Team: James, Gerry, Owen, George, Carl, Sam, Dave, Yi
Goals: James, Gerry, Sam, Owen
Match report
Life was good. The sun setting on a sweet summer's day. The smell of freshly mowed lawns, the sounds of children playing. Little did we know we would be stepping into a world a hurt, pain, agony and scars. Fortunately, chicks dig scars.
As a team, nine of us lead by an angry Asian man with a mean look named Vince, strode into the depths of the Oakleigh indoor cricket centre, the warm setting sun spending the last of its rays blazed at our backs, sparkling of our brilliant orange KNVB jerseys. The entire centre stopped and awed our presence; you could have heard a pin drop a mile away. On the field we could see the red and white Sevilla blur, in the middle the captain waited like the ferryman of the River Styx, and then we knew we were already so far beyond the point of no return we wouldn't even remember what it had looked like when we had passed it. We were a team of brooding underdog avengers out to right the wrongs of injustice, against a pillar of evil. We came armed. I, a soccer ball slung under one arm, Sam, an inconspicuous bag, Carl, a blasphemous Portugal jersey, Yi, a grey singlet and Vince, the car keys to his new Audi TT, damn I love that car.
We entered the field, the fiery depths of hell burned on high below us, the heat rolled in waves from the ground, our sweat glands worked over time. The Sevilla team looked accustomed.
We kicked off. Our superior defence foiled all attempts by the Sevilla team to score, Carl, who started as keeper did a fantastic job of keeping the balls out of the goal. Sam, as always passed well and shot well, and was unlucky not to score, James much the same and scored through a well deserved penalty. Yi played some cutting passes that slipped through there defence like a warm knife through butter, except, no one had the pleasure of latching on to them, he and Carl (when he was on field), played a very solid defence. As for me, luck and I weren’t on speaking terms. I can’t talk for anyone else, but I hit the post, the keeper, another player, I hit everything except of the ref, and I wanted to hit that too. So I subbed seven minutes before time not to return until I had consoled myself. Yi and I substitution saw the appearance of Owen and Dave. Dave staying back a little more than usual, but doing a good job of making several runs forward, Owen defended well and saw a quick break, where he made his dash for cash and scored a much needed goal.
As with most holes, no matter how much time you spend climbing, one slip and you’re back at the bottom. As was with this case, a sudden lapse in pace, and Sevilla were all over us like a really really bad rash, scoring two quick goals to make it even at half time.
The second half:
George, our wondrous goal keeper, appears from no where. Stunned by his magnificence, we let Sevilla have several shots on goal, of which he unleashes a string of magnificent saves to keep us in contention throughout the half.
Sam and I saw each other close up and personal early in the second half, where we nearly bowled each other over, we stopped and look at each other, as if to both say, you take it, while Sam and I silently argued over the ball, the Sevilla team looked mesmerised and before they could snap out of it, Sam reliably took the shot and scored a clinical goal.
Not too long after, Sam passed me the ball down field. I was a Ninja, I was David fucking Beckham and my Kung Fu was strong. Who am I kidding? At best I was Superman on kryptonite, Spiderman run out of webbing, Pascal Cygan of sorts, about to fall into where it all goes down. But, thankfully luck decided to start negotiating again, allowing a fluke goal on my part. The shot was an exclamation mark to everything that had led to this point. It echoed the sounds of our thoughts. Sevilla scrambled to make amends, even scoring a quick goal, but it was all too little too late and like that it was all over. The Seville team exhausted, defeated, they collapsed to our feet where we stood in triumphant glory. The storm seemed to lose its fury. The raging clouds gave way to the starry night sky above. All was well with the world. Our kung fu was strong again.
Carl the Manager; Keeping George; Vinnie the Captain; Dashing Owen; Dutch Solid, Right-Corner Penalty Sam, Yuuuugo; Dave the Engine; Inspirational Ian and Cameo Quoc..
