The 8th modern wonder
The two new goals had something both epic and mystical about them. The collective emotion of seeing and trying them was at times overwhelming.
FDs at the end of the Match made no secret about their feelings: it was like having the possibility to see at once and in one the seven modern wonders: yet once you had finish admiring Chichen Itza, Christ the Redeemer, the Great Wall, Petra, the Colosseum, the Taj Mahal and Machu Picchu you are not likely to be a transformed and transfixed person. Which is what instead every FD and FK admitted to be today after the magical experience.
One day, centuries if not millennials down the line tourist might quip about the three piramides in Giza as well as those two goals in Kensington Gardens. Never in the history of football posterity will owe so much to so few.
The blessed players today went the extra mile to try and put their name on the official new website scoring list to violate those inviting goals. Needless to say such an aggressive forward bound attitude resulted in an unbalanced tactical game with players swinging back and forth like unrelenting waves with fans enjoying the show like they were on a beach savouring the freshness of the water (the round nearby seemed to sense the opportunity) while kissed by the unlikely sun. That is what football can do to the believers.
When it came to the knitty gritty of the game today bookmakers were at odds to give out odds as the two teams looked so balanced on paper. Even from a market value perspective the two resulting cumulative numbers were fully aligned leaving spectators with an uneasy question to answer: have Algorithms gone too far?
That is when Genius is required: it took the shape of Richard to unlock the score. He dribbled past three defenders, was fouled as many times and yet he managed to score with his back. Soon after Marco doubled the lead with yet another winning header, the fifth in the season. Bookmakers frantically adjusted the odds but the more seasoned ones refused to panic as they experienced resuscitation many times before.
Jamal restored hope for the Bibbed scoring with a missile shot and within minutes the game was back to parity courtesy an opportunistic heel goal by Yasin who capitalised on a rare Unbibbed defensive mistake.
Giancarlo was so eager to inflate the new net that took shots from everywhere misfiring with rare consistency until one shot was cleverly converted by Yasin with a delicious back heel completing a fabulous remuntada.
The many occasions created in front of both goals were often frustrated by the goalies, Chris H and Tony L, who again justified their astronomical price tag. Even when the golden goal was thrown in as an extra motivation there was nothing that could move the score from the hardly fought 3-2 for the Bibbed which sealed another rollercoaster game.
As many as three Rookies (see pic) graced the muddy pitch: Italian Pietro from the Kids cantera excelled in the Unbibbed defence along with Moto from Japan. Same as Chetan from India on the opposite side providing extra solidity to an already granitic back line.
Sara played an excellent game adding physical presence to her trademark passes but when you have two Messis on the pitch no jury would look any further for the selection of the Man of the Match award. Both Richard and Yasin crossed the pitch many times with the ball glued to their feet, undisturbed by any opposition to find themselves fresh in front of goal to score gracefully three of the five goals.
As it is painful to choose Messi from Ronaldo it is sheer insanity to pick one Messi from the other but today’s show business rules require that that one winner takes it all. When Yasin was handed the trophy most felt that both justice and unjustice was done on the day at the same time. Such is football.
Bibbed-Unbibbed 3-2
Teams
Bibbed: Chris H, Chetan, Adam, Tarek, Federico,Diego, Yasin, Jamal, Giancarlo, Sara
Unbibbed: Tony L, Moto, Ben, Johannes, , Pietro, Richard, Francesco, Marco, Tony S.
Goals:
Bibbed: Jamal, Yasin (2)
Unbibbed: Richard, Marco
Picture: the three Rookies, Pietro, Moto and Chetan added quality and strength to the ranks of Italy, Japan and India, 3 of the 52 FDs and FKs Nations