All Nations Cup tournament 2008
This year the All Nations was not accompanied by the musical and cultural events at Nethercraig’s rugby pitch, but the attendance of footballers competing was much higher and more diverse. And from this experience, nearly a dozen teams would have something to remember from Universal - who commanded the field for five hours… until they met ANSAR in the final.
The tournament was organised as three groups of four teams, playing three games each on three separate pitches. Each game had two 30minute halves.
| Group A | Group B | Group C |
|---|---|---|
| Afroscots | Prostar | Glasgow Zimbabwe |
| Pronations | Hampden | Republica |
| Streetleague | Cameroon | Glasgow Universal |
| Glasgow ANSAR | Sporto | Red Star |
Group stages were played on the 9th awarding 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw. The top two teams from each group and two best third places would qualify for the knock-out quarter final stages played on the 10th.
Day One
| Group A | Pts | F | A |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Glasgow ANSAR | 7 | 12 | 6 |
| * Pronations | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| * Afroscots | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Streetleague | 3 | 6 | 11 |
| Group B | Pts | F | A |
| * Sporto | 9 | 13 | 4 |
| * Hampden | 4 | 7 | 7 |
| * Prostar | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| Cameroon | 1 | 6 | 13 |
| Group C | Pts | F | A |
| * Universal | 9 | 14 | 2 |
| * Red Star | 6 | 10 | 9 |
| Zimbabwe | 3 | 6 | 12 |
| Republica | 0 | 6 | 16 |
Some team names link to VGA-sized images of team group photos taken on the day. To order larger images (3264×2448 ~1.5Mb) drop a line to pdknandy at fcuniversal.org.uk. CD ROMS with more images taken from this day may also be available soon.
Universal’s Match reports: Day One
Day Two
The draw for the quarter-finals did not go as expected - Red Star and Hampden were unable to attend the second day. So Glasgow Zimbabwe - not only qualified by default into the quarter final stages - they also drew a bye which meant they would make it all the way through to the semi-finals!
| Sporto | 5 | Afroscots | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glasgow ANSAR | 5 | Prostar | 0 |
| Universal | 3 | Pronations | 0 |
| Glasgow Zimbabwe | - | bye | - |
| Sporto | 0 | Universal | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glasgow ANSAR | 3 | Glasgow Zimbabwe | 0 |
Universal’s Match reports: Day Two
All Nations Cup Final 2008
Glasgow ANSAR 2 Universal 1
Glasgow ANSAR’s name would be engraved on the trophy for the second time and ANSAR’s Imran Yaqub was presented with the Player of the Tournament award. Runners up, Universal, were awarded the Fair Play award and Curtis was recognised as the tournaments top scorer.
After the presentation, it emerged that the All Nations organisers are planning to expand the tournament to take place over two separate weekends and involve a greater number of teams.
Match report: Final
All Nations Cup Festival: Day One
Universal cruise through Group C.
Universal 4 Red Star 1
Starting in torrential rain, the first team - Red Star - was broken by Raphael who opened the score early into the first half. The second goal followed from a shot by Curtis that led to Red Stars defence expressing outrage about how ineffective they seemed to be - perhaps they weren’t aware that they were playing the current champions! The quality would become apparent when McGall finished with a beautiful chip from the corner of the 18yard box that left Red Star’s keeper totally baffled.
To close the first half, Red Star managed to score from a good move in open play. 3-1.
In the second half, Curtis scored his second after breaking through the back line into the 18yard box and with a deftest of touches sending the goal keeper the wrong way so he could go round and finish.
But then Curtis missed his hat-trick: the pitches are between 50 and 55yards across so when Oday saw clear line to goal from the half way line he blasted it in. It was on target and the goalkeeper had to be totally committed to reach it, punching it back out into the feet of Curtis who scuffed his finish wide of the open goal. After McGall tried twice more to chip the keeper - both attempts were held - the match finished 4-1.
The other first game scores were Group A: Afroscots 0 Pronations 1 and Group B: Prostar 1 Hampden 2. Red Star stayed on the pitch to face Glasgow Zimbabwe while Universal were granted a break. The scores for the second game were: Group A: Streetleague 1 Glasgow ANSAR 6 Group B: Cameroon 2 Sporto 6 Group C: Zimbabwe 2 Red Star 4.
Universal 5 Republica 0
The third group match would be a defenders game. Curtis opened the scoring with a spectacular shot - he trapped a pass near the edge of the box, turned very quickly on the ball and curled his shot high into the top corner. From that point onwards Republica’s defence saw the danger and had to close down all possession in their own half.
Then Republica’s defence was relentlessly pressed by Universal’s midfield which was beginning to find it’s rhythm. Only Oday, coming forward from the full-back position would find the time to do his tricks and find the net. The first half finished 2-0.
In the beginning of the second half, Republica earned a chance from an indirect free kick when Universal’s keeper, Advo picked up a back pass. But they barely got time for a second touch from the indirect free kick as Oday closed them down so quickly that it came to nothing.
Curtis stepped up a gear and completed his hat-trick with two exceptional solo-efforts taking Universal’s lead to 4-0. In response, Republica did craft some shots at Universal’s goal but Diel actually blocked more than the reserve goal keeper Advo got a chance to save. When Advo was tested he successfully held his shot. Finally Pierre got a shot at goal which was cleared by a defender for a corner, not be left out he headed that corner in to finish the game 5-0.
On the other pitches, the matches finished Group A: Afroscots 2 Glasgow ANSAR 3 and Group B: Prostar 0 Sporto 3 Now Republica stayed on to face Red Star and Universal were granted another rest. The fourth games finished, Group A: Pronations 2 Streetleague 3, Group B: Hampden 3 Cameroon 3, Group C: Republica 3 Red Star 5.
Universal 5 Glasgow Zimbabwe 1
For Universal’s last group game, the onus was on Zimbabwe to get a result for a hope of a competitive third place. But they would find it very difficult to gain any attacking possession while Universal pressed forward in attack.
Curtis opened the scoring after beating Zimbabwe’s offside trap. Raphael almost extended the lead but he was denied twice: his first shot hit the top post, bounced onto the goal line and bounced back out, his second attempt was a fine cut along the ground which beat the keeper but continued past the far post. Curtis rounded off the first half after scoring from Oday’s pass - superior positional play by them both made the finish look easy. 2-0.
In the second half Curtis assisted Adam who planted a powerful shot from 20 yards. Raphael was denied - again - with a shot that just went over the cross bar but he eventually got the goal he deserved to bring the tally up to 4-0.
A drive by Maka opened up Zimbabwe’s defence for McGall to convert the finish. The last goal was scored by Zimbabwe that brought the match to an end at 5-1.
On the other pitches, Group A: Pronations 3 Glasgow ANSAR 3 and Group B: Hampden 2 Sporto 3. By coincidence, all the Group winners: Glasgow ANSAR, Sporto and Universal, and Group runners-up: Pronations, Hampden and Red Star could all now relax and watch the remaining teams battle for third place. Of the six teams playing, only two should make it through to the quarter finals they had it all to play for and none would know who made it through until the final game was finished.
The results were Group A: Afroscots 4 Streetleague 2, Group B: Cameroon 1 Prostar 3 and Group C: Zimbabwe 6 Republica 3.
During this period Paul Nandy, Universal website photographer took group photos of all the teams that could be brought together for one - links to those pictures can be found under the team names in the Day One results table above.
All Nations Cup Festival: Day Two
Favourites Universal and ANSAR stay in command
Quarter final: Universal 3 Pronations 0
The first hurdle Universal had to pass was Unity League’s Pronations. Moran had three simple words in his team talk prior to this tie: “Attack attack attack.” And after Universal kicked off, it emerged that Pronations had exactly the same idea.
As usual, Pronations were had a really tough and well organised defence and their counter attacking was very productive. The result was a very fast paced first half with both sides fighting hard for possession while oblivious to intermittent bursts of heavy rain.
Pronations had the greater number of shooting chances. But Ibby - in total command of his goal and the 18yard box - denied everything Pronations could create in the first half. And at the other side of the pitch, the best chance for Oday to score was scuppered by a foul on him in the 18yard box. A penalty was awarded which McGall converted. The score at the end of the half was 1-0.
In the second half, Universal found their passing form and Pronations defence started to strain under the pressure. The first goal was created by Garfield: Pronations had a throw in just yards from their goal line and Garfield pounced on it like a predator, stole possession and fed Oday with a shooting chance which he duly finished. 2-0.
Then Maka created the next: he drove directly through Pronation’s midfield and defence, riding easily over two sliding tackles while keeping possession (which is Maka’s strength and signature move), he pulled apart the defensive formation and fed Raphael a shooting chance. Raphael, who had just been substituted for Oday, put it in with his first touch. The game finished 3-0 to Universal and Pronations can look forward to meeting Universal again in the Unity League.
In the other quarter final fixtures, both Glasgow ANSAR and Sporto, comprehensively beat their opponents Prostar and Afroscots respectively. The semi finals brought Zimbabwe back into the fray to meet ANSAR while Sporto would now meet the All Nations champions Universal.
Semi final: Universal 4 Sporto 0
The game started with Sporto looking more likely to score. Their first chance was a from very long throw-in which fell to their man in the 18yard box who had a free header - but his attempt went over the cross bar. Their greatest chance came from counter breaking move, but the finish hit the side netting at the near post. Then after Sunil was dispossessed of the ball, the Sporto striker used great skill to get around Oday - but then Ibby sorted it out, closing him down and blocking the shot with his body. The rebound was picked up by a second Sporto player who blasted it toward goal, but Oday cleared off the line and Sunil could breathe a sigh of relief that Universal did not concede the goal.
For a period Sporto sustained possession and pressurised Universal’s 18yard box until the defence was forced into a long clearance. However, Raphael now chased that loose ball and battled hard against Sporto’s fullback for it, on winning possession he blasted it towards goal. Sporto’s keeper managed a save but could not hold on the ball, it fell to Curtis who scored his tournament 8th goal to put Universal in the lead. 1-0 was the score and the end of a very tight first half.
In the second half, McGall and Raphael would come onto their own. With a well timed turn and run McGall left Sporto’s offside trap appealing to the referee while he deftly went round the keeper and drove his shot hard into the back netting. 2-0.
Later, McGall put Sporto’s defence into a panic again, forcing a double save from their keeper. As they managed kept him out and got organised again, he passed to Raphael who crafted a beautiful chip that left them all stunned and dead on their feet. 3-0. Then Justin, (who, as I recall had not lost a single tackle in this tournament) rode another tackle and saw an opening through midfield. He drove forward towards Sporto’s 18yard box and - with Sporto’s defenders marking McGall and Raphael finished it himself to end the game at 4-0.
Sporto, special guests who came all the way from Leeds, have brought with them a very high standard of game and a very well organised team. Whenever they got the chance, they had been watching Universal play group games and understood the individual quality of players they were about to face. They had started out well by using their strengths - which was a good command in the air and lots of practice on the volley - but were eventually broken by the weight of Universal’s passion for winning.
On the other pitch, ANSAR had defeated Zimbabwe 3-0 and - with Universal - had elected a final kick-off which was earlier than the planned time.
All Nations Cup Final
Universal 1 Glasgow ANSAR 2
Universal fall and ANSAR come out victorious
The final against ANSAR did not go as well as had been expected. Moran had selected a team based on how much energy he thought his players would have after dominating their opponents over 5 hours. Ansar’s players clearly had more running in them than Moran had expected.
It proved very difficult to sustain any possession, and in spite of Oday and McGall crafting some shots at the goal, the strain was palpable.
Then when Ansar countered, there was difficulty stopping their attacks through the centre. As the first half progressed, their confidence grew. While their first goal looked soft, their was no question about the second goal which was a spectacle.
When ANSAR kicked off the second half, Universal had it all to do. Maka and Garfield were brought in to control the midfield area, and they were largely successful in breaking Ansars attacks through the middle.
However, apart from a solo-drive by Maka who shepherded the ball into Ansars net, nothing else Curtis, McGall, Garfield or Oday tried would hit the target. The game finished 2-1.
Comments»
no comments yet - be the first?