The Big Game!
Late Thursday afternoon a shabby band of GVI volunteers dawdled along a dusty path some thinking of glory others focused on the challenge which lay ahead. The opponents, a well trained enthusiastic team of young Africans, sprinted past with a determined glint in their eye. It was on, the second GVI FC vs Shimoni FC football match. Previously GVI has fared well beating the Shimoni boys 2 - 1 in a well fought game. GVI was playing to keep the 100% record clean, Shimoni FC needed a win to balance the books. GVI Arrived second to the pitch, Shimoni FC warmed up and prepared for battle. Confident our match fitness and previous record would keep us in touch Macs put us through our paces leading the warm up Shimoni FC could see we meant business.
Shimoni FC won the toss and elected to kick off. A typical 3-4-3 formation was going to be played by both teams, this quickly turned to a 2-3-5 formation for GVI as Shimoni showed their ability to move the ball at pace down the field. The first half saw Tim, our goalie, gallantly fight off a number a number of fast paced heavy strikes from the Shimoni front men. GVI’s best chances in the first half came from the big clearing kicks which saw the front men and women attacking the net on a number of occasions. After a solid barrage from GVI Shimoni took advantage late half legs making a clean break down field exhausted our backs chanced but could not keep pace. There was little Tim could do and Shimoni FC went to the break 1 goal up.
We were down but not out.
- The game in action-
Fresh legged and cheered on by our volunteer squad, GVI looked to equalise early with a number shots on goal being deflected by the Shimoni FC goalie. A break down the left side allowed a beautiful cross by Macs to be collect by Peter (insert last name) 3 on one Peter fought bare footed snatching our first goal. 1-1 we were back in the hunt and not looking back. Shimoni too took the goal as a sign of what was to come and stepped it up. Tim was under constant pressure with a little under 15 minutes to go an over enthusiastic attack at the goals saw Tim and a member of the Shimoni FC collide with a hit that would not be out of place in this weeks bledisloe cup, the score however remained 1-1. With just 5 minutes to go a crushing blow, Shimoni, after a huge clearing kick managed to snare their second goal going up 2-1. GVI would have the final throw of the dice with a shot at goal narrowly missing.
The full time whistle was blown GVI had gone down 2-1, the ledger was balance. The true victory of the game came after the final whistle, new friendships had been formed between the boys In Shimoni FC and the Boys and girls in GVI FC the silent night was broken by laughter as both teams dawdled back to Shimoni together.
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