Boys Semi-Final: Ajax 1 - 2 Liverpool

 Klopp did it again today. With his team one goal down (and it could have been three, were it not for Patrick's saves) thanks to a sloppy own-goal, he managed to motivate his team to come back from the dead and win this exciting match. Kevin was the motor in midfield for the first goal and Lorenzo then took over, forcing his way past three defenders to blast home the equaliser. The two of them combined again a few minutes later and, this time, it was Kevin who found himself with a chance to shoot. And he did. And he scored. And Liverpool march on.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Lorenzo 5, Kevin 4, Patrick 4, Alessandro 2, Christian 2, Louis 2, Adriano C 1, Gianmarco 1

ACLI Champions League SF, second leg: Nomen 3-3 Ambrit

 A draw today, yes; but after a 6-1 win in the first leg, this was more than enough to secure Ambrit's place in the final for a second year running. With no Trym and no Ale, Dylan started today in goal and he did a fine job for the first half, a first half that saw Giorgio score twice and Nomen once. It was also a first half that saw Antonio play his best game of the season so far, winning lots of ball up front and laying it off into good positions time and time again. It was also a first half that saw Oliver strike the post with a cracking long range effort: pity it didn't go in - Oliver deserved a goal today. 

Vittorio played in goal for most of the second half and kept a clean sheet. Antonio went in and made some good saves but Nomen did equalise. No problem, Vittorio scored to put Ambrit back ahead. Nomen did equalise again but qualification for the final was never in doubt. Emilio almost sealed it with a fourth goal but, like Oliver earlier, he saw his shot come back off the post.

AMBRIT: Dylan, Vittorio, Cameron, Kevin, Emilio, Giorgio, Oliver, Antonio, Nicholas.

ACLI Champions League semi-final, 1st leg: AMBRIT 6-1 Nomen

 Nomen came into today's game with a season-long unbeaten record... but that didn't last long against a concentrated Ambrit side today. A slick passing move from Carlo to Cameron to Giorgio and Giorgio thundered home the shot to leave the visitors 0-1 down and unsettled. Giorgio made it 2-0 with a fiercely-struck free kick from the left and Cameron scored a third when Vittorio's pass found Hugo and he sent it on to Cameron. Giorgio completed a first half hat-trick off Carlo's assist and Hugo completed a first-half rout with a well-timed fifth goal - just as the visitors were threatening to come back - just before the break.

In the second half Antonio, Trym, Daniel, Oliver and Emilio all came in and Ambrit continued to look in control. But Nomen did now have a bit more possession and Ambrit began to look a bit ragged as the half wore on. Nomen almost scored when their No. 12 rose to place a good header that looked a goal all the way, but Ale scrambled to the post and somehow kept the ball out. Nomen did pull a goal back and things might have begun to unravel, but Cameron latched onto an Emilio pass and the sixth goal settled the team again. 

Manchester City 1 - 4 Real Madrid

A first period without clear chances and then Real almost took the lead in period 2, but Aron made a great save off a Marco shot. But Carlo was following up and scored. In period 3, an almost exact replica: Aron saved again, this time off a Carlo shot and Hugo followed up to score. Rocco pulled one back for City but their play lacked cohesion and it was no surprise when Marco headed Real back into a two goal lead and Tommaso sealed the win with a brave tap-in at the second post.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Aron 4, Carlo T 4, Rocco 3, Hugo 3, Tommaso 2, Marco 2, Gabriele 1, Giovanni Z 1 

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ACLI: Champions Cup QF, 2nd leg: AMBRIT 2-2 Fortitudo (9-2 on aggregate)

 After last week's heavy defeat, Fortitudo turned up today with a bit of an attitude and they finished the game with three yellow cards and one red. Ambrit's players, on the other hand, received the referee's compliments for their behaviour and for their continued attempts to play good football.

The visitors took the lead after 12 minutes and the game was delicately poised: another goal might have unsettled the hosts but Hugo settled things down with an equaliser just before half-time. Fortitude went ahead again in the second-half... Ale calmly shepherding the ball wide, except it didn't go wide - it went in!😂

Ale made up for it soon after with an astounding double save and Lorenzo leveled the score again, calmly controlling an awkward pass before rounding his man and beating the goalkeeper with a shot just inside the post. 

CALENDAR

Wed 24 May: Real Madrid vs Manchester City    Boys' Semi final 1

Thu 25 May: Chelsea vs Roma

Fri 26 May: Ajax vs Liverpool    Boys' Semi final 2

Wed 31 May: Boys' Third place final

Thu 01 June: GIRLS' FINAL

Wed 07 June: BOYS' FINAL

Thu 08 June: TEACHERS vs INTRAMURAL CHAMPIONS

Fri 09 June: TEACHERS vs GRADE 8

Liverpool 1-1 Real Madrid

 A very entertaining game! Real attacked well all through the first half but Patrick pulled off some exceptional saves, including a miraculous double stop from point-blank range. But Real did score in the when one of Hugo's mazy dribbles ended with a pass to Marco and his powerful shot was unstoppable. Patrick came out now to try to save a point and, in the end, he did: finding space on the edge of the penalty area, he placed a shot into the corner and then went back into goal to protect the lead!

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Patrick 5, Kevin 3, Carlo T 3, Hugo 3, Marco 3, Gianmarco 1, Christian 1, Remy 1, Carlo C 1

Atletico 2-2 PSG

 A determined PSG grabbed their first point of the season and might easily have won the game. Aurora was alert when a chance came her way half-way through the first half and she rolled the ball confidently into the empty net. A good passing move from Atletico though found Jacopo in a good position and he equalised. In the second half, the girls went ahead again when an Aurora shot was saved but Bianca was on hand to force the rebound in. But the boys came back to level the scores again, this time Francesco adding the final touch.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Jacopo 3, Irene 3, Bianca 3, Aurora 3, Freydis 2, Antonio 2, Sara 1, Antoine 1, Joshua 1, Francesco 1, Matteo 1

Real Madrid 4-2 Ajax

 After drawing with Man City last night in the Champions League, Real turned up today with a few new names and ran into an early lead. In the first period, Marco blasted in an unstoppable shot and might have scored again but Trym saved well. Three goals were added in the second half (Marco, Nicola 2) and Ajax were struggling but a soft penalty awarded against Hugo gave Adriano the chance to bring his team back into the game. He scored; 4-1. Reinvigorated, Ajax threw themselves into attack and Diego scored a second but time ran out and Real take the three points.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Carlo T 3, Marco 2, Adriano M 2, Hugo 2, Nicola 2, Trym 2, Emilio 1, Carlo C 1, Tiago 1, Tommaso 1, Antonio F 1, Diego 1, Adriano C 1, Remy 1

ACLI: Champions League QF - Fortitude 0-7 Ambrit

 Strange to say, but this was an evenly and fiercely contested tie! The big score difference is explained by Ambrit's solid defending, solid goalkeeping and some clinical finishing. Hugo had another great game: he played in Lorenzo for goal number 1. Vittorio played in midfield today and he totally confounded the opposition; it was his corner, converted by Dylan, that led to 2-0 before half time.

Kevin and Oliver, after two great first half performances, made way for Nicholas and Antonio at half time and the two newcomers settled in immediately, quickly taking control of the left wing for Ambrit. Another precise long ball from Ale put Lorenzo through; he was fouled as he went around the goalkeeper and Lorenzo himself scored from the spot and then completed his hat-trick shortly afterwards with a shot from outside the penalty area. Hugo scored the fifth and then Dylan scored a jewel of a goal: moving onto Vittorio's outswinging corner from the right, he caught the ball perfectly on the volley and rifled it into the top corner! The scoreline was completed by Antonio.

Liverpool 1-2 Man City

 Today we saw an ugly game with some beautiful goals. Rocco opened the scoring in the first period when a burst of speed took him clear on the left and he managed to squeeze his hot into the corner. Gianmarco had a chance to equalise in the second period but Giovanni was out quick to smother the shot. Rocco struck again in period 3, this time turning on the edge of the penalty are to unleash an accurate shot into the far corner. Patrick put Lorenzo through on the right near the end and Lorenzo scored with a confident shot, but time ran out and City win again.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Rocco 6, Gabriele 2, Lorenzo 2, Giovanni 2, Daniele 2, Kevin 2, Patrick 2, Christian 1, Gianmarco 1, Matteo 1 

Salzburg 5-0 PSG

 Salzburg today got a chance to vent a season's frustrations and they seized on that chance with glee. The three-touch rule suited them and they played neat, thoughtful football with two goals each from Oliver, Adam and Leopoldo and one from Leo. 

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Oliver 5, Leo 4, Adam 3, Leopoldo 2, Sam 1, Tommaso 1, Michael 1, Lubiana 1, Freydis 1, Lavinia 1, Ella 1