Forbidden City FC vs Peking Strollers
IFFC Cup Semi-Final, 10th May 2007.
Chaoyang Stadium, somewhere around midnight.
The stage was set on the Chaoyang Stadium pitch for an
historic battle that would award the victor the spoils of a final against
Afrika United – although it seems playing against a whole continent
puts you at something of a disadvantage. This was the biggest game in
the City’s brief history and the tension was palpable.
With a squad assembled in haste to counter the loss of three starters
from the regular FCFC line-up the omens did not look good. As a keen
augurist Lee Xiong had looked at said omens that morning reporting the
same thing Gypsy Pikey Lee found in his tealeaves. This same squad did
not really look the part, Richard turned up as an Eng-er-land hooligan,
The Otter as some kind of vagrant and Jonny as a French rapper. Could
this be the team that would deliver the very real possibility of silverware
by overturning the bookies’ favourites? The word on ‘the
street’ was that these bookies had already paid out on a Strollers
victory, down at The Den.
The Yellow peril looked like rabbits in the proverbial headlights, more
like the rabbits sold on the streets of Beijing in the headlights of
the local traffic, for the first few minutes of play. The feeling that
the team which all of the Spanish supporters clubs are calling Los
Submarinos Amarillos were set to capitulate once again under the
insurmountable pressure was swiftly abated by an early goal. A ball into
the Strollers box fell kindly for the young man that absolutely nobody
is calling the White David Bellion, a quick touch and a toe poke into
the far corner resulted in the early goal that everyone had been hoping
for.
Could starts get any better than this? Well it often seems that
rhetorical questions have an answer, doesn’t it? The answer, as
usual, was yes. Despite some more Strollers pressure the indefatigable
City boys struck again, great work from what Il Mago calls the “all
team” fed the ball to Renato. The Boy from Brazil with the fancy
favella fleet feet flicked the ball through the static strollers rearguard
to Jonny who did what he does best (no, not miss, you cheeky bastards)
who slotted the ball through the keepers legs for a firmly unexpected
and fondly cherished city second.
The defence looked solid and the hirsute hound that is Jochen was haring
around in front of them looking for absolutely everything to tackle.
The Strollers had a lot of the ball, with their controversial Frenchman
causing trouble for City all the way up to 25 yards from goal. The Frenchman
forced our dicky keeper, sorry, our keeper Dicky into a string of fine
non-catches. Their pace down both flanks continually caused consternation
but nothing that the City defence couldn’t deal with.
With the break fast approaching and the Strollers enjoying much of the
play, it looked to be done at 2-0 and a happy City half time. However,
a surge from the Mancunian brought the ball to our captain and centrocampista then
via Brasil to new boy Hamed. He swiftly justified the decision to start
him with a rasping finish under the bar for three goals without reply
at the whistle,
The Mule was happy, unsurprisingly seeing as he is - you may have noticed
- a very enthusiastic chap, so much so as its fair to say he had a spot
of yellow fever. First half was a great team performance, but what of
the second half and the usual threat of the weekly City collapse?
The second half continued at the same breakneck pace, and brought a
change from the Strollers to a new attacking formation. The Ginger One
responded by doing nothing. The boys in the snide Vasco de Gama kit pressured
relentlessly and made good opportunities that were met with either a
lad with a sheriff’s badge for a head or the resolute defending
that had eluded City earlier in the season. One particular chance at
the end that was more akin to a scene in the film Tommy than a football
match, and it confirmed that the night would belong to the fellows in
Yellow.
The Strollers couldn’t punish the dangerous-on-the-break City
for a whole host of missed chances, which warranted another couple added
to the goals for column. A great team effort from all involved and a
result that the boys deserved. The strollers? Walkovers.
Joy at the final whistle – the like not seen since V.E. Day – led
on to the Goose and Duck. With the ‘Ayatollah of Rock and Roll-a’ McKay
out injured it fell to the ‘Idi Amin of getting them in’ Mad
Mullah Muhl himself to lead festivities. Bring on the Afrikans. Congratulations
boys, you deserve it. |
