PSL Week - Saturday Preview

[Tarekseev]

It's the start of a new season and it could be a season that could be special to Shireroth. With previous attempts being below par, the new Shirerithian PSL will take place as the top flight of the domestic tier of Shirerithian football and after securing TiVi2 rights from Incontinentia, some matches look to be broadcasted. With new franchises being made, we now look over to the first weekend of matches - starting with Saturday. With the likes of Imperial United, JHI-LK and Mortis Mercatoria all playing on Sunday, we turn our attention to Syrelwynn Swifts, the team with the most experience and the undoubted pre-season favourites for the title.

Cerce v Vankarha Phyyta Raikoth

The opening match of the season will take place in Cerce as VPR travel all the way from Raikoth to face their first encounter in what could possibly be a very daunting task. Both teams have been fairly inactive with transfers, so we should expect quite an even game with grassroots Shirerithian players making the most of the teams.

Raikoth will be dependent on Dearg McCann to deliver the goods, as well as left winger Tsvi Vasserman. McCann, who was born in the former Treesia is eligible to represent Shireroth after the new nation taking the former Treesian land Craitland has snubbed him away from national call up. The World Champions claim that they will stick to getting better players from their own league before looking abroad, leaving McCann available for Shireroth providing if he can perform today. Vasserman will look to make things look difficult on the wing though, with the Ashkenatza player also looking for a callup from his national team as well.

Meanwhile, Cerce will have a home advantage at the 30000 seated Gladitorial Arena. With home advantage, the team in red and blue will try to combat the Walruses with the fans behind them as well as several players considered key. The main threat will be Kurt Lamberti and Hugh Custodio, with both strikers expecting good delivery as we expect the Monty Crisco Musketeers to defend and try to counter even when at home.

Whatever the case, it is up to these two teams to set the standard and set the example for the rest of the teams this week.


FC Apollo v Syrelwynn Swifts

FC Apollo possibly face the most daunting task of the season after being placed against the pre-season favourites Syrelwynn Swifts. Made up mostly of the Shirerithian national team and other free agents, Syrelwynn Swifts look the real deal and head into this match looking to win.

The key to Apollo's game here is try to set the standard and get on the ball and keep it. As long as possession football is played, then FC Apollo still have a chance of anything in the game. It is expected for Apollo to pack the midfield to restrain the creativity of the Swifts, with Flip Flippersen, Sven Svensen and Darius Merksem the prime candidates in the centre of midfield. Should the Apollonians opt to do so then it is expected that they will only play one up front, with Adolf Mather being the candidate up front.

The Swifts however will look for the dress to impress motive. Marcel Yola is expected to be solid in goal and would be up for the test regardless what happens today, whilst Jalal Akwá looks to pose the threat up front alongside international team-mate Carl Simpson. The main threat from the Swifts is undoubtedly from their captain Sébastien Focán. The 32 year old midfielder has won most titles he's competed for in his career, and will look to continue the run by picking up the PSL as he looks to lead the Swifts to the first PSL champion record.

If this match was done on paper, then the Swifts would be running riot. However this is football; the game is played on a pitch and we cannot rule out the Apollonians until the final whistle is blown.

[Jonas]

FC Apollo! FC Apollo! Yay! Yay! Yay!

[Craitman]

Go Swifts!

[Tarekseev]

Cerce 1-1 VP Raikoth

A cagey match left Cerce and Raikoth to start off the first ever PSL match as well as a new season with a draw with one goal a piece, leaving both teams going away with a point ashare.

Despite a positive start by the travelling side, it was Cerce who made the break after a clever long ball from goalkeeper Javier Domenech allowed Hugh Custodio to be released as both of Raikoth's defenders were left ball watching, leaving the space open for Custodio to run before squaring the ball across to Kurt Lamberti to pass the ball into the back of the net, leaving the opposing keeper rooted.

Cerce continued to dominate, passing the ball around and allowed Custodio to have two further chances his own before the first half. The closest Cerce got to a second goal was in second half after Custodio's shot was blocked by Eamonn Colleran leaving the ball the bounce back to outside the box for Ted Greig to fire one from long range - hitting the top of the crossbar.

However with 20 minutes to go, tiredness showed in Cerce's play and Raikoth managed to get back in the game and take the initiative. A penalty shout was turned down by the referee after Finian Ross went down after Nelson Keese appeared to have come across and tripped the striker. With Raikoth turning the game around, the goal finally came 5 minutes from time from a throw in after Eamonn Colleran's long throw into the box was nodded towards Sdeli Korotion, who volleyed the ball into the bottom corner leaving nothing else but Domenech to pick the ball out of the net.

The result should ensure that neither side should end the starting week at rock bottom and with both teams already making their mark this season with a point each, the teams will go into the second week with home matches against FC Apollo and JHI LK respectively.

Final Score: Cerce 1-1 Raikoth
'27 - K Lamberti
85' - S Korotion

[Tarekseev]

Apollo 2-3 Syrelwynn Swifts

FC Apollo almost kicked off the first upset of the PSL on the opening week of the season until a revitalised Swifts side managed to come back from a 2-0 deficit to take the 3 points at the end of the day.

Apollo got off to the brighter start with some positive play. After a quick exchange of passes, the Apollonians showed that building up with patience can still deliver some results as a series of passes down the middle allowed Sven Svensen to slip a throughball through to Adolf Mather to slide it past Marcel Yola. The Swifts were looking all at each other, with neither of Ronny Vermidion or Juli Rhahédar understanding how the Apollonian striker got through.

Shaken by the surprise of the first goal, the Swifts continued to be the back foot as poor concentration led to left back Mika Kinnunen to mistime a tackle on Jonas Overstag to earn the first booking of the new tournament at the half-hour mark. Overstag drilled the free kick in as Mather contested to head the ball into the net, forcing Yola to tip the ball onto the crossbar to deny Apollo a second.

Apollo got their second right before the break, after another mistake Kinnunen allowed Overstag to break through to drag the ball back to Sven Svensen to fire the ball from the edge of the box into the top corner, leaving goalkeeper Yola stretching and reaching to a ball he could never get.

With a dismal first half for the Swifts, Apollo seemed to have the game done and dusted. However an inspired team talk by Fran Gutierrez allowed Swifts to get back into the game straight from the word go in the second half. The Swifts only had one thing on their mind - as the ball was given to Richard Jones out on the left to test the Apollonian defence. Jones managed to get the Swifts onto a winning start in the second half, managing to win a free kick from 25 yards out for Sébastien Focán to reignite his presence by rocketing a shot into the back of the net to bring the score to 2-1.

Still a goal down, the Swifts managed to get another goal in quick succession after Guus Flater's hand appeared to have made contact with the ball after a cross by Sebastien Focán was deflected from far wide. The referee had no hesitation pointing to the spot, leaving Focán to double his goalscoring tally from the spot, beating the goalkeeper by placing the shot into the bottom left corner in a well executed penalty.

The score was now 2-2 and whilst the Swifts knew that they have proved their worth away from home and look set to continue for a third goal, Apollo did the opposite by trying to contain the match and salvage a point. After heavily defending and throwing themselves into tackles, the tempo of the game died down with neither team managing to make progress, with one team unwilling to make progressing and stick back in attempt to claim a point.

However the Swifts managed to break through as fatigue creeped in as a surprise forward dash from defender Juli Rhahédar caught the Apollonian defence out as he cut through the pack, feeding the ball to the right for Rudi Mathijsen to run down the right wing, before feeding the ball to Jalal Akwá who converted the pass into a goal with a powerful cross-shot across the goalmouth.

The result shows a few things in terms of the PSL so far. Apollo shouldn't be too disheartened losing to the Swifts and they should be one to look forward to watch if they want quickfire attacking player right from the first whistle. After holding a lead against the favourites, the Apollonians showed that they can play some decent football, although switching off whilst leading may prove to be a problem. The Swifts may be the favourites, but with the players they have right now, question marks are being asked about the communication between the players as it's looking like a slight hindrance. But the best thing of all, PSL is here with goals and this result just shows that football is a game of two halves.

Final Score FC Apollo 2-3 Syrelwynn Swifts
5' - A Mather
44' - S Svensen
'47 - S Focán
'51 - S Focán (pen.)
'76 - J Akwá

Bookings
30' YC - Mika Kinnunen

[Craitman]

Lucky we got Focán then!

[Jonas]

Apollo LOST?
This means WAR!

We will see you next time... and the next time WE will win!