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Fusion United vs INTER 3/6/14
After Yesterday's Cup ties going badly for the Clarets, the key for the first league game of the season was to put that all behind them and get the league off to the right foot in their push for promotion! The Manager, fresh from his birthday celebrations yesterday, was keen to emphasise how key starting the league well was, and named a strong formation and team to face the much fancied INTER side(23.9Q).
The Clarets set up in a 4-1-4-1 formation to hep counter the pace that the INTER side had in the middle and to help match numbers with the opponents when they attacked in the box. This strategy worked for a fairly dicy first half which saw no goals conceded at either end, 0-0 at the break.
The manager decided to make a decisive change which swung the game in the Clarets' favour, he took off Bourgugion and put on Suarez, switching it to a 4-4-2 formation. It was felt that this change would make the Clarets team more offensive minded and get the breakthrough that was needed. The change was almost immediate.
On 56 Minutes, Keane who had for the most part been kept quiet this game, perhaps feeling his way into the season, set up Suarez, who didn't need a second offer and blasted beyond the opposing keeper, to make it 1-0 to the Clarets, the home support of 1000 finally had something to cheer about after the disappointment of the cup. The clarets now on top it would seem.
It took less than a minute to capitalise on the advantage, as Costa was fouled on the edge of the box, Mostto given the yellow card, and a free kick in a promising position. Johnson, with what is now becoming a trademark, whipped the free kick around the helpless defensive wall and into the top right corner of the net. 2-0 to the Clarets, and the league was off to a flying start.
The period before the end of the game was marred slightly when Keane recieved a yellow card for a silly challenge on 79 minutes, so he will have to be careful in the coming games to avoid a suspension. The manager may opt to start Suarez or even both for the next game.
A solid start for the Clarets today, can they build on it, is the question on the fans lips. Real Candy come to the Claret's home looking for a result tonight in the Champions League, United hoping to spoil their trip! Stay tuned!
Final Result: Fusion United 2 - 0 INTER
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Fusion United vs Real Candy 3/6
Onto Europe for the Clarets, and hoping to capitalise on the other group members drawing, a win would see them take top spot in the group. A crowd of 890 welcomed the Clarets onto the pitch, with some opting to stay at home due to high ticket prices following the Clarets' success in Europe from this season. The board would have to address this. A loud and gracious welcome followed for tonight's opponents Real Candy, who's manager failed to be present for the tie, tying up potential transfers I'm sure.
Sadly for the reader the game as a whole was pretty uneventful, with shots coming at a premium at the best of times, both teams seemed more concerned with not losing rather than winning, and it lead to a rather dull affair for the fans of both sets of teams.
The Clarets unable to make gains from the other group members, but then again, nor did they lose out in the long run, just one more game played, and the group is all tied up at 1 point a piece. Work to do for the manager to make sure a repeat performance is in order like last year.
Result: Fusion United 0 - 0 Real Candy
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Fusion United vs Alexandria FC 5/6
Continuing on with the League now, and the Clarets where back on home soil for the visit of Alexandria FC. 1000 eager fans welcomed both sets of teams onto the pitch, the board seemingly repented on the ticket prices increases and the fans trust applauds the effort and the Clarets are back in full numbers and in full voice. A flawless start to the season for them, put them joint top with 6 points and not a single goal conceded. Alexandria FC where adjudged to be the minnows of the league coming into this season with few bookies offering them any hope of survival as their average rating is 18.4, a considerable difference compared to the other teams in the division. However, football is a strange game, and the Clarets would need to be careful here to avoid an embarrassing turn of events.
The game started pretty much as the fans would have expected, with the Clarets having plenty of the ball, and the Alexandrian players chasing shadows. It continued in this vain for 10 minutes until Promut made a silly foul on Brendhal and got himself put into the referres notebook, a yellow card this time. Sadly for Brendhal, this would end his game, with the fall from the challenge injuring him and forcing him off on a stretcher. An ovation from the Claret fans greeted his exit, you don't like to see a player injured so early on.
Continue the repeat of the opening 10 mins, with the Clarets retaining 70% of possesion plus at the best of the game, they sought to make this advantage count. On 25 minutes, Schmidt tried a speculative effort from 35 yards, to everyone's amazement, and his own, it found the top corner with the keeper off his line. 1-0 to the Clarets in world class style, that's 2 goals in 2 games for the veteran winger, who looks to be replaced by Jamie, who is after recovering from his injury. This may sway the managers mind a bit, mind.
No events to report between the 25th and 45h minute as the Clarets where comfortable to play the ball around, making the opposing players tire as they chased a seemingly endless passing pattern. 1-0 to the hosts at half time, everything going according to plan.
The manager decided on a change at half time, with Bourguinon coming off to be replaced by Suarez up front in a slighty more offensive 4-4-2 formation. A signal of intent, this game was not over by any means. Alexandria proved as much on 50 minutes when Salinas cut the United defence apart with a sublime solo run, passing 3 players, rounding the keeper, and cooly slotting home to make it 1-1. A sniff of a result beckoned for the Alexandrian's who rarely had a chance in the game as a whole.
However, a piece of sloppy defending would cost them the game, when on 55 minutes a reckless lunge on Suarez was adjudged to be a foul, and the Clarets where awarded a free kick just outside the area. The player in question, Jamal, was booked for this incident. It was left to Johnson, who, in what is becoming a trademark of his, fired around the wall and into the top corner, the keeper left stunned and fuming at his wall. Truth be told, even without the wall, it was unlikely he would have gotten to it.
It stayed like that until the whistle, the Clarets comfortably through another game, 3 wins in the League on the bounce now, a result which sees them top of the table on 9 points, 2 ahead of AC Milan in the early punches.
Final Result: Fusion United 2 - 0 Alexandria FC