MASTER GAME 4: WHEN GENIUS MOVES ON.
DADS-KIDS 4-5 SCORERS: Philipp (2), Marco, Andrea, Johannes (K) v Chris F, Jamal, Ben, Tony
One question was not answered and never will: how could a team of supremely gifted, ageless players, I mean Football Dads (FDs) , lose the Master Game 4 (MG4)?
An intriguing yet plausible interpretation is the following: after their MG3-4 defeats, Kids looked so dejected that their Dads started to develop an increasing and increasingly unbearable subconscious sense of guilt which ultimately confronted them in the MG4.
This of course takes nothing away from the Kids victory but it is time for fans to think of FDs as human beings not just timeless war machines?
Into the game the atmosphere was almost mystical: it was like the Gods of football, unknown to each other, had descended to enjoy the true masters and lovers of the beautiful game, basking in the sun and savouring every bit of it.
Or where they there just to savour the Pol Roger, a more modern ambrosia? Fans could do with the beers as they chanted hymns to their heroes providing the perfect soundtrack to the event.
At high noon there was no more time for words or drinks as the teams engaged in a ruthless battle were only one would claim victory. The fast tempo and the players skills would soon produce a goal which came courtesy Chris, a rookie Master Gamer, who finely converted a long cross. Kids would not have it and Gregorio produced a devastating run on the right flank culminating in a curling shot: Giancarlo timely dived into the trajectory but most likely a gust of wind took it off his fingers… and the ball ended in the far corner for a stunning equaliser.
Dads decided then to pull out the heavy artillery bombarding Marco’s goal: he put his body on the line from a short range shot for an incredible save and was twice rescued by the bar on shots from Jeremy G and Ben. The latter though could not be denied when he sent a missile into the rood of the net to restore the lead for the Dads.
Mercilessly Dads piled on Kids moment of weakness to widen the gap and Jamal, another rookie MG, fixed the score to 3-1 with a perfect shot just before half time provided a welcome relief to the Kids who also saw a penalty saved by Hadrien who had gone in goal because of an injury, replacing Giancarlo.
After some balancing acts in the interval with Hannes joining Kids who also had from the start Philipp and Davide in their ranks proving guidance, the younger team look transformed with Marco, replaced in goal by James B, scoring right away and Philipp fixing the score at 3-3 by converting this time another penalty. Andrea then, used to score on the big stage, seized the momentum by taking the Kids ahead for the first time.
Tony had a golden opportunity to score on a pinpointed cross (or was rather a shot?) from Giancarlo but his Maradona’s hand of God was spotted by the Ref aided by the drone: while this country (the UK) is debating whether to use VAR, Dads and Kids are there already…
Fans and critics alike have learnt over time to never write off Tony and few minutes later he proved them right. It was a one touch football text-book move: Jamal spotted Giuseppe on the right side and the Sicilian painted in a beauty of a cross that Tony headed in the roof of the net like a thunder, floating lightly in the air. To see something even remotely comparable you have to go back to 1985 when Mark Hateley scored the winner in the Milan derby punishing Inter.
It was game on but Kids refused to contemplate a third consecutive defeat and take abuse from their Dads for another year. James B saved just everything coming his way. Dads tried every trick and Gods, already drunk, could not intercede for them. It fell on Johaness, who else?, to claim the victory for Kid swith one of his unstoppable trademark run ended with a low shot.
Are Dads history? When Genius fails everyone has an explanation for that soon after: this time everyone felt Genius has simply moved to the other side in the most natural way. As for Dads tomorrow is just one less day to the MG5 on Sunday April 21rd 2019.
By which time the Linford Christie Stadium might well be renamed ‘The Kids and Dads of Holland Park Stadium’. They are as fast and can play football on top.
