Palace Casuals

[talisman]

League Round 26, away vs Ahmed FC in aa(?), Germany. Level 22, AQ -3.0
Of the three matches that involved the three competitors for the Championship, this one was the most difficult as it also involved a team who needed a win to have a chance of Championship League football next season. Palace Casuals made a slight formation change, Mike Christie coming into a three-man central midfield in place of Kevin Pigott in the defensive midfield position. Ahmed FC attacked from the off, and in the first twenty minutes or so the Casuals defence showed the grit and resolve needed to repel all boarders. When Suhail Kamal conceded a free-kick goalkeeper Zoltan Bieder was equal to the task, making the first of a string of saves that kept the score goalless. In a brief respite, Visser gave Omar Hansen a chance from a set-piece, but the free kick just skimmed the crossbar. Another chance on the half-hour and although on target, the Nunez finger-tipped the ball away for a corner. Score at half-time, 0-0. The second half was more of the same, and on 77 minutes, the Casuals Management made a striker substitution, Andres Ramos coming on for the largely anonymous Catalin Neagu. Immediately afterwards, a long-range shot was beaten out for a corner by Bieder, and he also defected out a header from the resulting corner. He was to be unlucky with the second corner, though, as Birtalan sneaked in at the far side of the box and headed the home side ahead. Despite a late rally by the visitors, they could not open their account and the game ended in a 1-0 win for Ahmed.



Again, unknown to the team, the Nordeus Gods were working their mischief, and the other two games ended in a goalless draw for Levski and a home defeat for FC Zvaba. So a little more luck and who knows what might have been?