The wall Federico built, the golden goal Giancarlo scored to send Orange to heaven after a hell of a match. Orange-Colours 4-3

Hannes’ trademark selection was a guarantee of another balanced game though the late arrival of Chetan meant Colours were given the one man up as at that moment they were trailing the Orange. The pitch was in good shape, freshly harrowed and with the few holes filled with care and competence by our Chief Gardener and Landscaper Thomas.

After yet again an excellent job, Thomas title was updated to ‘Chief Gardener (as before) and Landscaper (new)’. What’s next?

There was the usual Rookie in the person of Oscar from England, introduced by Alistair: a proper Rookies as he scored on debut the very first goal of the match.
Fair to say it didn’t take him much to make an impression.

Brits are growing in number as Alistair introduced Rookies Oscar whose early goal contributed to Orange epic victory

A couple of the fans’ favourite were back today. Nizard, still nursing a knee injury, put that aside to be a thorn in the left side of the Colours’ defence while Daoud was back doing what he does best: scoring a bundle of any form and sort.
The narrator always has a duty, when quoting numbers, to make sure they are statistically proven and as such is given direct access to the data room as well as the data team. Daoud has scored an average of 3.7 goals per game played with FDs including 7 goals in the Master Game 10: an unassailable record for a major football final.
The bookmakers’ range for his today’s tally was 3 to 5. If any a conservative one considering that Orange didn’t have a natural central defender for the job as both Bijan and Alister were too precious patrolling the flanks doing both defensive and offensive work. Besides, the defensive legends of Hannes, Massimo and Chetan were wearing a different shirt.
On the shared assumption that Italians are ‘good for nothing but capable of everything’ Federico T looked like the least unnatural candidate for the job
and after few successful tackles he did look the part.

In the meanwhile Nizard, Jonathan D (JD) Giancarlo and Oscar looked like the were out of an intensive lesson with Euclid as their perfect one touch geometry led to a comfortable tap in by Oscar to give Orange the lead.
That was quickly doubled by Julien’s goal: once again the French midfield warrior showed he has an eye for goal raising an obvious question: why does the French national team bother with Rabiot? Je ne sais pas!
On the opposite front Colours’ attacks were raging with Paride flying right and left. Indeed Daoud scored but his goal was disallowed among fierce protest with the Ref threatening red cards to the whole community.
In another geometrical display this time it was JD to apply the finishing touch to seal a 3-0 lead for the Orange.
None of them though was under the slightest illusion that it was job done: each of the Colours’ plates, if any, was becoming faster and more furious as if he was deprived of a natural right to dominance. Daoud raised to the occasion by scoring a goal none would have dared to disallow as its beauty deserved to live on. But his goal instinct and trickery was today repressed in an unprecedented way by Federico who displayed a vast array of skills from timely tackles, aerial prowess, physical exuberance and fine touches.

It was then the time for another striker to shine, first with a superb shot and then in a curious way. When a dubious penalty was awarded to Colours, Adam demanded the ball sending it in the left corner and Paride the opposite way.
It was though a weird, tame shot, almost an unintended ‘Panenka’.
Did he mean it or was just a lucky mis-kick?
People who do not know Adam thought he might have mis-kicked. People who do know Adam thought he had absolutely mis-kicked it…
Whatever the verdict the fact remains that Adam has become a goal machine, dependable and consistent.
Besides, on any given Saturday he doesn’t get out of bed for just one goal as in the last three games he scored two hat tricks and one brace.

Interestingly Orange were not distraught about the 3-3 outcome but rather focused on maximising their energy for the golden goal which would have made their eventual victory the more tasteful. After few minutes of wild belligerence, on a short clearance by the Colours’ defence Giancarlo hit the winning ball with more accuracy than power to seal the victory that came, went and came back for good for the Orange team. The overjoyed Italian, after the oldest golden goal on records, was mobbed by journalists and almost forced to release a statement which he did:’ Scoring the golden goal was very emotional and I almost feel sorry that most of the players on the pitch cannot relate to it as they were not even born when I scored the last one! But I promise that before our second generation retire I will score another one!’

As for the Man of the Match the winner was unprecedentedly known soon after the game ended: with only 53% of the votes casted electronically 50.1% overall went to Federico for his epic defending and ability to never waste a ball under pressure. He was tested to the limit by best in class, namely Daoud, Ross and Adam. Not bad for someone who does the midfielder for a living proving that Football Kid is a status not restricted to a specific role.

There were loads of heated discussions on Ref’s decisions leading to heavy accusations of favouring one side in exchange for benefits. To his credit the Ref stated: ‘I firmly deny any partisan refereeing as I always make sure I take the very same amount of bribes from both sides and bad decisions are evenly split as demonstrated today by the two penalties, one for each side’

Fans were grateful beyond measure for being treated to another thrilling match in the knowledge that, whatever abuse they might suffer for the rest of today and tomorrow, it will always be a great weekend thanks to early work of Football Dads and Kids.


ORANGE-COLOURS 4-3
GOALS
ORANGE: Oscar, Julien, Jonathan D (JD), Giancarlo
COLOURS: Adam (2), Daoud

TEAMS
ORANGE: Paride, Federico, Bijan, Alister, Julien, Gregorio, Jonathan D, Oscar, Nizar, Giancarlo
COLOURS: Alessandro, Hannes, Chetan, Massimo, Thomas, Andrea M, Jonathan R (JR), Johannes, Ross, Adam, Daoud