Montaña Verde – 0 (0)
Dolfo; Castiglione, Tafalla, Magdalena, Justin; Cristo Díaz; Julia Varela (43’) (62’ Emma (89’)), Kristjana; Primitivo (59’); Naomí Berrocal (64’ Indiano (78’)), Osito (88’ Fonseca )
Estorvipa y Estorpiva – 2 (2)
Davydov (16’), Prasutagusic (38’)
Græntfjall – 1 (0)
Röskvi (90+3’)
Montaña Verde – 0 (0)
Dolfo; Zalladen (69’), Arquímedes, Jairo, Justin (60’) (68’ Alcalá (76’)); Ana-Ximena; Valentinha, Kristjana (83’); Primitivo (80’ Julia Varela ); Verónica Ximena (50’ Sara Ariadna ), Osito
- Verdean greats blast lacklustre World Cup campaign
Gnomo, one of Montaña Verde’s greatest ever footballers, has launched an incendiary broadside on the “overpaid and underperforming” national team, who limped into the halfway point of World Cup qualifying with just 4 points from 7 games. After a week that saw the Condors fail to register a single point – or goal – Gnomo said that “enough is enough” and called for a “complete shake-up” of the side. Though the striker has been critical of the team in the past, his comments have taken on a new degree of hostility in recent weeks as the Condors have “failed to rise even as high as mediocrity”. “It is so dispiriting and disappointing to every domestic football player trying their hardest week after week to see the same failures picked over and over again,” said Gnomo. “They rake in the pesos in Cromatico or Brenecia,” he said, “But then they do not show up in the gold-and-blue.”
Midfield legend Davíd Ruiz joined in the criticism, albeit in more measured tones. “I don’t think ‘heads must roll’,” he said. “But I do think – hey, we’re probably not going to qualify now, so, there’s no home in shaking things up in the back half of qualifying. No one is saying drop all of them completely, but maybe give some of the bench and rotation players more chances and see whether, with 7 games to go, someone can impress.” He acknowledged that Osito’s goal-scoring failures this campaign were “dire” but said he “still felt the striker had a lot to achieve”. “Osito has been our biggest star so many times, and now he’s going through a bad patch,” said Davíd Ruiz. “We should stick by him, but at the same time acknowledge that he has to earn his way back if he is dropped.”
The Condors will travel to Nagore for their next game before returning home to face Juvencus. “Dropping points against Nagore will really be unforgivable,” said Gnomo, “But we should also aspire to give Toro Castrado more of a challenge.” Gli attaccanti currently lead Grupo Quatro ahead of Græntfjall, who defeated the Condors through a 93rd minute header after a defensive battle had played out in Háttmark. “That Græntfjall match was a heart-breaker,” said captain Ana-Ximena, who returned to the starting XI after a lengthy injury absence; vice-captain Jairo agreed, though differed on the part of his anatomy it had broken. “Very disappointing that after playing so well we succumbed right at the end.” Gnomo disagrees, saying the team “paid the price” for not attacking in Græntfjall, and that a similar approach would “doom them against Toro Castrado”.
Coach Godínez has hinted Julia Varela may gain another start against Nagore, having impressed in her brief cameo in Græntfjall. He also faces a big decision over whether to bring back Santángel, who excelled in the ‘5’ role until his red card against Delaclava. With his suspension over, Santángel has a claim to play over captain Ana-Ximena. “Jairo has been a good captain in her absence, and Santángel offers more with his ball skills,” says Davíd Ruiz. “It’s harsh, but it’s the right call. Castiglione and Kristjana are also both out with injuries, meaning another game for Zalladen, whose attacking throw-ins have impressed, while Valentinha, who did little wrong except not be called ‘Emma’, may come back into the team.