Richarlyson
ROMF
Eduardo Salvio
Romeo Castelen
RDMF
Xabi Alonso
LDMF
Mark Noble
LOMF
Omar Ramos
RF
Edinho
CF
Jermain Defoe
Wellington Nem
Lars Nilsson
LF
Max Kruse
Yeom Ki Hun
Tony Cascio
Aquarion
About the Colony:
Aquarion is the outermost habitable planet in its system, and as such is a frigid, arctic world. It houses the smallest population of the twelve colonies. Instead of a central government, the colony is a series of communities and towns that operate independently of each other. The Whalers will play at Oceanside Stadium in Heim, the largest city on the planet. It is a small stadium, but a larger facility is in the works for when Aquarion hosts the Colonial Cup Finals in a few years.
About the Team:
Aquarion had the #7 spot in the draft, and spent their first pick on the forward Neymar, hoping he will provide a strong offensive base for the team. Their next 4 picks were all on midfielders and defenders, trying to balance both the offensive and defensive sides of the squad. Neymar should have a decent team getting him the ball forward, but a late-round goalkeeper and untested outside defenders may cause this team problems going forward.
Aquarion Depth Chart -
STARTER
2ND
3RD
4TH
G
Nicolas Douchez
Eduardo
Sonny Stevens
RFB
Salvatore Bocchetti
Marco Motta
Lim You Whan
MLB
Andrea Barzagli
Jos Hooiveld
LFB
Oscar Wendt
ROMF
Lucas
RDMF
Graham Zusi
LDMF
Thiago
LOMF
Ibrahim Afellay
Marcus Olsson
RF
Alberto Gilardino
CF
Neymar
Benjamin Lauth
LF
Giuseppe Mascara
Memphis Depay
Freddy Adu
Canceron
About the Colony:
From the smallest to the largest; Canceron hosts the largest population of the twelve Colonies, weighing in at over 6.5 billion people. Canceron is largely an industrial world, with most of its people working in factories. The Hydras play in the newly built Hydra stadium, located in Mangala.
About the Team:
Canceron drew #6 in the draft, and decided to follow the trend of the two teams before them by selection a goalkeeper. The Hydras were on only on the clock for about 30 seconds in the second round, as much to their surprise Ronaldinho was still available. Canceron kept their focus on offense, selecting forward Rodrigo Palacio in the third round, and picking up Thierry Henry a few rounds later. The Hydras are solid on the offensive side of the ball, but their outside defenders were both late round picks. They may be relying heavily on the play of their first round keeper Joe Hart.
Canceron Depth Chart -
STARTER
2ND
3RD
4TH
G
Joe Hart
Manu Herrera
Jeon Sang wook
RFB
Davide Santon
MLB
Fabricio Coloccini
Werley
LFB
Alberto Moreno
Mauhamadou Dabo
ROMF
Javier Pastore
Felix Klaus
Eric Avila
RDMF
Marco Verratti
LDMF
Ronaldinho
LOMF
Walter Erviti
Caiuby
RF
Rodrigo Palacio
Yazalde
CF
Thierry Henry
LF
Fernandinho
Nam Jun Jae
Last edited by lionden_56; 04-07-2014 at 08:12 PM.
About the Colony:
Caprica is home to the Colonial Government, and Caprican is the official language of the Colonies. It shares on orbit with Gemenon: they orbit each other every 28 days. The Buccaneers play in Atlas Arena, the largest stadium in the Colonies. Atlas was selected as the first sight for the Colonial Cup final.
About the Team:
Caprica had the #2 pick in the draft, and used it to select Arjen Robben. After selecting Leighton Baines for defense in round 2, striker Fred and midfielder Alberto Costa joined the fold. The C-Bucs are another team that wants to play forward and move the ball forward. Their best defender plays the left side, meaning plays to the right or middle may leave this team vulnerable.
Caprica Depth Chart -
STARTER
2ND
3RD
4TH
G
Beto
Jeroen Zoet
Carlo Nash
RFB
Tonny Hibbert
Dwight Tiendalli
Adriano Ferreira Pinto
MLB
Michael Turner
Kwak Tae Whi
LFB
Leighton Baines
Carlos Soto
Kim Dae Ho
ROMF
Arjen Robben
Stefan Ishizaki
RDMF
Elano
LDMF
Alberto costa
LOMF
Mario Santana
RF
Morata
CF
Fred
Luis Alberto
LF
Wilson Eduardo
Gemenon
About the Colony:
In terms of mass, Gemenon is the smallest of the 12 Colonies; yet it houses over 2 billion people. The people of Gemenon are known for their religious piety. They constructed an entire city around a pantheon dedicated to the gods. The Twins play at Kobol College field, on the campus of the Colonially famous Kobol College.
About the Team:
The gods were not with Gemenon during the draw process. The Twins drew #12 in the first round of the draft, meaning they got the last pick of the first round, and the first pick of the second. With that last pick in the round, they selected forward Miroslav Klose. With the very next pick, the Twins switched to the other end of the pitch and selected goalkeeper Tim Howard. Gemenon appears to be a well-rounded team. There is no major superstar, but they are solid at every position and shouldn't make a lot of mistakes.
Gemenon Depth Chart -
STARTER
2ND
3RD
4TH
G
Tim Howard
Esteban
Ferdinando Coppola
RFB
Fagner
Fabian Cubero
MLB
Gary Cahill
Luisinho
LFB
Carlos Martinez
Edgar Castillo
ROMF
Simone Padoin
Filipe Morais
RDMF
Marco Van Ginkel
LDMF
Blaise Matuidi
LOMF
Pizzi
Bakary Sako
RF
Danny Welbeck
Herculez Gomez
CF
Miroslav Klose
LF
Wayne Routledge
Marc Albrighton
Leonis
About the Colony:
Leonis is the largest habitable planet in the Cyrannus system, yet houses only 2 billion people; the same as Gemenon. This is largely due to its sprawling plains and vineyards, which are far more profitable than cities. Leonis is known for its wine, especially the "Leonis Estates" reds. The Wildcats play at Blacksheer Arena, in Hedon.
About the Team:
The Wildcats drew #8 for the draft, and spent their first pick on goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. They spent their next two selections on a defensive midfielder and a center back, shoring up the defensive lines. It wasn't until round 4 when they picked their first offensive player: Olivier Giroud. Leonis has a solid midfield and keeper, but two later round offensive players are the only support Giroud has to try and score.
About the Colony:
Libran is the home of the Colonial court system. Because of this, it is the center of trade and commerce in the Colonies. The planet itself holds just 1.2 million permanent residents, almost all in the city of Themis. Most of the rest of the landmasses on the planet are home to wildlife and jungle. The Thunder play their matches at the Themis Arena, a state-of-the-art stadium built largely with taxes and fees from the commerce on the planet.
About the Team:
Libran drew spot #5 in the draft, and also appeared to believe a solid defensive base was critical. They selected goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon with their first round pick. The focus quickly switched to offense, as they drafted David Villa in the second round. Jordi Alba hopes to lead a strong defensive squad; while Villa is joined by Landon Donovan on the front lines. They should be able to switch easily between a defensive minded lineup or a more aggressive lineup depending on what the matchup calls for.
Libran Depth Chart -
STARTER
2ND
3RD
4TH
G
Gianluigi Buffon
Johan Wiland
Tally Hall
RFB
Miguel Lopes
Choi Won Kwon
MLB
Jordi Alba
Jonathan Bottinelli
Filip Helander
LFB
Alex Sandro
Joo Ho Park
ROMF
Chung-Young Lee
Mathieu Dossevi
RDMF
Chico
LDMF
Rasmus Elm
LOMF
Diego castro
DaMarcus Beasley
RF
Alessandro Matri
CF
Landon Donovan
Chu Young Park
LF
David Villa
Picon
About the Colony:
Picon is about 75% water, which makes it famous for both its fishing industry and its vacation destination beaches. Picon is also home to the Colonial Fleet Headquarters: the launching point for most military ships and Battlestars. The Panthers play at Penrose Stadium in Queenstown.
About the Team:
Picon had the #4 pick in the draft, and with it started the trend of selecting goalkeepers. They picked Casillas, who was regarded by most as the best keeper in the player pool. The striker Negredo joined next, with Frank Lampard being drafted in round 3. The Panther draft seemed to focus more on the defensive side of the ball after Negredo was drafted. Much like Aerilon, Picon appears to be a team that will be content to play behind the ball, looking to find a hole on a counter attack.
Picon Depth Chart -
STARTER
2ND
3RD
4TH
G
Casillas
Rubinho
David Mitov Nilsson
RFB
Bacary Sagna
Mattias Johansson
MLB
Jonas Olsson
Nunes
LFB
Lucas Digne
ROMF
Adam Johnson
Sisi
RDMF
Tiago
LDMF
Frank Lampard
LOMF
Gabriel Silva
Matthew Taylor
Choi Jae Soo
RF
Lee Dong Gook
Maximilian Beister
CF
Negredo
Marvin Emnes
LF
Royston Drenthe
Sagittaron
About the Colony:
Sagittaron is one of the poorest colonies, largely thanks to exploitation from the other 11. The population of just under 2 billion largely follow traditionalist beliefs, and have an aversion to modern medicine and the Colonial military. The Archers play at the Municipal Stadium of Tawa, the planet's capital.
About the Team:
Favor was with the Archers on draw day, as they were drawn #1 for the draft. With that first pick, they selected Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Sensing the option to build an offensive juggernaut, the Archers selected left winger Danny and right winger Nani with their next two selections. Kyle Walker holds down the fort on the back line, in front of goalkeeper Oliver Boumann. Sagittaron is going to look to put up the most goals in the league this year. The question is how many will they surrender as well.
About the Colony:
Scoripa is the warmest planet in the Colonies; known for lush rainforests and scorching deserts. Argentum Bay is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the Colonies. It is known for its paragliding and scenic views. The planet is named for the half-ring that whips up like a scorpion's tail.
About the Team:
Scorpia picked 11th in the first round, selecting the best player left on the board: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Scorpia's first four picks were all in order down the middle of the pitch, selecting center mid Lars Bender second, center back Lourent Koscileny third, and goalkeeper Diego Alves 4th. Because of this, the team is well balanced, but the creativity of the team's play when the ball gets out to the wings is something to question early.
Scorpia Depth Chart -
STARTER
2ND
3RD
4TH
G
Diego Alves
Lars Unnerstall
Federico Vilar
RFB
Timothy Chandler
Tim Breukers
MLB
Laurent Koscileny
Matt Besler
LFB
Cristian Ansaldi
ROMF
Suso
Jiloan Hamad
RDMF
Yoann Gourcuff
LDMF
Lars Bender
LOMF
Manuel Pasqual
RF
Franco Jara
Anthony Modeste
CF
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Marcus Berg
LF
Yohan Mollo
Rachid Ghezzal
Mattia Mostrom
Tauron
About the Colony:
Tauron is a dusty planet that lacks any type of flowers. Its history is marred with conflict. After the re-advent of space flight, the planet was attacked by Virgon and Leonis. After a long struggle, the people managed to regain their freedom. A short time after, the planet erupted into civil war; causing many inhabitants to flee to Caprica. Crime is still high and a major issue for the Colony, but no major conflicts have erupted since. The Bulls play at Hypatia Field, in the city of the same name. It is colloquially known as the Bull Ring.
About the Team:
Tauron drafted in spot number 9, and took the only left winger of the first round: Ezequiel Lavezzi. Lavezzi will be joined on the pitch by Giuseppe Rossi and Alessio Cerci, forming a decently formidable attacking third. Michel Vorm defends the net, behind a relatively unknown defender line. The Bulls look to be an agressive team, but probably lack the same offensive punch as a team like Sagittaron.
Tauron Depth Chart -
STARTER
2ND
3RD
4TH
G
Michel Vorm
Kristoffer Nordfeldt
Mariano Barbosa
RFB
Gino Peruzzi
Nat Borchers
MLB
John Heitinga
Angelo Palombo
LFB
Eliseu
Paul Konchesky
ROMF
Alessio Cerci
RDMF
Ruben Amorim
LDMF
Ji Sung Park
LOMF
Matteo Rubin
Mirko Boland
Park hee Chul
RF
Gonzalo Bergessio
CF
Giuseppe Rossi
LF
Ezequiel Lavezzi
Nicola Sasone
Jerson Cabral
Virgon
About the Colony:
Virgon is known for its forests and lumber industry. It is also a popular tourist attraction, with many people coming to see the old Parliment Building and palaces of the kings and princes that ruled the Colony before the Colonial governments were unified. Virgon also produces "Virgon Brew," one of the most popular beers in the Colonies. The United play at Atlantia Stadium in Boskirk.
About the Team:
Virgon drew #3, which many people felt was the last place to get one of the premier superstars entering the league. They drafted Bastian Schweinsteiger with their first pick. Their second pick was center back Pepe, but the United neglected the rest of their back line until the 10th and 11th rounds. The United are solid on the front and in the midfield, but the biggest question coming into the inagural season is how well can the back line play.
Virgon Depth Chart -
STARTER
2ND
3RD
4TH
G
Emiliano Viviano
Ross Turnbull
Macedo Novaes
RFB
Roberto Hilbert
Paul Baysse
Cha Du Ri
MLB
Pepe
Jan Kirchoff
LFB
Christian Pander
ROMF
Lars Stindl
Shea Salinas
RDMF
Lucas Biglia
LDMF
Bastian Schweinsteiger
LOMF
Ashley Young
Niklas Hult
RF
Ricky van Wolfswinkel
James Vaughan
CF
Jozy Altidore
Alfred Moreno
LF
Lukas Podolski
Feel free to begin posting. Season 1 schedule and other information will be posted tomorrow.
Last edited by lionden_56; 04-07-2014 at 08:13 PM.
The two teams fortunate enough to be drawn into the opening contest of the Colonial Football League marched out to a loud ovation at Atlas Arena in Caprica City. Both teams hoping to be there for the final game of the year, as Atlas will host the Colonial Cup later this season. Aerilon came out as the early aggressor, with Edinho finding the back of the net just three minutes into the contest.
Caprica responded in the 26th minute after Arjen Robben forced a turnover deep in the Aerilon defensive third. He sent a through ball to Costa who was waiting at the top of the box, and Costa drove it home.
The teams entered the locker room locked up both on the scoreboard and on the stat sheet. Caprica had 8 shots to Aerilon's 6, and 21 tackles to Aerilon's 19.
Aerilon broke the ice in the 74th minute as Sergio Ramos dribbled past his defender wide on the far side of the pitch, and sent a beautiful cross through the penalty area. Salvio's head was waiting to direct it to the near post past the diving keeper.
Unfazed by their opponent's lead, Caprica answered right back just two minutes later. After a nice long ball forward from the midfield, Fred sent a scorcher with the left to the far post from the top of the 18 yard box.
Each team had a few more chances to get the clincher, but neither succeded as the first match of the day ended as a 2-2 draw.
Apr 11, 2014 - Aerilon vs Caprica
TEAM
1
2
SCORE
Aerilon ()
1
1
2
Caprica ()
1
1
2
Team Stats Comparison
Aerilon
Caprica
2
Goals
2
12
Shots
15
5
Shots on Target
9
37
Tackles
44
3
Fouls
4
0
Yellow Cards
0
0
Red Cards
0
1
Injuries
0
41
Shot Accuracy
60
86
Passing Percentage
82
Tauron @ Virgon
Much like the game prior, Tauron wasted no time jumping on a Virgon defense that came out a little flat. A simple ground pass into the center of the area somehow made it past the entire Virgonese defense and Bergessio was able to re-direct it under the keeper and into the back of the net.
The stat sheet shows the two teams as fairly even in the first half, but players from either team wouldn't agree. Tauron seemed to be in control the entire half. They extended their lead in the 38th minute with a goal from Park. A poor clearance from the Virgon back line became two passes and a wide open shot at the net.
Virgon would not be discouraged. Just like the first game, two minutes later the United responded. The #3 overall pick in the draft Bastian Schweinsteiger sent a driven corner kick towards the middle of the penalty area. Pander managed to get just enough of a head on it to sneak it past the diving keeper.
The goal would prove to be huge for Virgon, as they managed to take some momentum into the halftime break. Coming out of the locker room, the United looked like a different team. Their passing was crisper, and the back line was playing much, much more solid football.
It took only 10 minutes in the second half for Virgon to tie the match. Lars Stindle drew the defense in as he made a run towards the box, then left a back heel for Schewinsteiger to finish.
Tauron managed to stop the bleeding, and lock in defensively for the rest of the contest to join Caprica and Aerilon in the middle of the table with a 2-2 draw.
Apr 11, 2014 - Tauron vs Virgon
TEAM
1
2
SCORE
Tauron ()
2
0
2
Virgon ()
1
1
2
Team Stats Comparison
Tauron
Virgon
2
Goals
2
8
Shots
16
5
Shots on Target
6
43
Tackles
43
1
Fouls
3
0
Yellow Cards
0
0
Red Cards
0
0
Injuries
0
62
Shot Accuracy
37
77
Passing Percentage
85
Aquarion @ Leonis
Keeping up with what seemed to be a theme in the early games, Aquarion jumped out to a quick 1-o lead thanks to Neymar and Thiago. Neymar displayed a great individual effort, dribbling effortlessly through the Leonis defense, and putting a shot on net. Leonis's keeper made a great save, but the rebound was easy pickings for Thiago as he put Aquarion on top.
Leonis answered quickly back, however. Hatem Ben Arfa took a free kick for Leonis from about 40 yards out that fell to the feet of Elmander, who managed to beat the keeper with his right.
Aquarion had a golden opportunity in the 18th minute when Afelay was fouled in the box and a penalty kick was awarded. Neymar stood over it, and stuttered a bit on the approach. Leonis' number 1 pick in the draft, Hugo Lloris, was not fooled, as he made a brilliant diving save to keep the game level.
The game took an odd twist in the 25th minute. Ben Arfa dribbled into the box and took a shot that was deflected and eventually hit the post. Bochetti attempted to head the rebound over the goal line but the ball took an add bounce off his head and wound up in his own team's net.
Aquarion didn't let the own goal shake them. With the half winding down, Gilardino took a centering pass from Thiago and scored with a diving header. The teams entered halftime knotted at 2.
After a back and forth yet scoreless second half, the match looked to be fated for a 2-all draw just as the previous matches had. In the 81st minute, Leonis won a corner kick. The play they drew up would prove the be the decider. Another driven ball to the top of the 6 yard box managed to beat the defense and find the head of Kim Shin Wook, who had substituted into the game just a few minutes prior. This late goal gave Leonis the victory and the first 3 points of the season.
Apr 11, 2014 - Aquarion vs Leonis
TEAM
1
2
SCORE
Aquarion ()
2
0
2
Leonis ()
2
1
3
Team Stats Comparison
Aquarion
Leonis
2
Goals
3
10
Shots
13
6
Shots on Target
4
48
Tackles
27
4
Fouls
1
0
Yellow Cards
0
0
Red Cards
0
0
Injuries
1
60
Shot Accuracy
30
78
Passing Percentage
90
Libran @ Canceron
Libran was a team that many pundits expected to finish in the middle of the table this year. Those pundits are very quickly trying to redact their statements after watching the Thunder completely pick apart the Canceron defense.
It took Libran a little time to find their legs. Canceron looked to be the aggressor early, putting two shots on net in the first ten minutes. But Libran's defense held solid, and their patience paid off in the 31st. The theme of the day for Libran was teamwork, and their first goal showed that perfectly. Landon Donovan started the march forward, pulling two defenders to him. He took the opportunity to send David Villa to the corner, taking two more defensmen with him. Villa's first-touch cross found Matri who was all alone on the back side. From there it was a simple job for Matri to tuck the ball inside the far post.
It took just five minutes for Libran to strike again. Rasmuss Elm intercepted a pass near the top of the semi-circle, dribbled to the penalty spot and hit a laser beam to the far post with his left.
But when things started to look like they were slipping away from Canceron, the Hydras responded with a tally of their own. Thierry Henry got around his defender and passed it back to Verratti who was trailing. The keeper looked a bit confused as he wasn't expecting a quick shot to come, and before he knew it the ball was in the back of the net.
Any hope Canceron may have had was snuffed out in the second half.
Libran took control of the possession in the early going of half number two, and never gave it back to Canceron. The lead was extended to two thanks to a Landon Donovan goal in the 69th minute.
Libran went on cruise control for the rest of the match. In stoppage time, substitute DeMarcus Beasley decided he needed to show his coach that he should be a starter, as he dribbled through a clearly exhausted Canceron back line and added a fourth goal for Libran.
Apr 11, 2014 - Libran vs Canceron
TEAM
1
2
SCORE
Libran ()
2
2
4
Canceron ()
1
0
1
Team Stats Comparison
Libran
Canceron
4
Goals
1
16
Shots
8
11
Shots on Target
3
34
Tackles
38
2
Fouls
3
1
Yellow Cards
0
0
Red Cards
0
0
Injuries
1
68
Shot Accuracy
37
86
Passing Percentage
80
Sagittaron @ Gemenon
There's a saying: If it weren't for bad luck, we'd have no luck at all. Gemenon has been the living embodiment of that saying during the pre-season and first week of the season. Not only did Gemenon pull the last pick in the first round of the entry draft; their first match of the season is against the team that drew the #1 overall pick. The Archers of Sagittaron enter the season with the player that most agree is the most exciting player in the league: Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
He did not disappoint.
The beginning of the match looked like expectations may have been subverted, as Miraslov Klose opened the scoring just five minutes into the contest. Gemenon's own first round pick took a pass to the near side of the box, moved around his defender, and cannoned a shot to the far post and around the diving keeper. Sagittaron drafted for offense and not for defense. Could this be a sign that their strategy was a mistake?
As it turns out, for the Archers, the best defense is a good offense. And maybe a little luck. Gemenon had another chance in the 20th minute when a rocket from Klose beat the keeper, hit the woodwork. The shot was hit so hard that the rebound off the crossbar fell to the feet of the Sagitaron midfielders, who quickly sent it forward for Ibrahimovic. The counterattack proved successful, as the #1 overall pick scored his first of the contest in the 22nd minute.
Zlatan struck again 10 minutes later. Danny's chip over the defense gave Ibrahimovic just one defender to beat. By the time he got it settled, two more had come over to help. It didn't matter, as the striker showed why he was deserving of the high draft pick. He dribbled through three defenders with ease and beat Tim Howard for the second time in the contest.
The teams switched sides, but the momentum stayed the same at the intermission. In the 54th minute, Ibrahimovic stuck again for his hat trick. Once again he took a pass from out wide and maneuvered around a defender to put it behind Tim Howard for a third time.
Gemenon was not without their chances late. In the 54th minute, Wellbeck was dribbling in on net. His defender beating, the keeper Baumann came off his line to try and snuff out the attack. Wellbeck attempted to move around him, but lost control of the ball. Meanwhile, Baumann was diving at the ball and missed. The result was keeper and striker tumbling to the ground in a heap. The official ran over and gave Baumann a yellow card for his challenge, and a penalty shot for Gemenon.
Klose's shot beat the keeper, but for the second time in the contest could not beat the frame, as he hit the left upright.
Gemenon looks back on what might have been, but they fall to Sagittaron 3-1.
Apr 11, 2014 - Sagittaron vs Gemenon
TEAM
1
2
SCORE
Sagittaron ()
2
1
3
Gemenon ()
1
0
1
Team Stats Comparison
Sagittaron
Gemenon
3
Goals
1
6
Shots
13
5
Shots on Target
7
35
Tackles
37
3
Fouls
3
1
Yellow Cards
0
0
Red Cards
0
0
Injuries
0
83
Shot Accuracy
53
72
Passing Percentage
73
Picon @ Scorpia
The final contest of the day featured the Picon Panthers and the Scopria Stingers.
Scoripa opened up the scoring when their first pick in the draft, Huntelaar, dribbled through two Picon defenders and beat the keeper low to his right.
The stingers added some insurance in the 55th minute when Huntelaar again broke through, this time with his head from a corner kick.
Picon struggled mightily in this one, never really posing any threat to the Scorpia goal. Their one tally of the contest was more of a fluke. The Scorpia keeper mishandled a pass back from the defense, and Neymar was they to capitalize and score what will probably be the easiest goal of his career.
Match day 1 ended on a high note for the home town Stingers, as Scorpia defeats Picon 2-1.
Apr 11, 2014 - Picon vs Scorpia
TEAM
1
2
SCORE
Picon ()
0
1
1
Scorpia ()
1
1
2
Team Stats Comparison
Picon
Scorpia
1
Goals
2
8
Shots
9
4
Shots on Target
2
32
Tackles
37
2
Fouls
2
0
Yellow Cards
0
0
Red Cards
0
0
Injuries
0
50
Shot Accuracy
22
76
Passing Percentage
77
Last edited by lionden_56; 04-14-2014 at 04:17 PM.