Soccer City FC
UEFA Cup – First Round – 17 July 2008
EB/Streymur 0 - Manchester City 2
@ Torsvollur Stadium (the National Stadium), Torshavn , Faroe Isles
(their own stadium, Við Margáir, holds just 1,000, hence the switch)
Att: 5,700 (capacity 6,000)
A great job done, by the fans as well as the team. The Faroe Islands is not an easy place to get to. 250 City mad (more so than our usual City fans) supporters made the trip, with four intrepid die-hards making an eight hour car journey (not a long trip according to North American standards, but believe me it is for British drivers, who consider anything over four hours a long trip!) to get to Aberdeen, North East of Scotland and the “Oil Capital of Europe”, to catch the overnight ferry to the Shetland Islands (phew! I’m exhausted just thinking about it). They had hired a fishing (what!) trawler to get them to the Faroe Islands, but, as all things connected with City goes (the recent, will he, won’t he signing of Ronaldinho – and, no he hasn’t, he’s gone to AC Milan, is typical), the trawler couldn’t make the journey because of stormy seas! All that way and not get to see the match! Think again, this is soccer at it’s finest. To the rescue came the Faroes national carrier, Atlantic Airways with free flights (Bill Clinton being one of it’s famous passengers), to make sure they got there – I hope the four lads weren’t afraid of flying! By contrast, it only took Mark Hughes and the team two hours on a charter flight!
They saw our new Brazilian striker, Jô make his debut appearance leading the attack for City and showing promise of things to come, almost scoring from a Petrov cross. On 74 minutes he was substituted by one of our fabulous City academy players, Ched Evans, who, close to the end of the match, almost scored. Returning to the first team squad are Micah Richards and Nedum Onuoha (crucial defenders alongside Richard Dunne (C)). Both making their long awaited returns to the first team after being injured early in 2008.
EB/Streymur have part-time players in their squad (a number of whom have been called up for the national team) and play in the top division. Currently they have a clear five-point lead in the Formuladeildin league, but have lost their last three matches (shades of City last season!). They are back-to-back national cup winners and are the current holders. For this match they are missing two players: Sorin Anghel and Mikkjal Thomassen.
Oh yes, and the match…..Two nil to City!! Petrov (9 minutes) a blast of a shot into the far top corner from a Vassell cross that Johnson stepped over. A much deserved goal for Petrov, throughout last season he was a niggling nuisance to defenders, giving them a horrible time and wearing a track in the turf with his constant, lightning quick runs up and down the left-wing (all the English Premier League clubs have been busy replacing their pitches!) and making pinpoint accurate passes to his forwards. Second goal came from Hamann (yes, I’ve got that right, our ‘spoiler’ scores a peach of a goal) on 28 minutes. A corner kick from Petrov (that man again, in the second half, he could have scored another) was only cleared to the edge of the box, where Hamann volleyed it with the outside of his left foot!
The second half saw a spirited EB/Streymur put City under pressure and Hart (goal keeper) called into action, but never seriously tested. The only booking of the match was a yellow card for Johnson.
A comfortable win, but not the score-line I wanted to see. We should’ve been able to put the ball in the net a few more times, after all, we did have seven shots on target and the majority of the play. Not finding the net was a great problem last year – some more shooting practice Mark.
MoTM: Martin Petrov – a constant nuisance to EB/Streymur and in particular their defender Barour Olsen.
Shots on Target: 3 - EB/Streymur 7 - Manchester City
Shots off Target 3 - EB/Streymur 16 - Manchester City
Corners 4 - EB/Streymur 9- Manchester City
Territorial Advantage 38.2 - EB/Streymur 61.8- Manchester City
Of note: referee’d by Nicole Petignat (of Switzerland ), and yes, her first name gives it away, a woman and about time too (hope to see her refereeing future UEFA matches and more).
Next leg (another away one for us Blues - the pitch at CoMS is being re-turfed): Barnsley's Oakwell ground, Thursday 31st July with an 8pm kick-off (MCFC are providing our fans with free coach travel!! where were you when they needed the private jet to get to the Faroes?)
Come on City
Image details: EB/Streymur v Manchester City - UEFA Cup served by picapp.com
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