2014 FMF Champions' League final

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FMF Champions' League Final

The FMF Champions' League Final is perhaps the most fitting way to end the footballing year, and in this years' edition, once again we would be seeing the two EMUFA Champions' League finalists in action. Cherry Trees won that encounter 1-0, but the Mercury side were hoping that history would not repeat itself.

The game got off to a rather feisty start. only need 33 seconds to find himself in the book for a rash challenge on George Armstrong. By the fifteenth minute, another two players had picked up yellows, with May's Anthony Ryan shown yellow for a late foul, before Cherry Trees skipper Pasquale di Montezemolo handled on the halfway line. Despite the heat, some football was starting to break out. First, Matt Fitzgerald was played in for May Wanderers, but his effort rolled wide of the upright, before Freddie Gaärsen headed over from a corner kick. With thirteen minutes of the first half to go, Stephen Rydberg was shown a yellow card for a late challenge, but he shortly won back the ball after the free-kick, crossing in for Álexis Carrasco to guide his header beyond the keeper and into the back of the net, sending the Mercurian fans into jubilation. The goal, though, was about the only thing to celebrate, as more bad challenges marked the remainder of the first half.

How anybody hadn't been sent off in the first half was a miracle, but that hadn't stopped either side from taking lumps out of each other in the early moments of the second half. Goalscorer Álexis Carrasco had to be substituted after being on the receiving end of a strong challenge, whilst a challenge from team-mate Fred Wilde lived up to the defender's surname, picking up a booking. However, it was the Craitish side to receive the first dismissal of the evening. With Matt Fitzgerald bearing down on the Cherry Trees goal, captain di Montezemolo had no choice but to bring him down just outside the box, and his challenge earned him a red card. The resulting free-kick from Stephen Rydberg found the top corner. Cherry Trees were really up against it, but they were still playing a dangerous game at the back. However, as so often has been in great Cherry Trees and Craitland teams of the past, if you give it to Freddie Gaärsen, he will score, and surely enough, when the living legend received the ball on the edge of the May Wanderers 'D', he knew what to do, sending a pile driver beyond the diving arms of keeper Ian Pratchett. With the last ten minutes approaching, Cherry Trees were starting to attack more and more, and with this, and the roughness of the game, was bound to end in one thing. Toby Vorgensen was fouled in the box by Fred Wilde, who received a second yellow card and was dismissed. Up stepped Gaärsen with the penalty, but Pratchett was equal to it. Unfortunately for May, the ball fell straight at the feet of Jan Mikelt, who volleyed the ball home. After that, the game fell into a series of cynical challenges. Both Tiem P. Jones and lisubstitute Asil Karganov were shown yellow cards late on, before in the dying seconds of the game, Oliver O'Brian was shown a straight red for a terrible lunge on Tiem P. Jones, which forced the Craitland international off injured.

Extra time was to be played, but rather unlike the 90 minutes that it had preceeded, it was rather better in temperature. It didn't take long for Cherry Trees to make the man advantage count, as Hänä Zensen curled an effort home from just inside the box in the 93rd minute. However, the Mercurians made chances and forced pressure, with sub Frankie Green firing just over from outside the box. The second period of extra time brought even more attacking football from the Mercurians, and in the dying seconds, they rescued the game, with Green crossing a corner in for Anthony Ryan to head home, sending the game to penalties.

Cherry Trees FC 3-3 a.e.t. May Wanderers (score after 90 mins: 2-2, May Wanderers win 7-6 on penalties)
33' Álexis Carrasco
61' Stephen Rydberg
70' Freddie Gaärsen
84' Jan Mikelt
93' Hänä Zensen
120'+1' Anthony Ryan

Penalties:
Freddie Gaärsen - scored
Frankie Green - scored
Lydveldt Jonmikeltsen - saved
Matt Fitzgerald - scored
Jan Mikelt - scored
Stephen Rydberg - scored
Hänä Zensen - scored
Michael Wetherby - missed
Toby Vorgensen - scored
George Armstrong - scored
Alexis Pedersen - saved
William Belcher - missed
Asil Karganov - scored
Robert Stewart - scored
Joshua Murphy-Lee - scored
Anthony Ryan - scored
Johaņ Iņvaärsen - missed
Ryan Bishop - scored

Cards:
1' YC: Roland Théard
8' YC: Anthony Ryan
14' YC: Pasquale di Montezemolo
32' YC: Stephen Rydberg
53' YC: Fred Wilde
60' OFF: Pasquale di Montezemolo
73' YC: William Belcher
82' OFF: Fred Wilde
86' YC: Tiem P. Jones
89' YC: Asil Karganov
90'+2' OFF: Oliver O'Brian