Season 44

[July Fourth]

Royal Rumble Cup 3rd Round 1st Leg

El Capo FC 1-2 July Fourth

El Capo 135.1 3W-4-3 - July Fourth 135.8 4-3W-1-2 then 4-4-1-1

A very difficult game for us indeed and it was El Capo who started the game the strongest looking for the early breakthrough, especially that they are an attacking team with TWO 9* strikers to our level, but we didn't try and let that effect our game plan, although we needed to play with 4 men in defence, They had a few shots blocked early with Lopez, Vacha and Mora getting shots on target before we gave away a free-kick in which Knight saved it for a 'double corner' Klich crossed in for Vacha and it was 1-0, but as soon as we conceded July Fourth came right into the game... Pietropaolo and Papaleo tried to create an opening before a magical moment from Miku just before HT with a stunning long shot to make it 1-1. We continued the good play just after HT and looked the likely to take the lead in which we did with a superb run from Papaleo who took it round the keeper to give us a vital away goal, There was a late spell of pressure from El Capo and they continued to win corners late on but whatever they threw at us, Calavicci was there to block and win everything as well as Maruyama forcing a save from Knight and Skjelbred failing to keep his header on target allowed us to hang on to the 2-1 advantage to take going into the 2nd leg.

Goals: Vacha (23) Miku (43) Papaleo (49) MOTM: Papaleo.

Team Talk: Well... Anything other than a defeat here against a tough opponent can be seen as a good result from us and it was a good performance in all that got us the narrow win here but it's still all to play for in the 2nd leg, but you would expect us to qualify from here.