From academy mascot to lethal striker: Marco raises stakes with top performance
It was an unlikely warm and sunny morning with a bit of mist adding to the climax. A flock of birds was flying persistently and confidently over the pitch in a 4-2-3 formation. Was it a sign of things to come?
For good measure both the Bibbed and the Unbibbed, unaware of each other decision, adopted such line up so that the two teams, picked by Yassin and Johannes, mirrored each other on the pitch and produced a game remarkably balanced.
The Unbibbed defence had added stability with the return of Massimo at the centre of it flanked by Giancarlo with Chetan and Tom, the latter also back from long absence, floating on the opposite wings. Midfield had solidity and fluency at one time with Julien protecting the back four while Yassin as usual could be seen in different parts of the pitch at the same time. Leo and Marco on the wings and Jeremy T in the middle had a licence to inflict unquantifiable damage upfront. In goal Alessandro offered the customary safe pairs of hands.
The Unbibbed, not one bit impressed by what stood in front of them, responded with pride and aggression as they could count on a set of warriors physically exuberant and never shy of a challenge. Their midfield, alway fed by young ever present Arman from the back, was more packed but could turn in a heartbeat into defence or attack depending on contingency.
The fans had to rotate their head faster than a game of tennis.
In one of this sudden attacks the Unbibbed found the opener courtesy of a deflected shot by Julien which Tony L could only watch inflating the net. The Bibbed would just not accept being behind and equalised soon after with Federico T sporting a new shirt of the Italian national team instead of the Napoli’s Zuniga depleted one.
From then on it was a ping pong game with the Unbibbed going ahead three time and three times caught back.
Marco created havoc in the Bibbed defence scoring an hat trick and serving two assists. Him, Leo and Jeremy L were simply unstoppable today. The Bibbed nevertheless were like rubber: they took the hit, absorbed it and bounced back each time with Federico, Julian, Thomas and Khaled scoring one each.
The latter was yet again a fabulous header: while not the tallest on the pitch Khaled had made an art of timing his spurs to meet the ball ahead of the defenders. This time he run to the first post, twisted the whole body to power the ball with the head across the goal in the opposite top corner giving no one a chance to interfere other than the net. Chapeau!
At 4-4 the fever on the stands and the adrenaline on the pitch was at an all time high. The traditional signs ‘Please do enter if you have COVID’ were complemented by ‘This is not a Premier League game, hence is not recommended for people with a weak heart’
Not a single bookmaker could figure out which way the match was going to go. Would the Unbibbed get ahead again or would the Bibbed seize the momentum and go for the kill? The one who had an answer and knew it was Marco who crashed the Bibbed dream of a glorious Remuntada with an exquisite one-two sealing the game at a definitive 6-4 for the Unbibbed and leaving no contender for the Man of the Match award.
Marco was almost always short listed for the coveted prize before but in the end something was missing. This time he showed both the greed and the killer instinct of the sniper along with the delivery skills of the winger finding often his teammates in front of goal. If he can put his idle left foot to a better use we will then talk about the finished article. Dancing King, only seventeen ??
When interviewed after the match his Dad Giancarlo proudly quipped: ‘ Marco started at the Club academy when he was three and ever since he has received many offers from many Clubs: I pride myself for turning them all down on his behalf as nowhere else he would have flourished like here. There are no better defenders than FDs for young strikers to cut (and loose) their teeth.
Beside the commuting is very short and safe.’
UNBIBBED v BIBBED 6-4
GOALS:
UNBIBBED: Marco (3), Jeremy T (2), Julien.
BIBBED: Federico T, Khaled , Julian, Thomas.
TEAMS
UNBIBBED: Alessandro, Massimo, Giancarlo, Chetan, Tom, Julien, Yassin,
Leo, Marco, Jeremy T.
BIBBED: Tony L, Arman, Paride, Andre’, Federico T, Diego A, Johannes, Julian, Khaled, Thomas.