colombolions.com

[andyallenone]

MATCH REPORT BY IAIN COCHRANE

With apologies if I’ve spelt your name wrong, invented you, missed you out altogether or fictionalised events.

11/08/2007

Colombo Lions 3, Maldivians 1 (Swamp 3)

Please select your preferred headline from the following choices:

SWAMP CLAIMS MATCH BALL AND TWO OTHERS AS WELL.
PRIORITIES CHANGE AS NEW PREMIERSHIP SEASON BEGINS.

Twice last season the Maldivians came to play, both of them high scoring affairs. The first game ended in a rout with the lions running rampant in a 6 – 1 romp. But back they came to take the lions apart in a first half spree that ended 4 – 0. In the second half the Lions restored some credibility by putting five past them but two more goals sealed a creditable win for the Maldivians. But all this is purely academic when you consider the fact that this Maldives team were full of new faces and were only formerly introduced to one another about half an hour before kick-off. But you take inspiration where you find it and they took to field with a definite game plan. Captain Rich stepped into absent Andy’s shorts (brave man) to pick the team and direct matters from the centre of the pitch. And so it began…

It soon became apparent that this team were not to be taken lightly when they had the better of the opening moments but an unspoken message soon permeated that the Lions should spend the opening exchanges simply stopping them from playing their game.

We may even have underestimated their capabilities as early as the 5th minute when a speculative attempt on goal caused Kaz to react in a way that would have made Asanga proud. He clearly helped the long-range effort over the bar with his fingertips when the ball was on its way over anyway. Had he left it, Seaman was there to cover but it seems that the Japanese central defender suffers from the same “mad-half-hour” curse that cats do!

Thankfully, there was an infringement when the spot kick was taken and Mr. Osman pointed again to the spot for a re-take. This time, the strike was legal but the ball went wide and an early disaster was averted.

Not long after though a wayward pass by yours truly invited a quick passing sequence which led to a shot that beat Seaman at his near post. Not necessarily against the run of play but a disappointingly soft goal to concede.

0 – 1

It’s become almost tradition to react positively after going a goal down and after a couple of changes the game opened up a bit. In the 20th minute Donaldinho floated a high ball forward for Captain Rich to chase. He didn’t get there but his presence was enough to confuse the Maldives keeper into fluffing the awkward bounce and new signing Rob was on hand to slot ball home on his debut.

1 – 1

Then, a goal out of nothing. After some decent possession, the ball came to Steve A. who glanced up to notice the Maldives keeper 27.8 nautical miles off his line. Frankly, it would have been rude if he hadn’t lobbed the keeper from outside the area such was the invitation. Eccentric shorts, eccentric keeper.

2 – 1

With the game under control, the last thing the Lions wanted was to make life difficult for themselves but Seaman took it upon himself to cause Lion hearts to flutter and Welsh vocal chords to become hoarse with some dangerous gamesmanship within his own area. But to his credit, his clever positioning enabled him to make some comfortable saves toward the end of the half including a well covered shot, palmed away for a corner when an equalizer looked certain.

Half time: 2 – 1

The Lions began the second half much more comfortably than the first with the whole team covering for each other and showing good movement and possession. Sadly, an important meeting with ESPN in the Cricket Club meant that I was unable to record the last half an hour. Is that such a crime? The game kicked-off half an hour late. Is that my fault? Anyway, Sunderland handled Spurs well and clinched the game in the 94th minute when Chopra spun on a loose ball in the area and hammered…

…erm…..hang on a …

Oh, I remember, from what I was told when some of the lads turned up for post-match pint, we out-played them for most of the second half and Captain Rich sealed the game with what is becoming a trademark goal. From well outside the area, he sent in a perfectly placed, arcing shot which looped over the stranded keeper and into the far corner.

Full time: 3 – 1

This was another welcome game in which we were pitched against a better than decent opposition and came out the other side smelling of roses. For the record, Mr. Osman put in an impartial performance he can be proud of.

M.o.M. went to Vegard for re-inventing the role of the sweeper. Great in the tackle, spot-on distribution and effective going forward. He narrowly beat the swamp to the title who finally got three after coming so close last week.

Starting XI: Seaman, Iain D, Kaz, Steve H, Iain C, Jules, Steve A (1), Rich (Capt) (1), Kadi, Vegard (M.o.M.), Danieli

Subs: Zoe, Murray, Robert (1), Mesh, Mahlon, Donaldinho