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---End of MD 9, Results up shortly--- |
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Stars take first step toward final, 3-0
Woodstock (ASP) -- Sarzonia has played in all five AOCAF tournament semifinals, a distinction shared by only NEWI Cefn Druids in tournament history, but the Stars have never advanced to the championship match. The Stars defeated Legalese 3-0 at Hendrix Stadium in Woodstock to move within one match of advancing to the final for the first time.
"We've got one game left before we can say we've gotten the job done," goalkeeper Marco Taglianetti (five saves) said. "We still have to get the job done."
Sarzonia got a two goal game from forward Kevin Wilson and one goal from the other front runner, Bruce Badger. Coach Bryson Juergens said the team would look to play aggressively in Legalese's national stadium after the team lost 5-2 to Legalese in the first-ever meeting during World Cup 18 qualifying.
"Any time we think a match is going to be in the bag, we go back to that game," Juergens said. "We've developed quite a history between our teams and it's only going to get more intense."
Sarzonia can advance to their first AOCAF final with a loss by no more than two goals, but Juergens said the team will play as if it's trailing in aggregate.
"You can't play hoping not to lose by a certain number of goals," Juergens said. "You've got to play to win whether you need to win or not." |
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Sarzonia |
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It's all about the Navy. |
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--- Matchday 10 over. Results, as well as the Final teams, have been posted--- |
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Stars strike down semis hex
First trip to finals for perennial also-rans
It took five tries, but the Sarzonian national team finally advanced past the semifinals of the AOCAF tournament, defeating Legalese 3-1 away in the second leg of their semifinal series to take the series with a 6-1 aggregate. Sarzonia will face NEWI Cefn Druids, the only other team to advance to the semifinals in every prior AOCAF tourament.
Sarzonia did more than win a playoff series against new-found rivals Legalese. In beating the Atlantian Oceania newcomers and host nation, they exorcised two of their demons: Their inability to win a semifinal match in the AOCAF tournament and the team's loss in its only previous meeting with Legalese at their national stadium.
"I told the lads to forget about the past," Coach Bryson Juergens said. "Right now, it's about the future, and our future is a date in the AOCAF championship match with NEWI Cefn Druids."
For Sarzonia to win the championship, they will have to defeat a team that has played in the championship final in each of the previous four AOCAF tournaments. They will also have to defeat the Druids for the first time ever, since the team has an 0-1-4 lifetime record against NEWI Cefn Druids with the only bright spot being a goalless draw during the Eagle Cup.
Juergens said the Stars are undeterred.
"There's got to be a first time for everything," Juergens said. "Sooner or later, we'll beat them in a meaningful football game. We beat Vilita at the last AOCAF tournament for the first time ever. Anything is possible."
Sarzonia got goals from midfielders Josh Bentley and Darrell Bennett five minutes apart as the Stars stormed out of the gates in the second half after a scoreless first 45 minutes. Despite the fact that the team could have advanced with a two goal loss, Sarzonia didn't want to leave it to aggregate score.
"We wanted to put them down in a hole and make it impossible for them to climb out of it," forward Kevin Wilson said. "We had lots of chances in the first half, but [Scott] Pemberton was tough tonight." Wilson scored in the waning minutes of injury time to put the series on ice and the team exchanged hugs after the final whistle sounded.
"We've still got unfinished business," Bentley said. "Just getting to the final's not good enough. We want to bring the trophy home."
SCORING
Sarzonia Bentley 47; Bennett 52; Wilson 90+3
Legalese Jenson 78
This post has been edited by Sarzonia on Dec 13 2004, 01:45 PM |
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Sarzonia |
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It's all about the Navy. |
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Posts: 577 |
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The Daily Druid
WE MADE THE FINAL AGAIN!?!?!
Björn-Trevor Frederiksson wonders "how"?
Another AOCAF, andother final with a team from NEWI Cefn Druids lining up. We've got to ask ourselves how we got here.
Of course, playing some games at The Hole helped. This AOCAF has been held all around Atlantian Oceania, and the home games against Lamoni and Turori attracted full houses as usual. But support across NEWI Cefn Druids hasn't been what it has for previous cups, and had it not been for the two home games, I'm sure many Druidish people wouldn't have noticed the competition going on at all.
But anyway, the Druids have made it to their fifth final in five competitions, and their opponents this time are perennial semi-finalists Sarzonia. The norm for this tournament is that Sarzonia usually come third with the Druids winning, but as the Stars are guaranteed at least second place, does that mean that the Druids won't be finishing first again for the fourth time? One thing's for sure, it'll be a full strength 4-3-3 starting line up, as manager Trevor Belmore has already announced.
They'll line up like this for the final:
| CODE |
1. Lee Bell
3. Joe Matthews 5. Roland McDonald 18. Trevor McDonald 2. Clinton Nutting
7. Bill Posters 21.Maurice "Mo" Leicester 11. Dan Northfleet
9.Alan Belmore 12. Rhys Owens 23.Trevor Law
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The Druids record against the Stars is pretty damn impressive to say the least, but what isn't is the recent history of playing Druids first elevens in AOCAF matches, after only drawing wit hPedriana before losing to Starblaydia in the final. Will the right attitude be there? We can only wait and see, but one thing's pretty much for sure - we're going to be in for a good one!
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Stars look to steal hardware
With all the talk about the Sarzonian second choice national team's failures against the NEWI Cefn Druids, its winless mark in four previous AOCAF semifinals, and its continued troubles against rivals Starblaydia in AOCAF matches, one win will silence all of it.
If the Stars can notch their first-ever win over the NEWI Cefn Druids in tonight's final at The Castle in Legalese City, it will mark their first-ever AOCAF tournament championship after four trips to the third place match. The Stars would become only the third different team to hoist the championship trophy in five tournaments. It would finally demonstrate the depth the Incorporated Football Federation believes it has developed after years of planning.
"We can make our statement tonight," Coach Bryson Juergens said. Juergens, a player on the first Sarzonian football team to compete internationally, has seen his national side evolve from a group derided by many as a "ragtag bunch of weekend footballers" to the world's 32nd ranked team and a team that many higher ranked teams respect and fear. He has seen the team go from having one national team to having three teams that have enjoyed some success.
The Stars managed some milestones over the course of the previous four AOCAFs. Their first-ever international match in AOCAF I resulted in a 3-2 win over Crystilakere; their first-ever third place match resulted in a 3-1 win over Krytenia that started a seven match winning streak that culminated in a Baptism of Fire Cup title; their first-ever win over Vilita came in AOCAF IV in Sarzonia's first cup playing with a second choice national side, but the biggest milestone can come tonight.
"Any time you play a tournament, your goal should be to win the big one," goalkeeper Marco Taglianetti said. After serving as the backup to John Bartlett in AOCAF IV, he has shined en route to a 6-2-2 record that has Sarzonia in the finals. NEWI Cefn Druids is 9-0-1, with their only loss by 1-0 to Crystilakere in the final match of the group stage.
"We can't worry about their record in this tournament or against us or against everyone else," Juergens said. "We just have to focus on what we have to do to win this match." Juergens said the team would combat NEWI Cefn Druids' 4-3-3 by having forward Kevin Wilson play more of a withdrawn midfielder role, effectively in a 4-5-1.
"He'll still have plenty of opportunities to shoot the ball, but he's a good enough defensive player that we can use a 4-5-1," Juergens said. "Our game will be based on possession and we'll be looking to emphasize the short passing game. Having him play back a few yards may help us take advantage of some counters we think we can get."
This post has been edited by Sarzonia on Dec 14 2004, 07:55 PM |
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Sarzonia |
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It's all about the Navy. |
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Posts: 577 |
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The daytime sun shone in Francis Town, as two teams prepared to kick off for third-place glory. Interestingly enough, these two teams have had some familiarity, coming out of Group B, and therefore playing each other twice. A 4-1 victory for the favored Turorians occurred the first trip to The Castle, but a 1-1 draw in the second match ensured the top spot in Group B for Legalese. Will the move to Legalese National help the hosts take third in their own cup? Or will the more-established Turorians take home the honors?
Later that night, the scene shifts back to Legalese City, where The Castle is the stage upon which the two finalists take the field. NEWI Cefn Druids, historically the strongest team in the AOCAF, looks to take the cup home once again. On the other side sits a newcomer to the finals, but no stranger to the AOCAF. Sarzonia finally broke the semifinal jinx, eliminating the hosts (and their newfound rivals) in the process.
Who will it be taking home the AOCAF? Check the scores thread for results! |
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The Daily Druid
STARS "MO"-WN DOWN
"LEICESTER" CHEER ABOUT FOR STARS
Björn-Trevor Frederiksson on NEWI Cefn Druids 2 Sarzonia 0
The script had already been written. Sarzonia's second string had played their hearts out all the way through the tournament. On the other hand, they were playing the three-times winners in the final, but many would argue that they had had a much easier draw (though not an arguement anyone from Lamoni or Turori would put forward.)
The Stars were the team of the tournament, even with their second string. As they looked every bit champions, all their rivals just seemed to not want it. Vilita didn't even escape from their group, Druida sent their team home early, Lamoni capitulated in The Hole, while Starblaydia just seemed to lose it against Turori. Indeed, the only teams in the tournament that seemed much of a chalenge, the Stars had knocked out.
And so they lined up for the final. The Druids, who had made the final through winning an easy group, being lucky enough to watch Lamoni seemingly give up in front of them and coming up against Turori, who they've played about three bazillion times and only lost about one, had decided to throw their stars into the fray. If a chance comes for a Druids team to win something, they'll always throw their best in.
But many questioned the committment of the Druids' first team, especially after Starblaydia four years ago. Indeed, in the opening half hour of this one, the same could probably be said again, with the Stars team running rings around the shadow-chasing Druids. Kevin Wilson, playing deeper than usual, had confused the Druids defence. ~Indeed, only the instinctive saves of 'keeper Lee Bell were keeping the Druids in this one.
Well, that and the steel of Maurice Leicester in the Druids' midfield. In his typical "never say die" attitude, Mo seemed to single-handedly stir up passion in the Druids players that simply wasn't there before. It was his disposession of Wilson and charge forward that led to the opening goal. Only a desperate lunge by Carlos Escandela could stop Leicester and, from the resulting free-kick, Bill Posters made no mistake, curling a beauty over the wall into the top corner of the net. They didn't deserve the lead, but somehow, the Druids had it.
This only stirred the Stars up even more, as the Druids faced an absolute onslaught either side of half time. Indeed, during the interval, striker Alan Belmore was taken off, replaced by Midfielder Trevor Walker. It madce the Druids look a lot more solid, without actually making them any better. Then another Druids breakaway somehow ended up with them getting their first corner of the match.
And they only go and score from it! a poor headed clearance from Harry Epstein, and BANG! Man-of-the-Match Mo Leicester whacks it into the net. No-one would have saved it, not even Lee Bell in the form of his life at the other end. Without Bell and Leicester, the Druids would have been like lambs to the slaughter. But somehow they pulled it round, and they won their fourth AOCAF in five attempts. Whoever engraves the name into the trophy could probably do it with his eyes shut nowadays. Will he be putting the name "NEWI Cefn Druids" into it again after AOCAF 6? Well, if such a nation exists by then, then why not?
Final score:
NEWI Cefn Druids 52 [Posters 32, Leicester 68]
Sarzonia 0
This post has been edited by NEWI Cefn Druids on Dec 15 2004, 07:33 AM |
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Stars fall short of trophy, 2-0
At least this time, the script was a little different. The Sarzonian national team once again saw its run toward a championship in the AOCAF tournament end in disappointment, but instead of being consigned to the third place match, it came in the finals to NEWI Cefn Druids by the score of 2-0.
Coach Bryson Juergens' decision to play forward Kevin Wilson in midfield and shift to a more defensive-minded 4-5-1 formation nearly resulted in an offensive payout but Druidish goalkeeper Lee Bell saved his startled teammates from doom and prevented Stars shots from beating him for the first 30 minutes.
"Lee was a stone wall out there," Juergens said. "He showed you why he's one of the best goalkeepers in the world."
However, Wilson's new role caught up with him before long. Midfielder Maurice Leicester stole an attempt to control possession in midfield and charged into the Stars end. Defender Carlos Escalera prevented a shot attempt with a diving tackle that got too much of Leicester just ten yards away from the Stars 18 yard area and midfielder Bill Posters made Sarzonia pay when his bending free kick eluded goalkeeper Marco Taglianetti 38 minutes in.
"We were caught flat-footed," Taglianetti said. "There's not much more to say about it than that."
The Stars then applied pressure almost immediately after the Posters tally and after the second half kickoff, but Lee was again equal to the task. When forward Alan Belmore came off for midfielder Trevor Walker, the Druids shifted to a more defensive-oriented 4-4-2, but the Stars didn't adjust to the change in tactics.
It didn't seem to matter because it was the Stars defense that failed them. Defender Harry Epstein's failed clearance met Leicester's chest and he slammed the ball past Taglianetti in the 68th minute to give the Druids breathing room. Sarzonia substituted a forward for Epstein in a desperate attempt to get back into the match, but the adjustment came too little, too late.
"We're disappointed, obviously," Wilson said. "But we've accomplished a lot in this tournament and we've got more work to do." |
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Sarzonia |
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It's all about the Navy. |
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Posts: 577 |
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