Quote Originally Posted by Morgan O'Bree View Post
Cup, Last 16, First Leg

New Team Q40,6 [4-1-2-1-2] 2 - 1 Fc Koln All Stars Q43,4 [3-1-4-1-1]



We gifted our supporters with an amazing performance tainted only by Coach Mad's mistake in the last 10 minutes of the game. New Team has faced the stronger opponents (reinforced few hours before the match too) head on, resulting clearly stronger in both legs and tactical setup. We had a slightly higher possession (56%), but we played the great part of the match towards their area forcing them and generally defense and keeper to find salvation in corner more than few times (look the corner count!). We went ahead when Mason got rid off his markers and went right for the shoot, changing it last second into a great pass for Hutton who, after having failed one in the very first minutes, pierce the goal for the 1-0 (31'). We kept attempting to double the score and as result we got just corner kicks, which we didn't manage to transform in goals. On the other side FC koln seemed overwhelmed and didn't really pose any threat for 40 minutes, apart from a counter ended up in a foul at the area's limit (almost penalty D: ) which Benjamin Price defused in corner.
In the second half we got Ross for Hardy and Le Blanc for Diamond, and due to the extraordinary state of form of the first, we started pushing them even further. Just five minutes and Mason served Hutton near the area, with the Star striker easily getting rid of the central defender and beating the keeper for the 2-0 (50'). From that to the end, we had several chanches to close the game (and the Legs) but they managed to fiercely defend from out attempts. At minute 75 Coach mad made a grave mistake: to cover up a bit more and force Koln's wingers to retreat a little, he got out Mason for Mellow, setting the module to 4-5-1 V. Almost immediatly the flow changed with the last 10 minutes seeing FC Koln becoming more aggressive (favour bar for them) and practically scoring on the very first real threat to our goal: from a corner kick our 2 aerial defenders couldn't stop Podolsky's header which ended the first leg with an open score of 2-1. The second leg will be in the lion's nest, and surely a match hard as hell. But we do believe in Coach Mad's eleven!

Scorers: O.Hutton, O.Hutton, L.Podolski.
MoM: Johnny Mason (8), New Team.
Good first leg result, need to keep the pressure on away from home. Nice match report too!