New balls, new players. New stadium?

“I hate losing. I hate losing more than I like winning”.   

Famously said by Jimmy Connors, it’s a quote we keep hearing from top players and coaches in every sport. Sure, losing sucks, and if you are playing Squid Game it might be a case of life and death, but Football Dads have a slightly different attitude. While they do everything possible to win (including claiming impossible penalties, hiring new players at half time and bending the rules as needed in the frenzy of the match), they take their ultimate pleasure from having played a great match of football. Today was no exception, as two perfectly balanced team fought on every ball until the thrilling finale.

Thanks to the ongoing school break, the master pitch in front of the Palace was again available, creating the condition for a first-class show. As the pouring rain felt in the morning gave way to a tepid sun, the players were pleased to find not just more orange bibs but also a brand new professional ball, courtesy of Victor. A very nice gesture, in the week where players are already contributing to the recently launched fundraising.

Teams were assembled by the two captains, Giancarlo and Francesco, picking up players one by one as it’s typically done in street football. Difficult choices were made. Giancarlo felt obliged to choose his son Marco and his buddy DiegoD (the two come as a pair). Family sentimentalism over rationality? Hard to say. The resulting teams (Oranges and Colours) were in fact both strong in every area of the pitch.

The Oranges didn’t start very convincingly but they were the first to score, with Paride unable to stop a terrific shot from DiegoD.  For the Colours, it was a wake-up call that didn’t go unanswered.  When Francesco found himself unmarked on the right wing, he moved towards the goal and sent the ball in the box with a venomous cross that didn’t find any of his teammates. However, it was enough to confuse Chetan, that touched the ball and sent it in his own goal. Probably his only mistake in an otherwise stellar performance.

Now galvanised, the Colours increased the pace of their playing, driven by a superb Hannes in defense and an impeccable Ben in midfield, and scored two more goals with Johannes.

Down 1-3, the Oranges knew they had to do something to avoid losing. The solution arrived in the unlikely form of Julian, a robust football professional who had just finished coaching a group of kids. With Julian on the team, the Oranges now had an extra men and could find new spaces. Inevitably they scored twice in successions, with Marco and Yassin, bringing the score to a draw.

On the 3-3, it was clear no one was satisfied with that. True, football is not like tennis, and a draw is generally a valid outcome. But after such a battle nobody was ready to give up the possibility of winning and it was agreed to go for a Golden Goal.

For what looked like an eternity both teams relentlessly attacked, stopped only by magnificent goalkeeping on both sides. The defining moment arrived when the match had already passed the 2-hours mark. When TonyL stopped Francesco from converting in goal a nice lob by Johannes, the Oranges were quick to get the ball and launch a counterattack scoring the final goal with Marco.

In the after-match, pundits and players talked extensively about the new projects that the Club will be able to finance with the incredible amount of funds being raised. Plans for a new Stadium are already being drafted, with the world leading architects, from Renzo Piano to Ken Rogers and Norman Foster, stopping any other work and cancelling holiday until they win the bid.

“Covered stands for the fans are a must” said Hannes after the match, “but I am not sure about the retractable roof. After all, getting occasionally soaked in the mud is part of the pleasure of playing football in England, and my tackled slides would not be too effective without a great amount of rain.”.

ORANGES v COLOURS 4-3

GOALS:

ORANGES: Diego D, Marco (2), Yassin

COLOURS: Johannes (2), Chetan (og)

TEAMS:

ORANGES: Tony L, Artman, Giancarlo, Chetan, Victor, Julien, Julian (rookie),

Adam, Yassin, Diego D, Marco

COLOURS: Paride, Hannes, Tom, Ben,

Shiv (rookie), Chakir, Johannes, Thomas, Francesco.