SUL Summer Cup competition 2009
Final:Â Universal 0 Pronations 0 (Universal win penalty shoot-out)
19th July, 2009.
Pronations sporting new green/black striped kit would work their hardest to stop Universal dominating this game. Moran asserted to his side that discipline would be essential for this game. Moran the fielded the 442, Mickey back in goal; Adam, Justin, Abou and Sunil from right to left in defence; Curtis in holding midfield, Amadou and David in the wings, Maka in attacking midfield; Raphael and William as strikers.
Pronations kicked off and tested the linesmen with a couple of long balls forward, and the referee with a viscous tackle on Amadou. They could not beat the offside calls and were lucky not to draw a booking.
The best chance in the first 10minutes fell to Raphael who’s break through was blocked by the keeper. Haji of Pronations attempted the same at the other side and was similarly blocked by Mickey. Adam’s throw in down the line was picked up by Raphael who crossed it in, the keeper got to it just before William could tap it in. David’s corner was curling in and had to be parried out by the keeper.
Curtis found Raphael in good position to cross a dangerous ball into Pronation’s 18yard box but again the keeper was reading the game well and got to the cross just before William could header in. A Curtis and David link up was also broken up by him. After a long spell of passing culminating in a long range shot by David, on target, almost tricked the keeper who fumbled to stop the ball at his feet.
Raphael won a free kick 35yards out and quickly took it direct (in spite of the wall still being too close), but the keeper still had to parry it wide. Another free kick taken direct by Amadou forced a diving save and Raphael’s attack on the rebound could only find the side netting. A corner drew both Sunil and William diving to header the ball in but both missed.
In the closing minutes of the first half, Pronations were twice close to scoring but could not get a good contact on the ball to finish. As the whistle blew and the rain began to fall, half time came 0-0. As the second half began the rain was becoming stormy. Kwabi and Oday came on as subs for David and Raphael, and Amadou and Curtis swapped their midfield positions.
As Universal kicked off the second half, Oday and Kwabi immediately had an impact on the game but could draw nothing more than bookings for Pronations as they campaigned to limit their breaks. Pronations did calm down and display good team play and skills for themselves but Mickey spoiled their show. Pronations keeper managed to keep them in the game after he managed to pull a crafty chip by Oday out of the air.
With 15 minutes to go, Raphael came back on for William. But could do no more than hold in midfield. Only the dead ball was drawing shots on goal with one free kick by Amadou going over the cross bar. A desperate long ball forward by Pronations was stopped by diving save from Mickey - who also saved Justin from embarrassment since the ball fell through his feet. This kept score 0-0 at the end.
Pronations had succeeded in holding the League champions and forcing a penalty shoot-out, just as they had managed forced higher ranked opponents into penalty shoot-outs in every round of the Summer Cup. Pronation’s had won every one, so Universal would now have to beat an accomplished team at their own game!
After Pronations first, Adam’s attempt hit the cross bar. But Pronation’s second also hit the cross bar so Sunil’s successful spot kick would draw level. Pronation’s third and Curtis finished. Crucially, Pronation’s fourth spot-kick was held by Mickey after it came off the sidebar and Oday stepped up to finish.
After Pronation’s fifth penalty was driven in with power - the onus and all the pressure was now on Raphael but he did not disappoint. The first and final goal of Universal’s 2008-09 season was scored by the top scorer - Raphael Brown.
Semi Final: Universal 2 Unreal Madrid 0
12th July, 2009.
With both Hillhead and Upfront knocked out of the competition, Universal would now be favourites for the cup. But there is still 180 minutes of play left until the end with Unreal - on the ascendency - in this game and one of Pronations-v-Hampden for the other. In this 442 Mickey was back in goal; Adam, Abou, Justin and Sunil formed the back four; Curtis in holding midfield, Jean-Yves and David wingers and Maka attacking midfield. McGall and Oday as strikers with Raphael, Andy, and Amadou as substitutes.
After Universal kicked off, the first first chances came one-a-piece. Oday tried to break through defence and get on the the end of McGall’s cross but they could not connect. At the other end, Mickey was tested by a good shot on target which he held. For the next 20 minutes of play - which was to a high standard - both sides made chances but could not finish.
Jean-Yves sustained an injury to his eye after a cleared ball slammed off his face, he would not be able to finish this game. Amadou came on. After a lot of break moves that were called off-side, neither side could score by the time the half-time whistle was blown.
The second half was a different prospect for Unreal with Universal looking much more aggressive. In the third minute a touch of brilliance by Oday broke the dead-lock. David’s cross didn’t catch him on his best foot but he still managed to blast the ball from the 18yard line, off the top of the cross-bar and into the net. 1-0.
A minute later he almost extended the lead in exactly the same way but it just over. Unreal were having to concentrate hard to stop chances that fell to David, Amadou and Maka. They also pressurised Universal’s defence with a cruising free kick from 20 yards which Mickey held. Sunil cleared an awkward corner off the line. And a shot from open play went over Universal’s cross bar. But Universal turned the screw again. A 22yard free kick was awarded for a foul on Curtis, Oday hit it direct but it went just wide. Shortly after Curtis laid off a great ball for Oday but he missed his finish. The after a nice build-up from Adam, Amadou’s finish was held.
With 15 minutes to go, Moran called a double substitution taking Oday off for Raphael and David off for Andy. Right away Raphael had an impact, he did all the running to drive the ball forward into Unreal’s defence and laid it off for Maka. Maka had time and space to hold the ball and literally wait for Unreal to get into position to defend - so he could pass it back to Raphael to finish 2-0.
Near the end there was an altercation between Amadou and his marker that resulted in both being sent off. But the result remained the same at the final whistle. During the post match analysis there was a degree of concern from Moran that Universal didn’t complete all it’s chances but my opinion is that the clean sheet was the difference between the two sides that won the game for us.
In the other semi-final Pronations knocked out Ha
mpden, after drawing 2-2 and winning the penalty shoot-out.
Quarter Final: Universal 5 ANSAR 2
5th July, 2009
Universal were very confident of winning this game but Ansar have a nasty habit of creating surprises when the result really mattered to them. Moran fielded a squad almost at full strength 4-4-2; with Adam, Justin, Oday and Sunil in the back; Curtis, Jean-Yves, David and Maka in midfield; and Raphael, McGall up front. Abou had to attend to Goal keeping duties since Mickey was unavailable, but Garfield was ready as substitute.
The game started late with both sides aggressively chasing game against time lost from a delayed start. Ansar took the lead within five minutes. Several shots in response but Ansar’s keeper was reading the game well enough to position himself before the finish. Abou also proved to be solid in goal parrying down and hold a powerful shot from range.
In response, Raphael managed to chip the keeper but it still went wide. From the goal kick he tried to intercept in midfield but was booked for a badly timed tackle. Maka was also fighting hard for the ball in midfield, and made a series of chances for his team mates. But Davids’ shot was parried over by the keeper, Raphael missed his finish from a Jean-Yves cross, and two headers by Sunil went off target.
Curtis was fouled in front of the 18yard box, but his mark came off worst with injury reducing Ansar down to 10 men. The Free kick taken direct by Oday but was held. As the ball was scrambled clear a counter-break suddenly formed but Abou was on the line and held the finish.
However, with less than 10 minutes remaining
of the first half, 10-man Ansar collapsed. The equaliser came from route-one, Abu’s goal kick to David who deftly chipped the keeper. Universal was unlucky not to score again as a scrambled clearance by Ansar’s defenders, both David and McGall nearly collided as they attacked the ball, then Maka made space for a good shot that beat Ansar’s keeper but rolled just wide.
But a Sunil pass picked out Jean-Yves in space and time to compose his shot which went in. 2-1. Universal starting to control the game in possession and attacking and winning every 50:50 ball out with it, it was only a matter of time before Jean Yves extended the lead. 3-1 the score at half time.
For second half Ansar recovered a substitute player for their one man disadvantage.
The early chances fell to Universal. McGall threaded a pass through for David to finish into the side-netting and beautiful work by Maka resulted in a cool finish for David but the ball rolled just wide.
Then just like in the first half, Ansar scored first superb individual effort. But their spirits were broken almost immediately after Curtis broke through their defence and finished. 4-2. Garfield was substituted on for Raphael.
Ansar did craft another good finish on the attack but it was matched by Abu’s reaction and posture in goal as he dived and held the ball. Then the pressure on Ansar from that point on was relentless with five good shots desperately blocked in as many minutes, eventually Oday finished easily from a Jean-Yves cross for the final result: 5-2.
First Round: Universal 19 (nineteen) Glasgow A C Milan 1
21st June
AC Milan are Glasgow’s AFC’s new team managed by Shaz and this their first competitive game and introduction to the Scottish Unity League. Unlucky for them that - not only would they have to face the SUL champions - two of their first choice players were not available owing to Swine Flu. Moran had no such difficulties picking a team, rotating his substitutions and the players had no difficulty tearing AC apart. Mickey in Goal; Adam, Justin, Abou and Sunil in defence; Curtis, Jean-Yves, Kwabi and Greg in diamond formation midfield; Oday and McGall as strikers with David standing by to sub.
The first goal came in a couple of minutes, when waited on AC’s flat defensive line Oday called, Kwabi passed, and Oday finished with time and space to compose his posture on the ball. Then the whole team seemed to push forward with confidence and dismantle their opposition with their superior passing game. Adam scored the second, McGall put in the third after needing a couple of touches before
shooting from near the penalty spot, and McGall attempted his favourite “Tiger Woods Chip” and it went in. At the 15th minute, Greg put in the the fifth goal against a side who looked stunned and resigned to the difference in quality.
After characteristic ball control exhibition by Oday, he put in his second. And David, who had just come on for Justin to take a break, picked up and converted
Oday’s pass which was threaded through AC’s defence. Adam switched with Justin and David scored his second. When Adam came back on for Sunil to take a break, AC’s best chance to score was parried out by Mickey. Kwabi picked up the ball and ran the counter-break, crossing in for Jean-Yves to tap in his first. Jean Yves scored again a minute later. After Sunil came on to give Greg a break, he attempted a shot which came of the top of the cross-bar, bounced down on the line and then back out - the referee did not award the goal that Sunil claimed. But you had to feel sorry for AC’s keeper who was possibly the most involved defender in his team - but up against Curtis he had no answer, Curtis laid the ball off just past him for Jean-Yves to tap-in a Flawless Hat-Trick. Sunil and Adam linked up to grant McGall his own Flawless Hat-trick. And the last goal of the first half came from Sunil’s chip over AC’s defence which found McGall who chipped the keeper as he came out.
The half-time whistle came to the relief of AC who were 13-0 behind.
The second half started predictably, with Curtis heading in a corner, but to everyone’s surprise AC managed to enter the score sheet - it was a frustrated kick forward and a gaff by Mickey that let it in when he tried to trap it at his feet rather than to hold it with his hands. Abou swapped with Oday. Four goals followed in under five minutes, Curtis, Kwabi, McGall and Greg all put in one each. Th
en Abou came on for Curtis, and went into goal to give Mickey a chance to play up field.
Mickey was given a couple of crosses to head in but both his attempts missed. Only one goal left to account for - AC’s keeper took a very poor kick out and Jean-Yves returned the ball back into the net. the Game finished 19-1.
Scorers table
| Scorer | Goals |
|---|---|
| Jean-Yves | 6 |
| McGall | 5 |
| Curtis | 3 |
| David | 3 |
| Oday | 3 |
| Greg | 2 |
| Kwabi | 1 |
| Adam | 1 |
The rout of AC Milan might be a record, and a competition for many of the following to attain top scorer.
Comments»
lol 1st game for a new team nut it was still a good game unlucky for us we were missing 4 key midfielders and 1st choice keeper, our 15 year old Goal Keeper replacement (on very short notice) was over whelmed to say the least, anyhow a much deserved win for FC Universal and all the best in the final
shahz
lol 1st game for a new team
but it was still a good game unlucky for us we were missing 4 key midfielders and 1st choice keeper, our 15 year old Goal Keeper replacement (on very short notice) was over whelmed to say the least,
anyhow a much deserved win for FC Universal who deserved every goal with sharp passing movement
all the best in the final lads
shahz