Match Review: Aioli Monkeys FC vs German-Swiss All Stars

• GK Daniele Pacella
• DF Sam Thorley
• MD Juan Jose Velaz Sanchez
• MD Ivan Avramovic
• MD Leopoldo Garrido
• ST Shotaro Ichikawa
• ST Peter Besselink
• -- Michele Valente
• -- Matthieu Ginestet
• -- Adrien Dambre

• DF Jeff Suzuki
• MD Harry Shaw
• ST James Goodwin

Sheize

A disappointing end to a season that had promised so much. To be fair, we’ve been useless for the past couple of months but we were hoping we could finish on a high after getting together a stellar squad for the cosmo equivalent of the LDV vans trophy. We’d sold our allocation of only 10 tickets (always the bloody same in these high profile finals) but the corporates were obviously put off by the kick off time, which changed 73 times on the day itself. That meant the only stand was depressingly empty. To be fair though, what a venue. OUR TAMPINES SPORTS HUB. We didn’t quite make it ours but never mind that. Strong name. The game itself. We started ok and should have taken the lead through Ichi-san, who missed an open goal. Those 11 futsal games earlier in the day may or may not have taken it out of him. Shortly after GAS took the lead with a penalty after a tangle in the box. Dubious decision but a clinical penalty put us 1-0 down. Shortly after, we were down 2-0 after failing to track Basti’s run into the box and had some work to do in the second half. After a barely intelligible teamtalk from our pink panther, we went back out knowing an early goal was crucial. Fortunately, Harry had arrived at half time and despite still having face paint on from his full moon party bender, he immediately changed the game. Haz(ard) lobbed one over the defence and Addy, the least clinical striker in the league, brought it down and finished for 2-1. Back in it lads, or so we thought. A handball moments later resulted in another pen and 3-1 to GAS. Deflated, we huffed and puffed but a poorly defended corner made it 4-1 and pretty much game over. Thanks to everyone who made the effort to come down and watch, and congrats to GAS who deserved it on the night. See you all next season!

• Takahiro Kawabata DF
• Michael Klemm ST
• Diyar Mailepessov ST
• Victor Walz --
• Arnaud Houles --
• Bastian Wolff --
• Ben Munday --
• Phillip Von Pein --
• Mishel Knezovic --
• Florian Gädke --
• Thomas Nock --

• Marius Teich DF
• Alex Baesel DF
• Robert Winkelmann DF
• Mauricio Roa --
• Mark Leonhardt --

TITELHAMSTER!!

Granted, GAS did not have the most successful Cosmo campaign this season but all we really care about is this Plate Cup. Apart from all the obvious esteem and glamour surrounding this Cup, it is also the most honest and fairest competition. As a result, SCC gets degraded to another Cup right from the start, and in return, they get to play the warm-up game to accompany the growing suspense and excitement building up to the Plate Final. Great sportsmanship SCC! The stadium and town hosting this year’s final was somewhere between Singapore and Malaysia, the venue nothing short of Bernabeu. Some cheeky local Tampinesians who did not get any more tickets on the black market peeked through the VIP lounges of Bread Talk and Kaya Toast. They were in for a treat... GAS faced a strong Aioli squad with an equally competitive outfit. Some surprise appearances in goal with Ben (fantastic performance) and in central midfield with our veteran Ronny Nock. The tactics were clear: We have to show attitude, aggressiveness and willpower. First minutes into the game, and GAS pretty much in total control and with majority of possession, Ronny demanding the ball and distributing calmly. Basti and Flo came agonisingly close to opening the score with close-range headers, but Aioli were also dangerous on the counter attack with Mark Addy and Ichy, who missed on a few occasions. Ronny then got increasingly angry and demanded more aggressiveness, setting an example by breaking his finger and getting even more agitated. But the team responded to his appeal, and some 20 minutes into the game, Micha was brought down in the box and Viktor “the plate pink panther” opened the score with a well executed penalty. GAS now getting more confident and solid throughout the park and when Micha found Basti’s head in the box, GAS took the second and went into half time with a comfortable cushion. Like on all too many occasions this season, GAS shifted - once again - down a gear and even though there was no real threat for a while, one cross was misjudged by Taka - who otherwise had an outstanding game - and Mark Addy controlled and swerved the ball neatly into the far corner… 2:1 and GAS looking to lose some of the confidence they had started to develop. Rather than playing the easy ball, passing back and making the pitch wide, we tried to break through the congested middle, which typically ended up in counter attacks, none of which were followed through by Aioli though. Our captain, top scorer and man-of-the-match Micha then decided to take matters into his own hands again, swivelled around a few purple monkey defenders like a 20 year old Russian ballerina, and when his cross hit the arms of a defender, the ref went for a harsh but justifiable penalty kick. This time, it was Micha, who walked towards the spot calmly in spite of the pressure and tension created by the thousands of Tampinesians who were probably treated to the best football on their country’s turf in years…and Micha did what he does best, converted into the top right corner, a carbon copy of Ronaldo’s penalty kick against Juve in the CL’s semis. Aioli’s spirit now clearly broken and GAS kept pushing forward with Arnaud on the left running his socks off despite a groin injury and knackered ankle, and finally, he blasted home a deflected ball following a GAS corner…his most beautiful and important (and only) goal of the season, what a story. As you would expect in an encounter and venue of this level, some spectators now went ballistic as they couldn’t wait for the final whistle, and streaked in numbers trying to snatch some of GAS’s jerseys, the #10 clearly in highest demand…but security and our loyal GAS hooligans on the sideline quickly resolved matters and the game could continue. Shameful scenes, no one really wants to see that. 4:1 the final score and GAS defending the title as well as collecting the Double, clearly making us a favourite for next season’s treble with the bookies. Thanks to Aioli for a very fair and fun encounter, it seemed it was really down to the cliché again of “whoever wants it more, will win”… MOM no doubt to Micha, who signed a 1 year extension the day after - HURRAYY! MOM Aioli to Mark Addy, for his well crafted goal and a few more attempts that were denied by our keeper. Two weeks break now, then off to Russia for another title defending mission and back to Singapore for the new season...