Desert Rats Cup 1st Round report.
Just before the 1st Leg match last night, the Management came across this tri-position defender with SA in the Transfer Market, and successfully fought off two other bidders for his services.
Desert Rats' opponents in the 1st Round of the Cup were known to them, as they had finished 6th in the League last season. Despite a large Quality difference in the Rats' favour, the Management put out a full first XI and they ran the show quite successfully. Patrick Tillmanns added to his 9 hat-tricks last season with his first of this season, Shaun Ruel and Kostadin Marinov both bagged braces and defenders Filip Andersson - scorer of the first goal for Desert Rats in the new season - and Blagovest Metodiev added the singles in a 9-0 home win that made the return leg a formality.
The Management eased off for the 2nd Leg, putting out a largely second XI side for a match which was effectively a dead rubber. All the important action came in the second-half, Emanuele Imbimbo scoring twice and striker Carlos Araneda adding a third goal immediately after the decision had been made to substitute him. Desert Rats win 3-0 and qualify for the Round of 32 12-0 on aggregate.
Thanks to madflo, bunzo, Niko, Gabez and others for their support over the two matches.