Fusion United vs Lucian FC: Champions League Last 8

Sorry for the lateness of this post, but, busy day today

Anyway, to last nights game at home vs Lucian FC. In a typically packed United Stadium, the atmosphere was akin to a great European night for the fans, daring to dream of a famous scalp that would see them into the semi finals. The game itself started off very scrappy, as proved by a quick yellow card for Zamfir 5 minutes in. The first half left nothing to choose between the team, with Lucian FC adopting a 4-5-1 formation, there intention was clear from the outset, contain the strike force of Keane and Sturridge. This seemed to yield early results with the score at 0-0 at half time.

The manager of the Clarets made a brave choice bringing on 3 subs, Schmidt, Williams, and Walsh, the clubs 4th choice striker, coming on for Jamie,Al Selwi and Sturridge, and a quick chance of formation from 3-2-3-2 to a more conventional 4-4-2 formation which in his thinking, would break the stubborn Lucian defence.

The new formation paid dividends after 67 minutes, with Walsh firing into an open net after a fine pass from Schmidt split the Lucian defence in half, the ball fell to Walsh, who calmly rounded the opposing keeper, leaving an open net for him to tap into. 1-0 to the Clarets, and the fans smelt a unlikely victory.

An error in defence gifted Lucian with a chance to get back into a game, a chance with they took with both hands. A slip from Davies gave the ball to Rusu, who rifled a shot from 25 yards and into the top of Kamal's net! Scores tied at 1-1 after 83 Minutes, handing the away goal and the advantage in the tie back to the visitors.

United needed a second goal to go to Romania with something to hold to, and in Schmidts exuberance to help his time find an equaliser, he tripped a defender and the ref, who had been fair all night, right showed him a yellow card.

On 85 minutes Rusu ran at the defence weaving his way past 2 united defenders, and despite their best efforts Rusu slotted into the bottom corner at Kamal's far post. 2-1 to Lucian. The once ecstatic fans where deflated, feeling all was lost and that the story of this years Champions league was coming to an abrupt end.

The last 5 minutes of the match returned to its scrappy starting point, with tackles flying in as United sought an equaliser, and when Williams skipped past Evra, Evra caught Williams with his trailing leg, tripping Williams on the outer edge of the area, Giving the Clarets a free kick and Evra a yellow card.

From the free kick, Fabio delivered a wonderfully flighted ball to the far post, which looked to have bypassed the entire group of players running into the 6 yard box, however, Walsh was on hand at the back post and powered home a header from the most unlikely of angles, in off the crossbar, driving the home fans wild. Perhaps there is hope in Europe?

Final Result:

Fusion United 2 - 2 Lucian FC