82nd Cup Of Harmony R32 Condensed Highlights
Mercedini vs. Savigliane
@ Adamson Park - Montfort Parish, The Licentian Isles
Good evening everyone and welcome back to the Licentian Isles for more Cup Of Harmony action. Today we are in Montfort Parish for Mercedini's first knockout game in four cycles! That's right, following three consecutive group stage exits in the World Cup, the NSWC's secondary tournament as bought solace to the national team, but giving them a chance to stretch their proverbial wings. Their wings were clipped in the most recent match however, as Acastanha scored the only goal in match which decided the overall group winner. That loss meant they finished second, giving them the rather difficult task of having to beat Savigliane in the Round of 32 fixture. Going into the game, it is very unclear who is going to come away as winners from this game with only a single ranking spot between these two sides. Combine that with both Dini and Savigliane finishing second in their group, and you have a matchup that is mostly equal when it comes to quality on paper, and momentum of these teams coming into this match. It's the first match for Mercedini outside of Abingdon, so let's see how they will fair against their most difficult opposition thus far, in a setting that they will certainly be unfamiliar with.
0' - The lights are shining down on the pitch in Montfort as both teams walk out to a capacity crowd in Adamson Park. We are approaching the business end of the tournament, and big teams are already beginning to go home, and one of these bracket favourites will join them following the conclusion of this match. For Mercedini, they will want to bounce back following their loss to Acastanha, but with many players rested in their third group game, we are now expected big things from those players who should be at full fitness for this game. Savigliane are also putting out their strongest side for this one, so both sides have given themselves the best chance of winning and having the privilege of playing either Savojarna or Eraman in the Round of 16. So let's see who comes out on top in front of a prime time viewing audience, both in Mortfort and in millions of televisions across the multiverse.
32' - (MRC 0-1 SAV) - It's been a long time coming in this game, but the deadlock has finally been broken by Savigliane. Roman Palomer needed two bites at the cherry but he eventually rifled the ball into the net to give his side the lead. It was a heavy investment from the Swans to committed many bodies forward for this play. Squarchiafichi made space down the middle with a ball over the top to find Adrian Toscani as he was entering the box. The Mercedinian defence did a good job in holding up the play, but that just gave Toscani time to look up and spot Palomer in space on the edge of the box. Palomer took a touch before blasting the ball past Wandai, only for the ball to ricochet off the bar and back into play. Fortunately for the Swans' winger who plays in Astogarth, the ball landed right at his feet, and he didn't need a second invitation to tuck the ball home and give his side the lead in this one. 1-0!
38' - (MRC 0-2 SAV) - After a relatively close start tot he game, Savigliane have taken the game by the scruff of the neck, they claim a second and it's Palomer again in the right place at the right time. This time it's from a corner swung in with pace, the ball was flicked towards goal by Blanco, and Palomer was there at the back post for a simple tap-in. What a game for the Savigliane left-wingback, a first half brace is what has separated these two teams after a fairly drab first half hour. Billic looks on with some Savilgiane fans going crazy behind him, he must find a way to stop the rot and bring his team back into this one. Two-nil to the Swans, and they could arguably go for more, Mercedini's defence is rocking!
43' - (MRC 1-2 SAV) - What an end to this first half, we have a third goal in this game and it's Mercedini who halve the deficit from the penalty spot. It was a clumsy challenge from Garcia as Chillotov went round him. The Savigliane defender stuck out a leg which invited the Mercedinian striker to go down and claim a spot kick, which the referee almost immediately obliged. On his return to the team, Dostalok stepped up and blasted the ball to his right, sending the keeper the wrong way to bring Dini back within touching distance as we approach the half time whistle. 2-1 here and we have a game on our hands!
45+3' - (MRC 1-3 SAV) - The Golden Eagles are in crisis mode as Toscani rolls the ball home for a Savigliane third all before half time. Not content with his two goals, Palomer has chalked up and assist to his name as well. For this one, he used his pace and trickery to work his way down the wing. A quick one-two with Vitale gave the winger the space to work his way into the box with several Mercedinians tracking him down. Palomer looked up, squared the ball over to Toscani, and the Cazadores Cathair striker rolled it home to make the first half a bit of a romp for the higher ranked side. Billic looks disappointed with his players who thought they were back in it. Plenty of soul searching to find in the dressing room during the half time break, it's all Savigliane in this match as they lead by three goals to one.
HALF TIME
Mercedini 1 - 3 Savigliane
Dostalok 43' (P) • Palomer 32', 38', Toscani 45+3'
Has Dini's luck finally ran out? That's what many are saying on social media following what began as a good first half, but quickly unravelled into a shambolic defensive display from the Golden Eagles. Fair play to Savigliane, they have proved why they are the rank that they are, and with quality movement like what we saw in the first half, they can certainly challenge anyone on their day. The players are back on the pitch ready for the seconds half, with the crowds slowly filing back to their seats ready for whatever the second half brings them. Concerned looks fill the faces of the Golden Eagles' supporters, we need someone to turn up big for this second half just to have a sniff of taking it to extra time.
55' - (MRC 2-3 SAV) - Goal. The deficit has been halved for the second time in this game as Chillotov scores to give his team a fighting chance. It comes from a fast counter attack following a free kick at the other end, something which Dini are known for. For this one, it was Gucci and Chillotov the two to carry this one all the way. Gucci did most of the leg work in braking free of his marker and finding space down the wing following a heavy boot down field from Wandai. Gucci controlled it before lofting a ball into the box, it was a straight duel between Dutto and Chillotov, but it was the Mercedinian who rose highest and flicked the ball on. There were appeals for a foul on Dutto as the ball landed inside of the far post, but it wasn't called by the refs, and Chillotov picked up the ball for a quick restart. 3-2!
79' - (MRC 3-3 SAV) - Another! The comeback is complete as Chillotov bags his own brace to bring it back to 3-3 with ten minutes to go! The Lajuno striker and Mercedinian captain as lead his team back from the brink with a screamer from about twenty-five yards out. Dini had been hogging the ball for a good five minutes as they looked for a mistake in the Swans' defence. That never really came, but was did come was an opening in the back line which Chillotov fully exploited. He picked up the ball following a quick pass from Karlovic, and with the fans ahead of him calling for him to shoot, he took his chance a blasted the ball into the top corner to bring the game back to a stalemate. Not even the fans asking for him to shoot could believe it, even some of his own teammates took a second to wonder 'Hang on, did that just go in?' before running over to celebrate with him. Is that the turning point? We're back level at 3-3.
90+2' - (MRC 4-3 SAV) - GOOOOALLLL! The comeback is complete, the Chillotov hattrick is complete, and I think the evening for many Mercedinians is complete now too. After looking dead and buried in the first half, Chillotov has turned it on when he needed to and come up with three goals to turn this Round of 32 tie on it's head. You want drama at the Cup of Harmony? Well we've got it for you! This time it's Gucci again with a corner floated in to the box. D'Ambrosio came out and punched the ball away, only for it to be immediately returned by Di Sansev. Karlovic gathered the ball, turned and shot the ball through a field of bodies and towards goal. The ball was blocked on the line by of the outfield players, and all hell broke loose inside the six yard box. With the ball loose, a mass of flailing legs was seen trying to kick the ball one way or the other. One kick meant the ball deflected off the leg of D'Ambrosio, and flicked in front of Chillotov to stab it home. What a crazy end to this game, but we aren't done yet, there's still plenty of time for Savigliane to claim an equaliser of their own.
90+10' - (MRC 5-3 SAV) - One final goal scored, and that is that inside Adamson Park. It's Chillotov who has netted his fourth and Dini's fifth in this game from the penalty spot, after a rather ugly end to the game. Going for a last minute equaliser, Savigliane sent everyone forward bar the goalkeeper to get a head onto a lofted ball forward. It came to nothing and was finally cleared by Brindliev, with Gucci waiting on the half way line to steal another goal at the end. Gucci couldn't do what usually happens in this situation, but was brought down by D'Ambrosio in the box to deny the goal and concede another penalty at the same time. It was only Chillotov present at that end of the field, with the game all but over as we entered the tenth minutes of added time. Chillotov hit it to the right again, and scored Dini's fifth with the last kick of the game. Dini finish with a flurry following a major scare in the first half. Four goals send the Golden Eagles through to face Savojarna, but it's finished here; Mercedini 5, Savigliane 3.
FULL TIME
Mercedini 5 - 3 Savigliane
Dostalok 43' (P), Chillotov 55', 79', 90+2', 90+10 (P) • Palomer 32', 38', Toscani 45+3'
God dayyyum, what a dramatic game, but it is the Golden Eagles who live to fight another day. As mentioned briefly at the end of our highlights, it will be Savojarna next, who came through a tight affair and beat Eraman by a goal to nil. Both of the top two seeds in this half of the bracket, Savigliane and Tikariot, were knocked out at the Round of 32 stage, with Krytenia confirming the other half of that fact by beating Tikariot 6-3! We hope you will join us tomorrow as we give you all of the action and reaction from Mercedini's match against Savojarna for a spot in the quarter finals. See you then!