There is only one King in the Savannah as Colours win on golden goal. Tribute to Franco Baresi. RIP.
The sun was high and hot, the ground dusty and the lions knew there was only room for one King of the Savannah. The 8 players felt like lions fighting for supremacy. Coordinated attacks had better chance to succeed than random, lone attempts.
With two well balanced teams, at 4 v 4 tactics and moves made all the difference. A spur picked up by your mate carrying the ball almost guarantees you a goal scoring opportunity, hardly the case in a 11 v 11 game. Paramount attention was therefore given before the match to the right system to be deployed: while the 2-1-1 was the default choice, a simple move to a 1-2-1 would turn a team from defensive to offensive while a 1-1-2 would equate to an instant war declaration aimed at winning fast.
The mix was intriguing: 6 youngster and 2 veterans. Both teams borrowed heavily in the market with little regards to the rising interest rates to make sure that at least one of the experienced pals, either Chetan or Giancarlo, would end up in its own ranks: so eager were younger players to learn the trade from two of the very few rain makers left in the industry.
If any, Chetan was trading at a premium boasting its new pair of Adidas shoes which he impeccably baptised with a rare hat trick. Shoes don’t make players but might ease the task and certainly the cricketer turned player (and viceversa) made the most of it.
Chetan’s new shoes could not hope for a better start to their career scoring a hat trick
Chetan also brought a new Rookie, Varun who contributed materially to the narrow victory of his team. His precise role is yet to be defined as there are no role in a 4 v 4 match but Varun showed versatility in every department and ended up also scoring a hat trick: not bad a start for a Rookie.
There was not role keeper: Giancarlo for Colours and Federico for Oranges though were often the last man protecting their goal from enemies’ incursions. In one instance Federico found himself at the edge of the Colours’ box, lifted the ball overhead and with an amazing bicycle kick sent a looping ball just under the bar but Giancarlo, with a reaction save, put the middle finger to it (any metaphysical meaning not intended) and touched it over the bar.
Teams were remarkably well balanced, a more recurring feature with a low number of players, but somehow Colours always managed to get in front but Orange stubbornly refused to let them widen the gap beyond reach. It was a festival of goals where Robbie and Yuv on the opposite fronts feasted on their speed and large spaces available to them but the necessarily lose defences.
At the 11.45 mark no goal separated the two teams who ended regular time at 11-11.
The golden goal was critical not only to win the game but also to elect the Man of the Match which until then was an affair between Robbie and Yuv.
It was the Colours’ striker who yet again sealed the match with the decisive golden goal while there not not enough balls to reward all the ‘hat trick’ scorers.
On a different and more sad note, the world of football is mourning the departure of Franco Baresi, the iconic captain of Milan and Italian national team.
Franco was possibly the most dependable player in the Sacchi’s all winning Rossoneri Team who revolutionised the game with an all attacking style based on an aggressive high defensive line resorting to the offside’s trap and fast and furious counters as well as constant offensive pressure. An highly risky strategy that would become very effective if executed with the precision of a sniper and the athleticism of a 100mt runner. An art Franco turned into a science with a precision and timing not seen before.
Franco was the conductor of such orchestra timing the tune to perfection: so often he would come out head high from the box, ball glued to his feet, alternating dribbles and fast one-twos to be in a straight line in the opposition box. Such is the contrast to today’s style of play of innocuous and boring side passes that any football lover will miss his vertical, accelerating style of play.
Central defenders these days hardly stand a chance if below 190cm: that is a sort of required height not to be bullied by strikers. Franco didn’t need that: at only 176cm with a diminutive frame he relied on his tactical skills and intuition to get to the ball first and turn defence into quick offence. I did it so many times that every the same was expected regardless.
For those who are young enough not to know Bares, just imagine a central defender who possesses Hannes’ tackling, Hossam’s speed, Massimo’s grit and Chetan’s man marking skills. All in one.
Once, in a Milanese restaurant a fan spotted Franco at a table. Pointing him to his three kids he solemnly stated: ‘that man alone gave me more satisfaction than the three of you!
RIP Franco
COLOURS-ORANGE 12-11
GOALS
COLOURS: Yuv (6), Varun (3), Kaan (3)
ORANGE: Robbie (5), Chetan (3), Al (3)
TEAMS
COLOURS: Giancarlo, Kaan, Varun, Yuv
ORANGE: Federico, Chetan, Al, Robbie