Going vertical

Italy and Germany have over time provided football matches of the highest intensity and entertainment. Today was no exception as the two teams were moulded around the Italian flair on one side and the steely German determination on the other.
The German lot from Munich saw a new addition with another Tom, a young player further strengthening the already powerful Kids side. There was also the return of Philipp who put his left foot at the service of the team with his trademark pinpointed passes and thundering shots.
Bookmakers were at loss on who would have prevailed at the end and the odds betrayed such uncertainty, also considering that the North African contingent sported players on each side who could have decided the match with a solo effort at any moment.
The Orange made the most of the man advantage by pressing high and firing at will. The unassuming undermarked Stanley, despite not playing in the most advanced position, proved critical in unlocking the game by scoring a brace with poisonous precise shots evading the keeper’s attention.
At this point the late arrival of Francesco and Andrea who joined the Colours turned out to be a game changer: Francesco scored at the first available opportunity with a clever dummy in the middle of the box before placing the ball in the net. Was he on drugs or a medicine for his tachycardia?
Mohammed on one side and Yassin on the other fixed the score at 3-2 for the Orange before Yassin again drew level: he picked the ball in the middle of his half and progressed on a straight line finding Marco who returned the ball with a fine back heel for the Moroccan dribbling his way through to goal giving the cheaper no chance. Hardly in football we have witnessed such an effective, fast and lethal vertical play: so much for tiki-taka.
The Colours were in high mood and bombarded Tony L who stood firm in goal while on the opposite front the Orange were lucky to get a penalty for handball: Thomas converted sending the keeper left and the ball in the right top corner: has Gerd Müller ever taken such a cool penalty?
At 4-3 with few minutes left the Colours had to provide something brilliant to level: and level they did with a stunning header by Marco on a sweet ball by Yassin returning Marco’s previous assist.
At that point only the golden goal could have separated the winner from the loser: it was Marco again to make sure that his mates and the fans had a weekend to cherish with the goal that settled the score at 5-4 for the Colours.
The Man of the Match award was handed to Marco right after the final whistle without the need to wait for the online votes such was his contribution the the game with two goals , two assists and his presence all over the pitch.
Interestingly at the end of the Match Klopp, always looking for inspiration in his quest for the quadruple said: ‘when I saw Yassin ‘vertical’ goal it reminded me that I should only watch FDs matches and stop wasting time with others‘. Who could argue with that?
COLOUR v ORANGE 5-4
GOALS:
COLOUR: Marco (2), Yassin (2), Francesco
ORANGE: Stanley (2), Mohammed, Thomas (p)
TEAMS:
COLOUR: Alessandro, Massimo, Federico, Giacomo, Christian Giancarlo, Yassin, Francesco, Andrea, Marco, Al.
ORANGE: Tony L, Arman, Diego, Hossam, Hannes, Stanley, Philipp, Julien, young Tom, Mohammed,
Thomas.