Season 88 - Are you ready?

[talisman]

Today, Desert Rats FC first had a Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match at home, and were sent out with a 4-5-1V formation against 3W-1-3W-3. Both sides were in attacking mode, but the defences were on top form. Striker Emanuele Imbimbo was the difference between the sides, heading home a cross from right-winger Emerson de Alencar Arraes for the only goal of the match.

In the League this evening, Desert Rats were away, pitted against the only other side in the League with comparable Quality, and the first 73 minutes reflected this. The home side took the lead in the 12th minute, but 12 minutes later, Emanuele Imbimbo was given a chance from the Penalty spot and he buried the chance, the 'keeper diving the wrong way. In the 33rd minute, Julien Renard sent over a corner which was met by the head of central defender Filip Andersson, and the Rats went into the break with a 2-1 advantage. The second-half was a midfield slug-fest, until the visitors made a double substitution, right-winger Emerson de Alencar Arraes being replaced by striker Matt Goggin, and a uncharacteristcally quiet Ireneusz Jezierski was replaced by fellow midfielder Graeme Brooks. Imbimbo moved to right-wing to accommodate Goggin in the strikers position. At this point, a picture paints a thousand words...



5-1 remained the final score, but the sting in the tail was a 90th minute injury to midfielder Glenn Seynaeve. At the halfway point in the League season, Desert Rats are comfortably top of the pile.