ACLI League (2007/08); Simplicitas 1-2 Ambrit

 After some easier recent wins, Ambrit were tested today and came through with flying colours. After 3', Zach gave an early indication that he was in top form when he stole a ball from a defender and shot just over. This was typical of Zach's play today: he was a constant thorn in the opposition defence and was always available for his team-mates, holding up the play and laying off simple, intelligent passes.

Despite dominating possession, Ambrit went 1-0 down but continued to play the better football. After 14', Pedro found Zach who shot wide. Pedro himself then had a shot saved and Ale shot wide off an Alberto corner. Zach found Ale on the edge of the box for another chance but this one also went wide and then Zach took a pass from Alberto and shot high. Ambrit were making chance after chance without scoring while, at the other end, Giorgio, Vittorio and Bernard were clearing up everything, allowing no dangerous balls to threaten Theo.

In the second half, Ambrit went boldly to a two-man defence and continued to pepper the opposition goal with shots. Bertie played a good ball in from the left and Mattia turned it towards the bottom corner but the keeper got there to make the save. The scene was repeated 4' later, this time Alberto finding Mattia in space but the result was the same. Ambrit's pressure finally paid off mid-way through the second half when the referee awarded a penalty for handball. Ale was cool as a cucumber, planting the ball firmly into the back of the net.

The league leaders now had the familiar scent of victory in their nostrils and they continued to pour forward. The best move of the game almost produced a goal as Zach played a one-two with Mattia and then headed the return narrowly over the bar. Ambrit's winner came soon after. Zach's shot was blocked by a defender and, when the ball fell to Alberto on the edge of the area, he made no mistake!

Everybody played well today but a special mention must be made for Zach, Vittorio and Giorgio - all three outstanding!

TEAM: Theo, Bernardo, Giorgio, Vittorio, Ale, Alberto, Pedro, Mattia, Bertie, Zach.  

TEAM

ANSPI league (2009/10): CRIS 5-1 Ambrit

Ambrit flattered to deceive in the first 10 minutes of this match, settling quickly and looking like the better team. But everything changed when the home side went ahead with a goal against the run of play and Ambrit came in at the first break trailing by the single goal.

Early in the second period, Oliver struck with a beautiful left-foot volley to level the scores but CRIS hit back almost immediately to make it 2-1. A third goal for CRIS followed just before the break.

Ambrit came out for the third period determined to pull back but they struggled to contain the opposing No. 15 and struggled to cope with the uneven surface. 

TEAM: Gabriele, Trym, Giulio, Kendi, Tommaso, Ben, Grancesco, Diego, Oliver

MS girls 1-3 g6 Boys

 An exciting match today as the g6 boys managed to edge out the MS girls to wrap up the match schedule before Christmas. The first period finished 0-0, with Maya making a series of saves from Rocco and Daniel. But it was these two who, in the second period, turned the game in the boys' favour. Daniel was first to score and Rocco followed up almost immediately.

The girls pushed hard in the third period and deservedly closed the gap when Alice slotted home a penalty, awarded by VAR for a push by Adriano. The girls had chances to equalise but Adrian kept them out and Ben wrapped up the victory with a high, high lob that crept into the net between Maya's fingertips and the croossbar.

Boys Third Place Final: Sporting 1-0 Zenit

 A headed goal by Marco off  a Santi throw-in was enough to win the match.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Santiago 6, Daniel 4, Daniele B 4, Antonio 4, Marco 2, Giorgio 2, Daniele P 2, Zach 2, Alberto 2

Juventus 3-2 Dortmund

 A packed crowd at Ambrit Stadium today witnessed a fitting final to the Autumn Intramural as the Italian Champions edged over the line by a one-goal margin.

Ale began with two quick shots to find his range and he then put the Germans ahead when Adam found him with a neat pass. From a corner, Vittorio almost equalised but Seb made a good save to preserve the Dortmund lead. Diego almost helped his team to another goal when he stole the ball on the right and crossed dangerously but the score was 1-0 at the break.

Ale began the second period with another couple of shots but Juve equalised when Rocco handled to keep a Gianmarco shot out. Cameron's penalty was precise. But Juve found themselves behind again almost immediately, another Ale strike sealing his place as Top Scorer.

Tiago had an early chance in the third period but it was Vittorio, receiving a pass from Theo, who struck the equaliser. Juve now looked stronger and Gianmarco had a chance to steal a winner when through on his own against Seb but he shot over. But he got an almost identical chance two minutes later and, despite a good challenge from Rocco, he slipped the ball in to trigger more celebrations for i bianconeri!

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Vittorio 6, Theo 6, Ale 4, Dylan 4, Gianmarco 3, Cameron 3, Tiago 1, Bernardo 1

ACLI league (2007/2008): Miracoli FC 1-9 Ambrit

 This was a much more even game than the scoreline would suggest and, particularly in the second half, the home team arguably played the better football for long periods.

So how do we explain the scoreline? Three factors... 

First, Ambrit played with more determination and will-to-win. This was exemplified today by Jonah who never gave his opponents a second to settle on the ball, never gave them a centimeter of space to turn. 

Second, Ambrit played as a team. While their opponents often passed well and tried to play football that was easy on the eye, there was always the feeling that each one was playing for himself. Not so with Ambrit, where the players helped each other all the time and nobody was looking for the individual glory. 

Third, Theo. As Miracoli poured forward in the second half, Theo made a string of saves that ranged from the ordinary to the exceptional and he kept out at least three near-certain goals.

On the mark for Ambrit in the first half: Ale (pen), Alberto, Ale, Vittorio (and what a game he had today... outstanding!), Bertie (fantastic header), Mattia (another header). Second half: Mattia, Zach, Bertie.

Team: Theo, Bernardo, Vittorio, Santiago, Jonah, Mattia, Alberto, Alessandro, Zach, Bertie, Pedro

BOYS SF2: Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Zenit St Petersburg

 The first period was all about Ale's left foot. Two sweet strikes produced two goals and it could have been more but for an attentive Zenit goalkeeper. Daniele B pulled one back before the break with a typically determined run and shot.

Diego took over in the second period, finding his range with an initial shot that went wide but making no mistake with his second opportunity, played through by Dylan.

Zenit began the third period brightly and created one or two chances. Zach pulled one wide and Daniele B came close too after a good passing move involving Zach and Oliver. But Dortmund were always more dangerous and Antonio was forced to make an excellent save to stop Ale from scoring a hat-trick.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Ale 6, Daniele B 6, Antonio 3, Giorgio 2, Zach 2, Oliver 2, Dylan 2, Rocco 2, Diego 1, Daniel 1, Matteo T 1

Boys SF1: Sporting 2-2 Juventus

 In the first period, Juventus had a hat-ful of chances as Gianmarco's pace and positioning left the Sporting defence in tatters. Adrian made a great save from the first chance and then Gianmarco headed the second one over. It was third-time-lucky though when Gianmarco converted, following a good pass out of defence. Shortly afterwards, Gianmarco turned up again - and hit the bar - and then again - and headed over - and then again - and shot wide. After all that, a long throw from Santi canoned off Cameron and went in for the equaliser.

Another throw from Santiago led to another own goal and now Lisbon were ahead. But only briefly. Juve repaid the compliment, Tiago scoring from a Vittorio throw-in. 

In teh final period, Gianmarco struck again... almost. He crashed a shot back off the post and then saw his follow-up cleared off the line. And then it looked like Lisbon would win it at the end. Theo kicked the ball high over the South fence... penalty! Francesco was nominated to be Juve's executioner, but the ball finished just wide of the post.

The match will be decided by a penalty shoot-out on Monday, morning break.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Santiago 6, Theo 5, Cameron 4, Tiago 2, Gianmarco 2, Adrian 2, Vittorio 2, Ryan 1, Adriano 1, Albero 1, Kevin 1, Ralf 1, Gabriele 1

GIRLS' FINAL: Chelsea 3-1 Manchester United

All'inizio dell'atteso match le Red Devils si sono contate e hanno realizzato di essere solo in 6, ma - con grande fair play, Carolina ha accettato di ridurre il numero delle sue giocatrici e ristabilire la parità, pur dovendo rinunciare alle qualità di Lavinia e Abby. Chissà se alla fine del primo tempo, con il Manchester in vantaggio grazie alla rete di Olivia, ben servita da un'imprendibile Camila, per un attimo il Chelsea ha ripensato a quella decisione...

La cosa certa è che dopo lo svantaggio le Blues hanno risposto con grande intensità, acciuffando prima il pareggio con un'azione di forza di Carolina, poi andando vicine al vantaggio con una bella azione di Sofia, murata dalla brava Annika in porta. Il punteggio si è infine sbloccato grazie al gol di Sofia, brava a correre più veloce di tutte su una palla lunga e a non sbagliare da due passi. 

L'enorme occasione avuta da Camila poco prima è stata forse la vera unica chance per la squadra capitanata da Maya di riaprire una partita ormai destinata al termine. La bella finale, proprio allo scadere, è arrivata infatti con la terza rete del Chelsea, questa volta grazie a Kendi, giusto ricompenso per un'ottima partita.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH POINTS: Sofia 5, Camila 4, Carolina 3, Annika 3, Olivia 3, Kendi 2, Ella 2, Maya 1, Belen 1, Sofia P. 1, Myla 1.

Sporting 0-0 Liverpool

 The scoreline says it all. A sterile match with few chances and an ignominious end. Santi hit the post in the first period and nobody came any closer after that.

A draw is enough to see Lisbon through to tomorrow's semi-finals.

BEST PLAYER POINTS:  Emilio 5, Leo 4, Santiago 3, Lorenzo 3, Ryan 3, Giulio T 3, Giovanni Z 2, Aron 2, Francesco 1, Mattia 1, Ruben R 1

ANSPI league: Ambrit 3-3 Sam89

 For the second week in a row, Ambrit collected a point when most observers agreed that they should really have taken all three. This was another good performance though, with several players making their debuts and others trying out new positions.

Emma and Kendi started off in defence and they bossed the pitch for the first two periods. After her first three decisive interventions, none of the opposing forwards was too keen on contesting the ball with Kendi. Emma won her tackles too, but she also added some classy distribution and it was her pass to Ruben that opened up the play and allowed Ruben to feed Oliver for the first goal.

Ambrit continued to dominate but Sam89 equalised with a lucky goal, Gabriele blinded by the sun when a high ball sneaked in behind him. But Ambrit went in for the first break with a 2-1 lead, Ruben firing home and Gabriele making a good save at the other end from a Sam89 free kick.

In the second period, Diego added pace and strength up front and scored off an excellent Ben assist to make it 3-1. Ambrit should really have won the game from here but our midfield was caught out of position too often and the visitors pulled two goals back to send the team in level at the end of period 2.

Francesco anad Vittorio took over in defence for period 3 and did a great job. Sara, Ruben and Diego all tried hard to find a winner but it was not to be.

TEAM: Gabriele; Emma, Kendi, Francesco, Vittorio, Trym; Ruben, Sara, Ben, Oliver, Diego

ACLI league (2007-2008): Ambrit 5-1 Monteverde

 Ambrit recorded their fifth consecutive win this morning with a solid display against competent opposition. The firs goal came from a clever free kick, Ale taking it quickly and Santiago heading home. The second goal followed not long afterwards, Pedro turning in a Santiago throw and, after that, Ambrit cruised to half time.

The only sticky moment came early in the first half when the visitors tested Theo a couple of times but Bernardo scored off a Zach assist to make it 3-0. Zach himself scored the fourth when Jonah found him with an incisive pass and Ale made it 5-0. Monteverde clawed one back but, for the moment, there is no stopping this Ambrit juggernaut.

TEAM: Theo; Bernardo, Jonah, Giorgio, Carlo; Ale, Pedro, Santiago; Zach

Breaking News.... Basketball: AOSR 24-27 AMBRIT

 Ambrit defeats AOSR in exciting basketball challenge - more details later!

Cosimo, Santiago, Alberto, Bernardo, Lorenzo
Massimo, Bertie, Pedro, Gianmarco, Theo, Gio

Sporting 3-3 Dortmund

 Dortmund got off to a flying start when Dylan hit the bar and then Kevin Sporting hit the post for Lisbon when Aron played him in. Lisbon took the lead through Alberto, straight from a corner, and Santi made it 2-0 before the first interval.

Dortmund dominated possession; Ale hit the bar and then shot narrowly wide but Sporting made it 3-0 when teh ball broke to Santi in a goalmouth scramble. But Dortmund didn't give up. They made chance after chance and, were it not for Adrian in goal for Lisbon, they would surely have come back to win this game. As it was, they came back to draw it! Ale made it 3-1, Rocco made it 3-2, Ale hit the post and then made it 3-3. The last few minutes saw Sporting come back into attack. Francesco played well and had some good chances but Rocco moved back to defend and made some great blocks-.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Adrian 4, Ale 3, Santi 3, Alberto 3, Dylan 3, Rocco 3, Kevin 2, Ryan 2, Seb 2, Aron 1, Francesco 1, Matteo T

ACLI league (2007-2008): Vigna Pia 1-4 Ambrit

 A good test for Ambrit today as the covid quarantine reduced us to 7 men against 8 in a closely-fought contest at Ambrit Stadium.

Early pressure from Ambrit caught the home team off guard and when Ambrit won a corner, Pedro drilled it low and hard and the goalkeeper fumbled the ball at the near post: 1-0! Vigna Pia came back and won a free kick but Theo was alert and tipped a dangerous shot over the bar. In a frantic 2' spell, the Vigna Pia keeper denied first Santiago, then Ale and then Santiago again with a header, before they broke quickly and stole a lucky equaliser.

This was a delicate moment and the game could have swung either way but, in a sweeping passing movement, the ball went from Ale to Pedro to Ruben and the g7 ace banged it home! This was just reward for Ruben who chased and harried the opposition defence all day and was always available for his team mates. Re-energised, Ambrit continued to attack and another corner brought another goal, this time Santiago first to the breaking ball to plant a solid shot beyond the keeper. In this first half, the solid tackling and forceful running of Pedro on the left and Santiago on the right was fundamental.

The second half was another story. Ambrit looked tired, Vigna Pia dominated possession but, led by a majestic Carlo in defence - ably assisted by Giulio - Ambrit repelled all attacks and Ale closed the scoring with a typically sweetly struck shot from 20m.

TEAM: Theo; Carlo, Giulio; Pedro, Ale, Santiago; Ruben

Friendly Match (2009/2010): Vigna Pia 13-4 Ambrit... and Gabriele Saves the Day!

 Ambrit came up against an extremely well-drilled team today and, despite the scoreline, they gave a good account of themselves and learned some useful lessons.

Vigna Pia, a team that trains three times a week and has been playing together for four years, were merciless from the start and they rifled in three early goals before Ambrit had even woken up.

On their first foray forward, Ben fed a good pass to Sara and her control and finish were exemplary to make it 3-1. This was not Sara's first contribution and her running, positional and passing were top notch all day long: complimenti!

Vigna Pia came straight back to score two more but Tommaso kept up Ambrit's spirits with a well-struck shot to make it 6-2 at the first break.

In period 2, Gabriele - already playing very well in goal - really began to shine. He made save after save... after save... after save and some of them were truly outstanding, none more so than when he flung himself to his right to push away a shot that nobody else would even think of stopping! He then topped it off by saving a penalty, though his defenders were less alert and Vigna Pia banged in the rebound. The teams went in for the second interval 2 at 9-2. 

In the last period, Ambrit were tiring but Kendi was still a rock in defence. She dealt with every ball and every tackle with authority and inspired her team mates to try harder.

TEAM: Gabriele; Trym, Vittorio, Kendi; Tommaso, Ben, Adam; Sara, Aali; Rubem, Carlo

Zenit 3-0 Juventus

 A few drops of rain and a covid quarantine weren't enough to stop Zenit from racking up their first win and keeping themselves in the running for a semi-final place.

Oliver almost opened the scoring but Theo made an incredible last-ditch tackle on the line. Daniele B made it 1-0 just before the first break and Daniele P had a good chance to double up but shot over the bar.

In the second period, Zenit continued to dominate possession. Juve played well in defence, with Theo, Ralf and Martino all making lots of tackles and  Gianmarco and Adriano playing on the break. Gabriele made some good saves and came out bravely to stop Daniel, but the Zenit man's shot finished in the back of the net.

In midfield, Adam, Hugo and especially Antonio worked hard to keep Juventus pinned down. Daniele B scored his second goal late on to seal a valuable win.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Daniele B 5, Theo 4, Daniele P 3, Gabriele 2, Daniel 2 (Y), Ralf 1, Martino 1, Gianmarco 1, 1Antonio 1, Hugo 1

Man. United 1-1 Ajax

 Decimate da quarantena e assenze, Ajax e Manchester United si sono affrontate per l'accesso alla finale, già conquistato dal Chelsea durante il morning break. La partita è stata molto combattuta ed equilibrata, il punteggio finale di 1-1 lo dimostra. Al vantaggio di Maya, che approfitta di un'ingenutià colossale di Aali ed Emma, ha risposto la stessa Emma con un bel tiro da fuori.

Il pareggio, tuttavia, favorisce solo una delle due formazioni, che - in virtù della differenza reti - si qualifica per la finale di questo primo Intramural: il Manchester United. Il capitano, Maya, è riuscita a portare a termine uno splendido lavoro nel motivare e guidare i talenti della squadra e ora racconglie con merito i frutti di questo impegno.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH POINTS: Emma 4, Maya 4, Camila 3, Martina 1, Zim 1, Rose 1, Ella 1.

Chelsea 2-1 Inter

 These two teams played out an exciting match under persistent drizzle at Ambrit Stadium this morning.

Chelsea took the lead when Sofia was the most alert and pounced on a breaking ball to poke it through a crowd of players and into the back of the net. Inter responded immediately and Sara almost scored from a narrow angle but Belen made a great clearance off the line. But Sara didn't give up and she equalised soon afterwards with a lovely looping lob over Myla in goal. Both defences were solid - Vittoria and Bianca versus Kendi, Belen and Abby - but Chelsea were relentless coming forward and Carolina was always dangerous. In the 15th minute she saw a shot thunder back off the post and then, in the next action, she planted a well-struck shot pas Aali to make it 2-1. Chelsea came closest to scoring again, with wides from Carolina and Kendi and two good saves from Aali who was making her debut today.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Carolina 3, Sara 3, Vittoria 2, Belen 2, Sofia 2, Isabel 2, Bianca 2, Kendi 1, Abby 1, Aali 1, Clara 1, Athena 1

Napoli 0-4 Dortmund

 Napoli wave goodbye to the Autumn Intramural after a crushing performance from Dortmund at Ambrit Stadium today.

Dortmund were always in charge and, even when well ahead, they never took the foot off the pedal and strangled every Napoli initiative with a high press on their defence. Ale opened the scoring with the last kick of the first period and, early in the second period, Ben kept his team in the game with first a tackle and then a block in his own area to keep out the hungry Dortmund attack. Dylan unleashed a left-footed shot to make it 2-0 and Ake almosty made it 3-0 but Victor made a great save. Napoli's only attempt was a glancing header from Nikos that went slightly too high.

In period 3, Ale scored again early on and Nikos did force a good save from Sebastian. Adam rounded off the scoreline with a simple tap-in.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Ale 7, Dylan 5, Seb 2, Jonah 2, Adam 1, Ben 1, Rocco 1, Pedro 1, Matteo 1

ACLI league: Ambrit 13-3 Mentana Calcio

 Ambrit were quick out of the traps again this week and had 5 goals on the board in the blink of an eye. Ale's assist to Santi for goal 1 was repaid by Santi to Ale for goal 2.Two more assists from Ale set up Vittorio and Zach and Zach made it 5-0 after less than 10 minutes. Santi hit the post and Alberto followed up to make it 6-0 and Ale rounded off the Ambrit scoring just before half time. The visitors pulled one back from a free kick.

Mattia came on and added the eighth just after the break and then he shot well from the right and Santi buried the rebound when it came back off the post. Mentana were playing better in this second half and made it 9-2. But Mattia scored again off a Santi throw-in and then he set Santi up for his third and fourth. Mentana put a third on the board and Alberto made it 13-3 with a lovely shot from 20 meters out.

TEAM: Theo; Bernardo / Jonah, Vittorio, Giorgio; Santiago / Mattia, Alberto / Ale; Zach / Bertie

ANSPI League: Santos 0-0 Ambrit

Ambrit's younger team got their season off to a good start today with a hard-fought match at Santos. Ambrit settled down quickly and Captain Vittorio showed his experience with a sterling display in defence, in midfield, in attack... all over the pitch. Giulio was his partner in defence and, together, they kept the opposition down to a minimum of chances. The teams changed over for period 2 at 0-0.

It was in the second period that Ambrit took over the midfield and controlled the game. Ruben wreaked havoc on the right and played in some great crosses that should have been better exploited. Tommaso was totally in charge on the left, blocking all opposition attacks and playing shrewd passes forward. Ben was feeling his way into the game and his tackles and passes became ever surer as the game wore on. Sara harried the opposition defenders and she was always ready to pounce on the smallest mistake. Oliver ran himself ragged and never gave the opponents a chance to relax.

Mentana did break through at one point and seemed sure to score but Vittorio C made a miraculous save... and then he was quickly up and back in position to make another superb save immediately afterwards! Vittorio dP then fired a rocket from midfield and the Santos keeper also made an incredible save to keep it out.

In the third period, Ambrit continued to dominate and Vittorio dP hit the crossbar twice! A goal just wouldn't come but this was a very positive start by all concerned!

TEAM: Vittorio C; Giulio, Vittorio dP; Tommaso, Ben, Ruben, Oliver, Sara

Juventus 4-0 Liverpool

 After a scoreless first half with little incident, Juventus opened the scoring when Gianmarco followed up to score a shot from Cameron that was parried by Lucas right into his path. Vittorio from a free-kick then picked out Cameron at the far post for a second goal (did Tiago get a touch?) and Juve were cruising. Liverpool needed a reply and Mattia almost supplied it but he was foiled twice within a minute by Bernardo in goal. Lorenzo tried hard up front but Theo was insuperabile.

In period 3, Adriano might have put the result beyond doubt but Lucas made a miraculous save. Lorenzo struck the post with a free kick at the other end and then Lucas made a great save from Cameron. But Cameron was back immediately to score the third and Vittorio's deflected shot rounded off the scoreline.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Theo 4, Cameron 4, Bernardo 2, Vittorio dP 2, Emilio 2, Lucas 2, Lorenzo 1,  Mattia 1, Giulio 1, Leo 1, Gianmarco 1

ACLI league: Santa Caterina 0-13 Ambrit

 An easy win today against a young team without the experience to fend off a hungry Ambrit outfit that now moves to the top of the ACLI classifica.

There is an old saying in football "you can only beat the team that is in front of you" and that is what Ambrit did today, disposing of an inferior opponent with a minimum of fuss and no messing around. Our defence was rarely troubled and our midfield and attack created numerous chances and converted a lot of them. Santiago led the way and his six first half goals set the team up for a 7-0 lead at half time, the other one being an own goal.

In the second half, Mattia, Alberto, Bertie (2), Zach and Ale added their names to the scoreboard.

AMBRIT: Bernardo; Vittorio / Jonah, Theo, Giorgio / Carlo; Alberto / Ale, Pedro, Santiago / Mattia ; Zach / Bertie

Zenit 2-2 Napoli

After a sterile first period, it looked like Zenit would get their first win of the season when Zach scored two goals in period 2. The first came when Daniele took advantage of a goalkeeping error and provided the assist to his captain; the second when Zach forced his way past two defenders and shot hard to the centre of the goal. Napoli got back into the game though when a controversial VAR decision awarded them a penalty and Pedro converted.

Pedro was involved in the period 3 equaliser too, setting up Louis for a confident finish. Nikos had a golden chance to make it 3-2 but somehow missed the open goal but then he set up Pedro for another great chance but Pedro's shot was well saved by Giorgio. At the other end, Louis made a great goal-line clearance,  Daniele came close with a header and Carlo shot wide but the score remained unchanged.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Louis 5, Zach 4, Daniele B 4, Giorgio 1, Nikos 2, Trym 1, Pedro 1, Michael 1, Alex 1, Antonio 1

Liverpool 2-2 Dortmund

 Ben made an early save from Emilio but, when Mattia played Lorenzo in, Ben was too slow off his line to stop the opening goal. Lorenzo returned the favour shortly afterwards, supplying the assist for Mattia to make it 2-0. Still in the first period, Ale went on a mazy run and knocked it to Dylan to make it 2-1 and Ale himself equalised with a fierce drive from the left to make it 2-2 at the interval.

No change in the second period, thanks especially to a fantastic block from Rocco to keep out a Lucas free kick. And no change in period 3 either, with Seb making a good save towards the end to keep out Lorenzo.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Ale 5, Jonah 3, Lorenzo 3, Lucas 3, Rocco 3, Dylan 3, Mattia 3, Giovanni Z 2, Sebastian 1, Emilio 2

ACLI league: Ambrit 4-3 Palidoro

 Ambrit's senior team got the season off to a great start with a well-deserved win on Saturday morning at Ambrit stadium.

Zach shot an early goal from a tight angle on the right to settle the nerves and Vittorio made it 2-0 after 12 minutes with a cunning corner that sneaked directly in. A five-minute period of panic however undid all the good work and Palidoro scored first from a corner - the striker was left totally unmarked and headed home - and then from a shot that rebounded off Vittorio and went in: 2-2. But Ambrit collected themselves and finished the first half with an Alberto goal and a Santiago save to turn around with a 3-2 lead.

Jonah came on for the second half and made a fantastic clearance off the line with Bernardo already beaten. But Palidoro did equalise when a long shot somehow evaded everybody and rolled into the net. Both teams now attacked, looking for the winner. Bernardo was left alone on two occasions to face down opponents and he won the battle both times. Them, with just 5 minutes left to play, a Pedro shot was deflected high into the air and, when it came down beside the far post, Santiago was on hand to nod it home.

Carlo and Vittorio were outstanding in defence today and Pedro, particularly in the first half, governed the centre of midfield with authority.

TEAM: Santiago (Bernardo); Bernardo (Giulio), Carlo, Vittorio;  Alberto, Pedro, Mattia (Jonah); Zach (Santiago)

Zenit 3-3 Sporting

"A game of two halves" says the old adage... and this one certainly was: one half without Santi, one half with him.

Daniele B put Zenit ahead in the first period and Antonio tried to double the lead early in period 2, but Adriano saved well. Ryan fired a shot in for Sporting but Daniele P scored again for Zenit when he collected a ball in the centre, dribbled past two defenders and squeezed the ball home. Hugo scored a third and the game looked to be beyond the Lisbon team now.

Then Santiago made it down for the third period and had an immediate impact on the game. He was brought down by Diego D on the edge of the area and Marco stepped up to make it 3-1. Santiago kept the momentum going with surging runs in possession and he pounced on a defensive error to make it 3-2. Zenit now resembled a rabbit caught in the headlights, stunned and unable to move. With time ticking away, Marco turned on a ball out on the left and launched a majestic shot into the opposite top corner to make it 3-3.

Zenit collected themselves for the final two minutes and managed to keep Sporting at bay to harvest a precious and hard-earned point.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Santiago 5, Daniele P 4, Marco 3, Hugo 3, Daniel 3, Diego D 3, Zach 2, Ryan 2, Antonio 2, Daniele B 1

Manchester United 2-0 Chelsea

Contro tutti i pronostici il Manchester regola il Chelsea 2-0 e porta una ventata di equilibrio nel campionato, dove - dopo 2 turni giocati - tutte le squadre hanno vinto e hanno perso una partita. Il terzo e ultimo turno sarà quindi decisivo ai fini degli accoppiamenti di semifinale: tutto molto bello!

Il colpaccio era nell'aria sin dalle prime battute, quando le Red Devils sono apparse più determinate e organizzate, con Maya, Olivia ed Ella schierate in difesa a proteggere Sofia in porta (oggi quasi mai impegnata). Sulla sponda Chelsea - con la pesante assenza di Belen - si è fatto forse troppo affidamento su Myla, che ha potuto salvare il salvabile. Insomma, tranne qualche fantomatico rigore che il VAR non ha segnalato, il Manchester ha meritato la vittoria, con una prestazione solida e convincente, specie del capitano Maya, vera leader in campo, e della scatenata coppia Camila-Aurora, che con un gol ciascuno ha firmato il 2-0 finale. Bellissimo in particolare il gol di Aurora, su colpo di testa a scavalcare il portiere su cross da fallo laterale della stessa Maya.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH POINTS: Camila 4, Maya 4, Aurora 3, Myla 2, Kendi 1, Clara 1, Ella K. 1.

Juventus 6-1 Napoli

Napoli crumbled in the third period today against a rampant Juventus team that was well organised and motivated throughout.

A masterful display of defensive midfield play by Carlo was enough to keep the bianconeri at bay for most of the first period but, right at the end, Cameron rifled two long shots past Nikos.

Cameron followed up to complete his hat-trick early in the second period. Napoli didn't give up though and Pedro's constant probing was rewarded when referee Corcoran awarded a penalty. VAR had a good look, confirmed the decision and Pedro scored, following up his own strike when it crashed back off the bar.

Juve relaxed in the third period and played some good football, mainly due to some wonderful passing by Gianmarco. First he timed a pass perfectly to draw in Carlo and release Adriano to score; next he slipped another well-judged ball to set up Vittorio for a lovely cross-field shot and he finished it off by beating two defenders before crossing for an Adriano tap-in.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Cameron 5, Gianmarco 4, Benjamin 4, Carlo 3, Vittorio 3, Pedro 3, Theo 3, Adriano 2, Bernardo 1

 

Dortmund 2-0 Zenit

Zenit attacked early and were unlucky not to score, Adam making a brilliant double save first from Zach and then from Daniele P. Dortmund took the lead when Ale hammered a free kick and Dylan bravely stuck his head on it. Rocco almost made it 2-0 from an Ale corner but Massimo saved well.

A quiet second half was followed by a confused final period, lit up only by the Germans' second goal - a  measured left-footed shot by Ale that crossed from wide on the left and fizzled just inside the right-hand post.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Ale 7, Dylan 5, Rocco 4, Zach 3, Giorgio 3, Jonah 2, Adam 2, Diego 2 

Ajax 2-1 Inter

Prima vittoria stagionale per l'Ajax, che sconfigge abbastanza nettamente la corazzata Inter, nonostante il punteggio sia stato in bilico sino al termine dell'incontro. Le casacche bianche olandesi mostrano sin da subito una migliore organizzazione in campo, con l'inserimento di Irene tra i pali (che dà sicurezza a tutta la retroguardia) e Martina come alternativa in avanti. Infatti le azioni più pericolose vengono proprio da Emma, Alice e Martina, che riescono a dialogare bene. Le azioni dell'Inter invece sembrano fare affidamento sulle singole giocatrici, ma oggi Atena, Sara e compagne sembrano meno lucide del solito.

Il primo tempo termina sul punteggio di 1-0, grazie alla rete di Alice, brava nel fintare il passaggio e andare centralmente: il suo sinistro si appoggia al palo e va in rete. Dopo poco Bianca era stata tempestiva nel bloccare un tiro ravvicinato di Emma.

Nel secondo tempo la musica non cambia e l'Ajax raddoppia con un bel tiro da fuori di Rose. Ma l'Inter non ci sta e prova a mettere pressione all'Ajax, fino a quando Isabel trova il modo di accorciare le distanze con una zampata su Irene in uscita. Il forcing finale non produce risultati e ora le due squadre si trovano appaiate a 3 punti in classifica, dopo due gare disputate.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH POINTS: Alice 5, Emma 4, Rose 3, Martina 3, Irene 2, Costanza 1, Vittoria 3, Isabel 2. 

Sporting Lisbon 0-3 Juventus

With Santiago and Alberto out, this was a Lisbon team in trouble from the start and Juve didn't let them off the hook. Gianmarco's early shot was a warning for the Lisbon defense but they were caught napping soon afterwards when Cameron sneaked in a goal straight from a corner on the left. Just before the break, Ralf was booked for a handball.

Vittorio made it 2-0 just after the break with an unstoppable shot from wide on the right. Gabriele came into goal for Juve and made a good save from a Marco shot and, back at the other end, Gianmarco spurned a good chance, his shot coming off the top of the crossbar.

The last period began with Tiago stealing a ball off the Portugese defence and finishing calmly to make it 3-0. Adriano almost made it 4-0 with a great run down the left and a shot that was miraculously cleared by Francesco. And then began "The Adrian Show". Playing in goal for Lisbon, today's Man of the Match made a string of fantastic saves: first in a one-on-one versus Adriano, then against Gianmarco and finally, and most spectacularly, an instinctive save to keep out another Vittorio blockbuster.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Adrian 8, Vittorio 6, Tiago 3, Ryan 2, Gianmarco 2, Francesco 2, Kevin 1, Adriano 2, Cameron 1, Giulio 1.

Liverpool 2-0 Napoli

Another Anfield classic today as Klopp's team fought out a close battle with the team from Naples. Carlo and Nikos tried a couple of long shots early on and Nicholas had a golden opportunity at the other end but the first period ended scoreless.

Carlo and Lucas were dominant in their respective defenses today but Carlo was dangerous going forward too. In the tenth minute he caught a ball on the volley to produce one of the best shots ever seen at Anfield and only some lucky positioning from Lucas kept the ball out. Victor got a good shot in too, hooking the ball over his left shoulder but it finished wide. A free kick from Nikos was blocked - again by Lucas - and the teams changed around still at 0-0.

The third period was full of incident. Emilio played in Lorenzo for a shot but Tryn saved well. Mattia played Emilio in  but again Tryn saved well! Bertie almost got away on a dangerous break but Lucas stopped him with a fantastic interception and then, from a throw-in on the left, Mattia touched the ball with his head and that was enough to divert it onto Carlo's chest and in: 1-0. Liverpool then finished off the game with a jewel of a goal. Emilio played a one-two on the left and then found himself free with just the goalkeeper to beat. And he did, sliding the ball calmly into the corner. No way back for Napoli, though Bertie did produce a wonderful header to force Giovanni into an equally wonderful save.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Emilio 8, Carlo 6, Mattia 4, Giovanni Z 4, Lucas 3, Lorenzo 1, Nikos 1, Ben 1.

Inter 3-2 Man. United

Decimate dall'allarme Covid, le squadre oggi in campo si sono affrontate in 5 contro 5, mettendo in scena continui ribaltamenti di fronte e colpi di scena. Una partita bellissima sotto il profilo agonistico, iniziata fortissimo dall'Inter, capace di colpire in contropiede con Atena e recuperata alla fine del primo tempo dallo United, grazie a una sfortunata autorete di Maria. L'Inter va di nuovo in vantaggio con azione insistita di Isabel, ma nel secondo tempo la squadra di Isabel va in debito di ossigeno, lasciando pericolosamente campo alle scorribande di Camila e Aurora, molto tecniche, che raggiungono il pari su un nuovo autogol della povera Maria - incolpevole. Le diavole rosse sfiorano più volte il vantaggio, con un assedio finale, ma la mira e la fortuna oggi non sono dalla loro parte. L'ultima beffa: dopo l'illusione del gol, con il tiro di Aurora che si ferma sul palo, l'azione prosegue, lanciando Atena nello spazio che all'ultimo secondo insacca per il 3-2 finale. 

Buona prova di molte ragazze, buon equilibrio, tutti gli scenari sono ancora possibili.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH POINTS:

Camila 5, Aurora 5, Vittoria 4, Atena 3, Maya 3, Olivia 2, Isabel 2.

Juventus 2-1 Dortmund

 All today's goals came in the first period. Juve went ahead through Bernardo's penalty after Matteo handled in the area. Dylan tried to reply but Theo saved his shot and Juve went 2-0 up when Gianmarco took advantage of a mix-up in the German defence. Dortmund then pulled one back when Vittorio conceded a penalty and was booked for kicking the ball over the Southside fence. Ale converted.

The second period passed without much incident and then, in the third, Tiago had a chance to kill off the game but he shot wide. Not much else to report, save Bernardo's red card (second yellow) for a foul on Ale.

Bernardo misses next game.

BEST PLAYER POINTS Vittorio dP 5, Gianmarco 5, Dylan 4, Theo 4, Cameron 3, Ale 3, Jonah 2,  Rocco 1, Tiago 1

Napoli 2 - 3 Sporting Lisbon

This was a game that started off slowly but exploded into life later on. The first period ended in stalemate with no incidents of note.

Sporting took the lead in the second period when Alberto played a neat one-two with Pedro and then scored with a shot that bounced off Bertie. But Napoli leveled things up with a 'Nikos special' - a high curving free kick over a helpless Ryan. Santiago meanwhile was making dangerous runs down both wings and forcing Napoli into last ditch saves and tackles, notably from Trym. A Santi throw-in then found Alberto's head but the shot came back off the bar. 

Santiago now took centre stage. First his throw-in caught Trym by surprise and the ball ended up in the net. Then his next raid produced another goal, his shot ricocheting off Pedro and into the path of Giulio who was on hand to bury the rebound. Sporting led 3-1 going into period 3, though it could have been 4-1 had Victor not blocked another Santiago attempt.

Now Santiago went into goal and made a great save from a Pedro shot. Hope sparked briefly for Napoli when Davide was penalised for a handball but Santi made a great save from Nikos's penalty. But Napoli did get back to 3-2 soon after. Pedro's shot was saved by Santi but Ben followed up and scored. Not much time left now and both sides continued to attack. Trym saved from Kevin; a fierce shot from Pedro struck the bar, a Marco shot went wide and another penalty claim from Pedro was dismissed.

All in all, an entertaining game and a fair result.

BEST PLAYER POINTS

Santiago 6, Nikos 5, Pedro 4, Alberto 3, Marco 3, Kevin 2,  Trym 2, Ben 2, Giulio 1   

Chelsea 4-0 Ajax

In uno stadio gremito ed entusiasta si è svolto il primo e spettacolare match dell'Intramural femminile, stagione 2021/2022. 

Il risultato è stato più netto di quanto visto in campo, ma premia una squadra più cinica e organizzata, letteralmente trascinata da una scatenata Carolina, autrice delle 4 reti, di cui l'ultima - bellissima - realizzata direttamente da calcio d'angolo. Bene tutto il Chelsea, da Myla sempre attenta tra i pali e protagonista di una parata incredibile sull'1-0, alla difesa di Aby, Lavinia e Clara, al centrocampo dinamico e reattivo di Belen e Sofia. Insomma, il Chelsea ha impressionato.

Sulla sponda opposta l'Ajax non è riuscito a trovare la spinta giusta, è apparso poco organizzato - ma avrà il tempo di rifarsi - e non ha sfruttato le occasioni avute: oltre al miracoloso salvataggio di Myla, ricordiamo una traversa clamorosa di Alice.  In crescita Costanza e Irene, più sottotono Rose ed Emma, che possono dare molto alla squadra.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH POINTS:

Carolina 9, Alice 3, Myla 2, Belen 2, Sofia 2, Aby 2, Irene 2, Costanza 2, Lavinia 1, Clara 1.

Liverpool 0-0 Zenit

It wasn't a classic but both teams did put in the effort. Chances were rare. Giovanni made a great save to keep Antonio out towards the end of the first period. In the second period, Mattia drove a free-kick wide and Ruben hit the crossbar.

There were more chances in the third period. Lorenzo hit the crossbar and Antonio shot wide. Leo made a match-saving block to keep out Zenit and Giovanni touched Antonio's shot onto the bar. Daniele B made a big impact when he came on but this game never looked like producing a goal.

Apart from Giovanni, other impressive debuts from Daniele P, Daniele B and Sam. A solid defensive performance from Giorgio earns him today's BEST PLAYER award.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Giorgio 5, Daniele B 3, Lorenzo 3, Giovanni Z 3, Zach 2, Daniele P 2, Sam 2, Mattia 2, Daniel 1, Nicolas 1, Giulio 1, Lucas 1, Antonio 1, Diego 1

Teachers 5-1 8V

A packed Ambrit Stadium today saw a highly-skilled team of teachers impart yet another lesson to their students and this time the subject was football.

The teachers dominated possession and territory from the start but did not create many clear chances early on. A brave 8V defence limited them to a few goalmouth scrambles and so, at half-time, the teachers had a narrow 1-0 lead thanks to a goal from Mr Alessandro. 8V's only reply was a tame free kick from Pedro.

In the second half, Mr Piccolo shot into the side netting early on and he was then on hand to tap the ball in when Mr Max crossed from the left. The teachers' third goal came from a good passing move. Miss Giulia started it off, passing to Mr Max: he played it to Mr Piccolo who then touched it into the path of Miss Giulia who finished off the move in style.

The fourth goal was scored by Miss Alida, an instinctive shot from 25 meters out that left Valerio stranded and Mr Max deservedly got on the goalsheet when he finished another fine run down the left with a smooth shot into the corner.

8V got a consolation goal at the end. Pedro drilled a pass through to Adam in the box; Adam controlled it, turned and buried the shot to make the final score 5-1 

8V Crowned 2021 Homeroom Champions

Just as they did throughout this competition, 8V utilised their resources to maximum effect and won this penalty shoot-out by 3-1 to set up an intriguing encounter with the Teachers tomorrow!

FINAL: 8S 2-2 8V

The first period was notable for some very good defensive interventions. Santiago looked all set to score but Emma put in a great block. At the other end, Valerio made a great save from a Mattia shot and then, back at the other end, an in-form Atena was foiled at the last minute by Maya. Santiago blasted a shot at Theo but the Norwegian international goalkeeper saved it. He was helpless shortly afterwards though when Atena found Santiago and his shot found the back of the net.

Santiago almost scored a second early in period 2 when he beat three players on the right wing and shot just past the left post. Dylan shot wide too but Mattia made no mistake when he turned inside from the left and shot the equaliser.

As period 3 got underway, Dylan turned awkwardly in the box and handled to give away a penalty. Everyone held their breath as Santiago prepared to kick it and the stadium then exploded when Seb made a fantastic save! 8S came straight back into attack; Carolina played in a good cross but Lorenzo arrived late. Then 8S won a corner and, from Lorenzo's kick, Nikos timed his run perfectly to plant a header past the goalkeeper. But, as so often happens, the team in front lost their concentration and Pedro equalised with a header from a Santiago throw-in. 

PENALTY SHOOT-OUT: Monday October 4th, 11.30 BIG PITCH

Rules:

Each team takes FIVE penalties

Three kickers must be BOYS, two kickers must be GIRLS

If the teams are still tied, penalties will continue GIRL / BOY / GIRL / BOY etc

Only players who played on Friday can participate. 

SEMI FINAL 2: 8S 6-0 7H

No amici, purtroppo non si è giocato a tennis oggi sul Big Pitch, anche se il punteggio lascia pensare altro...

La 7H esce dal torneo in malo modo, con un punteggio che non ammette repliche e che permette alla 8S di presentarsi al derby della finale con tutti i favori del pronostico.

Veniamo alla cronaca: nel primo tempo 7H tenta il tutto per tutto, schierando una formazione di contenimento, troppo debole in difesa, che diventa preda delle scorribande di Nikos, Alberto e Dylan, abili a dialogare e a presentarsi facilmente sottoporta. Tutto facile per 8S che, nonostante alcuni salvataggi di Emilio in porta, conclude il primo tempo sul 3-0 con una doppietta di Nikos e un gol di Alberto.

Il secondo tempo inizia su ben altra musica con l'ingresso di Alessandro e Daniele, che si cercano spesso, ma che vengono ben contenuti dalla rocciosa difesa di Giorgio, Emma e Maya. In attacco per 8S entra invece Lorenzo, oggi davvero scatenato e immarcabile, capace di seminare il panico e firmare una tripletta personale. Al termine del secondo tempo, sul punteggio di 6-0, terminano anche le ambizioni della 7H.

La terza frazione diventa un'inutile appendice, che permette solo di apprezzare qualche bella giocata in difesa di Abby, qualche galoppata di Carolina e poco altro. Vani tutti i tentativi della 7H si siglare almeno il gol della bandiera.

SEMI FINAL 1: 8V 3-1 6B

 6B's journey came to an abrupt end today against an 8th grade team that used its physical advantage shrewdly.

Santiago led his troops from the start, attempting an overhead kick that was always going wide. Pedro sent Adam in on the left but the 6B defence, led by an excellent Sam, kept him out. Santiago had a shot turned away by Trym and 8V couldn't score from a series of resulting corners.

But 8V did score from their best move of the game until now. Pedro killed a high ball expertly and passed to Adam; Adam slid it to Santiago... 1-0.

In the second period, Kevin received from Sam and finally got a shot on target for 6B but Ben saved. A hard-working Isabel in midfield made sure that other chances were rare.

In the final period, Santiago stole the ball from the 6B defence and made it 2-0 but 6B came right back at them. Giovanni attacked down the right, fed it inside to Daniele and his shot left Alex stranded. Now the crowd was screaming at 6B to get an equaliser... but Pedro had other ideas. His sweetly-struck shot from 20 meters out scraped past Trym to kill off the game.

Teams are published!

                                             If your name is NOT here but you DO want to play

OR

Your name IS here and you DO NOT want to play

then

please tell Mr Corcoran

IMMEDIATELY!!

TRANSFER NEWS

Transfer News

On the opening day of the transfer market, teams have been busy.

After recent performances in the Homeroom Cup, Zenithave splashed out 12 million on Giorgio in defence, and another 9 million for Daniele to bolster their attack.

Juventus have spent even more, starting with a cool 20 million to bring goalkeeper Theo to Stamford Bridge and another 15 million for veteran defender Vittorio dP.

Over at Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp needs to plug a leaky defence and he has bought Lucas and Leo for a combined bargain fee of 18 million; now he is  looking to add a striker.

Dortmund have brought in the youngster Rocco, hoping that he can combine with the experienced Alessandro to produce some exciting football and lots of goals.  

Italian champions Napoli are gambling on Tryn, a recruit from their youth academy, and have spent 10 million each to bring

in the experienced pair of Pedro and Bertie.

And Sporting have managed to attract the talented youngster Kevin for a 5 million signing-on fee as well as forking out 14 million for the mercurial talents of Alberto.

6T 2-1 6N

 The game was slow to ignite today but, when it did, 6N put together a good move; Ben passed to Olivia and she touched it on to Aron who rolled in the first goal. But the big crowd in Ambrit stadium barely had time to draw their breath before 6T equalised, Rocco setting off on a mazy solo run that took him past 4 opponents before he found the back of the net. Before the break, both goalkeepers were made to work: Ruben saved a fierce shot from Rocco and Giovanni made a miraculous save to block Aron.

Goalkeeping heroics continued early in the second half as Bianca stopped a sizzler from Rocco. Kendi was having a great game in the 6T defence but then she was booked for a foul on Ben. Ben later followed her into the book, along with Gabriele and Rocco.

Ben came closest to a second goal for 6N but it was Nicolas who stole the points when he followed up a rebound. 6T were winners here but miss out on qualification due to goal difference.

7R - 7H

 Adriano was first to line up a shot; he blasted it with power and Victor, in goal for 7R, did well to block it. Next up to the shooting gallery was Ale, but Victor kept him out too. Then Antonio broke away, dribbled onto his left foot and slid the ball into the net!

The 7R defence was making it difficult for 7H. Giulio, Ziyi, Lubiana and Leo all made saving tackles. Victor saved again from Ale, but one minute later Ale attacked down the left wing, crossed the ball into the middle and Irene steered it home to make it 1-1 at the end of the first period.

Ryan replaced Victor in goal for period 2 and was immediately tested by Daniele. Ryan passed with flying colours, pulling off a spectacular save. But Daniele was back almost immediately and this time he scored to make it 2-1. Ale almost made it 3-1 but he pulled another good shot just wide.

And so into the final period. Ale piled two more shots into the 7H goal but both were well saved by Giulio. Then, with just two minutes left, Victor took a throw-in from the left and Gianmarco used height and guile to flick the ball in for a well-earned equaliser!

ALERT: Enquiries are ongoing into alleged administrative irregularities and a decision will me issued on Monday

8S 2-1 8V

8S 2-1 8V

8S confirmed themselves as G8 champions with a hard-fought victory over a valiant 8V. Giorgio played well at the back early on and Lorenzo and Nikos improved as the game went on but 8S would not have won today without Carolina. Apart from a well-taken goal, she made tackle after tackle, pass after pass and rarely wasted a ball, though she did almost score an own-goal with a dangerous back header!

The first real chance of the game fell to Mattia but Santiago stopped him with the first of many superb tackles. Two more chances fell to the Blues when Alberto played in Mattia and Carolina drilled a shot that was well blocked by Lorenzo G but the score remained at 0-0 on the first break as even Giorgio's shot from a corner went wide.

The Blues kept attacking in the second period. Lorenzo headed wide from a corner and then, when Pedro handled in the box, Lorenzo's poor penalty was saved by Benjamin and Carolina pounced on the rebound and fired it past a stunned goalkeeper to make it 1-0. 

But 8V were back even almost immediately. Santiago spotted some hesitation in the new 8S goalkeeper and he was on hand to tap in a header when Massimo fumbled a catch.

But Massimo settled down, made no more mistakes and 8S came forward again. Lorenzo should have scored, Nikos should have scored... but then Lorenzo did score to seal the win. 

6B 0-0 6T

 No lack of energy in this game but clear chances were as rare as hens' teeth. Giovanni Z marshalled his forces well and kept 6B pinned down for much of the first half, but Daniele was always dangerous on the break. For 6T, Diego was always a threat and Rocco ran from box to box, winning the ball time after time but not always passing early enough. For 6B, Giovanni V made good tackles and supported his team going forward.

In the second half, the addition of Kevin for 6B swung the balance in their favour and then 6T were penalised by a CAR decision (Calento Assistant Referee), with Daniel sent off for an off-the-ball foul.

The game finished 0-0, leaving all possibilities still open for Match Day 3.

------    played   points   goal difference

6B          2           4               +4

6T          1           1               0

6N          1           0              -4

7A 3-1 7R

 7A needed a result and they got off to a hectic start, Vittorio forcing Victor into the first of many good saves. 7A kept coming forward and, had it not been for the fantastic defending of Giulio, they might have been well ahead. As it happened, it was then 7R who grabbed the lead. Adam's first shot was saved well by Marco but Ryan was quick to follow up and head home the rebound.

7A came straight back at them. Carlo crossed a ball right on to Tiago's head to no avail. But 7A did equalise before the break when Vittorio cracked home a shot.

He almost repeated the dose straight afterwards but Victor saved, and then saved again from Carlo. But the winning goal was a gem! Vittorio crossed to Annika and she hit a first time shot right into the top corner. Oliver added a bonus goal right at the end.

----        played    points    goal difference

7H           1            3                 +1

7A           2            3                 0

7R           1            0                 -1

8H 1-1 8V

 The first half today was marked by some notable defensive performances. For 8H, Lucas and Belen were solid at the back and, in goal, Myla was equal to everything that Santiago could throw at her (quite literally) and she saved some well-hit shots from Adam too. At the other end, Atena was a constant thorn in the side of the 8H midfield as she foiled one move after another with clever positioning and well-timed interventions. Valerio, Maria and Isabel patrolled the defensive line and Santiago was everywhere. There were some chances for 8H: Alice played in Zach and Bernardo found space when he sold Santiago a dummy but neither chance was converted and Zach hit another shot wide just before the break.

In the second half, the game exploded and the watching crowd was captivated by an intriguing battle. The substitutes injected a new energy: Giulio, Bertie and Jonah for 8H: Adriana, Pedro and Alex for 8V and chances abounded. A few pictures: Giulio came close with a shot; Bertie had a chance from a corner; Alice fired the ball dangerously across the penalty area; Bertie made room for himself but slipped at the crucial moment; Alice's shot was blocked by Valerio; Giulio tested Myla... and then, Zach opened the scoring! Collecting the ball inside his own half, he sprinted down the left, tempting Valerio out of his goal with a loose touch but then slipping the ball past him into the empty net: 1-0!

But then, incredibly, 8V equalised almost immediately. Using his height, Santiago beat Myla to a ball coming in from a throw-in and flicked it past her with his head.

All in all, a fair result that still leaves everything to play for!

---     played    points    Goal difference

8S          1           3               +2

8V         1           1                0

8H         2           1                -2

          

6B 5-1 6N

 Today's game got off to a hectic, muddled start but then, halfway through the first half, 6B started to pull away as Daniele, Vittorio, Sam and Kevin began to string some passes together.

Daniele scored to make it 1-0, then Kevin, then Vittorio and 6B went in with a 3-0 lead at half-time.

6N settled down in the second half. Adriano organised the defence and Wyatt and Bianca made lots of tackles. Olivia was a tiger in midfield and Ben began to find some space to run on to passes from Matteo, Ruben and Gabriele. But 6B kept coming at them and Vittorio scored the best goal of the game to make it 4-0.

Now it was a test of character for 6N... and they passed with flying colours! Ben hammered home a goal to make it 4-1, almost scored a second and then hit the post with a good shot from the left. Martino, Marta, Bianca and Trim - until now untested - were stretched time and again but still managed to clear the ball.

Vittorio finished off preceedings by completing his hat-trick to make it 5-1.

7A 3-4 7H

 Ambrit Stadium was rocking at lunchtime today as 7A and 7H fought out a seven-goal thriller!

Chances were rare early on, the best of them falling to Tiago but his shot didn't trouble Carlo in goal. But it was Tiago who opened the scoring when he converted the penalty after Ruben handled the ball.

Louis in defence and Emilio in goal were playing well to keep the Reds at bay but they could do nothing about a solid shot from Vittorio that was deflected into the net to put 7A 2-0 ahead.

But 7H started to come back after half time. Daniele scored almost immediately after coming on and then Emilio made a crucial save from an Oliver shot. However, Sara was having a great game in midfield for 7A, snuffing out opposition attacks and playing clever passes - as indeed did Clara.

7H then equalised, Adriano surprising Marco and scoring from a corner... now the tension was mounting even more! 

Vittorio had a shot... and he hit the post; Ale had a shot... and he hit the post... and then Marco turned up in the 7A penalty area, turned neatly and shot into the corner to make it 3-2 for 7A!

Was it all over? Oh no, this game still had lots to give. 

First Ale followed up his own free kick and blasted home the rebound to make it 3-3 and then, with just seconds on the clock, Adriano popped up again to slot home the winner for 7H!

8S 4-2 8H

 The grade 8 students served up a slice of normal life today as the Homeroom Cup got underway at a packed Ambrit Stadium.

On paper the stronger team, 8S nonetheless fell behind late in the first half when Zach burst down the left and poked an insidious shot at Sebastian. Seb parried well but Alice was on hand to tap in the rebound and 8H went in 1-0 up at half time, thanks to some great defending from Jonah, Maya and Lucas.

8S pulled back level early in the second half. Nikos was fouled and, with Lorenzo clear, the referee should have played an advantage but no matter: Nikos blasted in the free kick. Dylan was now on to strengthen 8S but Cameron was on for 8H and these two brought new energy and skill into the game. 8S then pulled ahead when Lorenzo dribbled two defenders and it looked like 8S might run away.

But 8H kept trying and, when the referee penalised Maya for a handball, Cameron tucked it away to make it 2-2. 8H tried valiantly to hang onto a point but tired legs meant that spaces were now opening up.

Nikos took advantage to make it 3-2; Lorenzo added a fourth.

With Maya, Carolina, Theo and Emma to call on, it will take something special to stop 8S this year!

YELLOW: Lorenzo, Emma

 THE AUTUMN HOMEROOM FOOTBALL CHALLENGE

This is a preliminary tournament with MIXED teams.

A full Intramural tournament will follow, with separate matches for boys and girls.

Rules:

G6 teams have 9 players on the pitch

G7 teams have 8 players on the pitch

G8 teams have 7 players on the pitch

• All teams must have a minimum of 3 girls on the pitch

• All players who want to play should play at least 10’

• Any team that excludes a student that wants to play will be disqualified 

Wed Sep 08 8H vs 8S

Thu Sep 09 7A vs 7H

Fri Sep 10 6B vs 6N

Wed Sep 15 8H vs 8V

Thu Sep 16 7A vs 7R

Fri Sep 17 6B vs 6T

Wed Sep 22 8V vs 8S

Thu Sep 23 7R vs 7H

Fri Sep 24 6T vs 6N

SEMI-FINALS

Wed Sep 29 g6 Winner vs g8 Runner-up

Thu Sep 30 g7 Winner vs g8 Winner

FINAL

Fri Oct 01 vs

WINNING TEAM

will play a Teacher Selection on TUESDAY OCT 5th

6N White 7A orange 8H white

6B Black 7H white 8S blue

6T Red 7R red 8V green