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Fukuda Denshi, Saturday 22nd May.
TML Season 5's MVP, the skillful Jorge Kuriyama looked less than ordinary in a thrilling game between Lions and FC International. The game had High Quality everywhere..one of the best referees, three honest and accurate linesmen (myself, Aziz, and Rouven)...great weather on a perfect surface...and quality football that made the Champions League final look even duller than it actually was. Had both teams had average keepers, the score mightve been approaching the double figures...but not because of bad defending, but for awesome football played.
The flicks, the nutmegs, the chips, the dribbles, the layoffs....with hardly the ball going out of play....even the ref Alan, thanked both teams for a highly entertaining match.I won't write about the whole game, as I won't remember all the chances and plays, and if I did, this report would be as long as a novel!
Lions started strongly, and Ahmed Zahrani (AZ) laid off the ball to the debutant Yasutomo, who hit the ball from 7 yards out straight at the keeper...almost putting Lions ahead in first minute again (as vs Jets)
A few minutes later, a perfectly weighted ball from Omar saw Ahmed Gaafar (AG) outrun the defence and hit a sweet low driven shot from 15 yards into the bottom right to put Lions 1-0 up. 2 minutes later, Sukui cut in from the right and hit a similar shot but from 20 yards out to make it 1-1..and that was the only shot Sukui managed as he was blocked and marked closely. AZ then laid off the ball to Yasutomo who broke into the box, but fell cheaply as he felt a defender approaching, and rightly so, no penalty. FC attacked and a floated corner was headed in well to put FC 2-1 up. 5 minutes later, AZ passed through a defender on the left corner of the box and hit a scorcher across into the far inside of the side netting, making it 2-2.
AZ couldve doubled his tally with a Bergkamp style curler, but well saved by the French keeper.
End to end stuff continued, and a Marco cross couldve landed in goal, but for the safe hands of Orlando.
2nd half saw FC start better with Tony fashioning many chances and looking like the most dangerous player, along with Michael's bursts into Lions half, but Notti, Yuki, Keishi, and Sima were in top form with Orlando pulling amazing double saves. 3mins or so into the half, Yasu, Abu, and Omar linked up well to lay a ball 4 yards out at the far post, only for the experiences AZ to hit the ball 4m high! 2mins later a perfectly lofted freekick from Sima fell to AZ 7 yards out, and his looping header was saves acrobatically by the Frenchman.
Marco broke for the first time after a clearance deflected back, and as the defenders pressed him and Orlando rushed out to the edge of the box, his chip just cleared the bar to keep the score as-is. A similar break on the other side saw AG one on one, but the keeper came out quickly to the edge of the box, and AG instead of going for a chip tried to round the keeper, who got a leg to the ball, and save his side. FC pressed and a great tackle from Omar saw FC shouting for a penalty, but rightly so, waves on by a great ref.
FC had double chances with a block and a shot from 7 yards out tipped by Orlando, who then got up and caught the ball on the line. A last chance fell to FC about 5 yards out, but the shot was similar to AZ's and was too high.
Man of the Match: Lions FC and the Ref, followed by FC International and the linesmen!
Report by Hussein Shehata
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