Four-Star RDCM Win Again

These Charming Men continued their outstanding start to the season with a 4-1 thumping of opening day winners Futsal. The game would be full of action as both sides created chances almost at will. Futsal saw Petur Arnthorsson hit the woodwork with a fine header while Chano Delgado flicked a header of his own too close to Roberts. The action continued as Delgado put a bicycle-kick wide before Tord Jakobson missed the goal with a free-kick on 15 minutes. Futsal were attacking with intent also and Graeme Haynes brought a good save out of Avellino from another header on 23 minutes. Delgado would continue his threat at the other end but couldn’t get enough power on his header while Shaun McFadden was also denied by Roberts. Haynes hit a decent half-volley at the other end but it was too close to Avellino and TCM would then take the lead courtesy of Loran Rajabi; his header having too much power on it for the ‘keeper to deal with. Futsal tried to respond instantly but Rowley Forrester’s free-kick went over and they would go in behind. TCM would take the initiative after the break and Delgado got a deserved goal from a fine header on 50 minutes. McFadden would have a header saved before Ricky Routhledge pulled a goal back for the hosts with a cool finish from a breakaway move. However, this would prove a brief respite as Delgado struck once more with another well-placed header to make it 3-1 to the visitors. Five minutes later and it was game over as his strike partner, Rajabi, headed in another goal to make it 4-1 to RDCM’s side. Forrester missed a late free-kick chance but it would prove irrelevant as Futsal ended up well-beaten. RDCM was keeping his feet on the ground despite two excellent wins saying ‘it (is) an encouraging start to the season, let’s hope (TCM) can maintain it.’ Wildy1974 will want his side to forget this performance and return to their opening day form when they travel to Abu Dhabi on Friday.

Gooners are also living up to the hype as they secured their second successive win at FC Bayern Munchen. They looked the stronger side for the majority of the game and scored an excellent opener when Kyle Lang slotted past Syvaluoma following some trademark slick passing. Munchen did shock the visitors by levelling with their first chance, though, as Billy Bob headed home emphatically and the same player shot just wide on 40 minutes. Patrick Vieira wasted a chance just before the half as his chip was off-target and the sides would go in level. Lang would have an early header saved at the start of the second-half while Cesc Fabregas headed over as the visitors began strongly. The winning goal wouldn’t arrive until late in proceedings, though, with Thierry Henry toe-poking past the ‘keeper on 85 minutes. Henry nearly added another in injury-time but saw his lob punched away while Uncle Sam missed the target when presented with a chance at the other end. FMR was a relieved man at the end saying ‘thank god I decided to play Vieira’ and admitted to ‘nearly having a heart-attack in the dying seconds.’ All’s well that ends well. Dimentis will be disappointed with his side’s start to the season but they can ease their worries with a win over wortley on Friday.

The third side with a 100% record are Bully Boys who proved too strong for Dream Team. There would be chances at both ends in an open encounter but the visitors were worthy of their win. However, they survived an early scare as Dudley Dream lobbed against the angle for the talented hosts. Dominic Smythe would miss the target with a header for BB but Berti Behrends would do better with his effort on 13 minutes to give them a 1-0 lead. Toini Vasama nearly gifted the advantage straight back, though, with a dangerous back header which went just over. DT also saw Garry Gain head too close to Kangashaka and they paid the price as Bosse Bong finished well after a corner wasn’t cleared. Bong would also hit the bar with a thumping header but the visitors were more than happy with their two-goal advantage at the break. Bong started the second-half in positive mood as well but headed one chance over while being denied by Delirious with another. Smythe would drill a low shot which Delirious dealt with while Trudell Conway shot over as BB continued to press. Bong was the next to test the ‘keeper with a curled shot which needed kicking away and Gain nearly brought the hosts back into it with a powerful low shot which struck a post. Both sides would have late chances but Bong’s steered shot was held while Dudley Dream hit a free-kick over at the other end. The win came as a relief to Cath who declared himself ‘delighted with the win.’ There was also better news for Dream Team who announced a new manager in @peace and with a talented squad the future is bright.

Abu Dhabi United remained unbeaten after they fought out a 0-0 draw at The Kings. The game was tight all the way through with the first-half seeing the sides so cautious of the other that there would be no chances created. It would improve after the break as tiredness grew into the player’s legs. Indeed, The Kings would win a penalty on 59 minutes but Pat van de Hauwe put the resultant spot-kick over. Jonathan Boulding would also shoot over at the other end when the visitors had their first chance of goal while Claudio Moura also ballooned his chance on 68 minutes. Otis Dove would have the last chance of the game for the hosts but his header wouldn’t find the target and the sides took away a point each. Talinmer admitted that he would ‘take a draw’ and added that his side ‘are still in good shape all the way round.’ Hitman10 will be pleased with his first point in charge of The Kings and will be looking for his side to add some goals to their play in the coming fixtures.

Arsenal UK bounced back from their opening day disappointment with an emphatic 4-0 win over Juventus at The Emirates. Juve did have early chances but Mairthin Foley missed the target with a volley while Jacobo Chacros hit a powerful low shot narrowly wide. Ultimately, they would be second best, though, and Eduardo da Silva opened the scoring by rounding Fuentes on 16 minutes to give Arsenal the lead. A free-kick on 23 minutes saw Andrey Arshavin fire just wide but Alan Smith did make it 2-0 on 37 minutes with a thumping strike in the area. Arsenal would be even more dominant after the break but they were grateful for Fabianski’s positioning on 49 minutes as he caught Jorn Fruh’s header. Arsenal were soon in their rhythm, though, with Smith testing Fuentes from a header before da Silva headed in the third on 52 minutes. Smith would see Fuentes deny him from another header while Arshavin hit the angle with a beautifully flighted free-kick. Smith would miss the target with his next effort but Juve’s problems increased as Morgan Janney was sent-off for shirt pulling. Arshavin then made it 4-0 with a driving shot before wildly shooting off-target in injury-time. Nevertheless, it was a resounding return to form for DomBrown’s side but he admitted to ‘fearing (Bully Boys) may be too strong for them at present’ ahead of their next game. SuperJuve will be disappointed with his side’s first two games of the season and things don’t promise to get any easier with a trip to These Charming Men next on the agenda.

Wortley won their first game in Division Two with a 2-1 success at PSV Eindhoven. Both sides threatened in an enterprising opening half of football. PSV would have the first efforts on goal but Claudio Collauto couldn’t loop a header home before his free-kick would go just wide. A header at the other end by Salomao Godiz was well-held by Weston and the ‘keeper would also tap a lob from Walter Willock over. Curt Pryor would be the next to be denied by Weston and Arjen van Loenhout took advantage at the other end by flicking home a header on 41 minutes. Wortley would strike back before the break, though, as Quincy Bowey shot home after a corner and the sides would go in level. Wortley would start the better of the two after the break but Jake Shiver couldn’t capitalise on a headed chance. PSV saw Rory MacFinlay brush a post with a shot but they would fall behind as Pryor lobbed over Weston on 76 minutes. A free-kick by Paulinho Santos nearly made it 3-1 on 86 minutes but it brushed a post and went dead. However, it wasn’t to prove costly as Thegtreatlordbags’ side recorded their first three points of the season. This will come as a relief to the manager and he will hope they can follow up with a strong home performance against FC Bayern Munchen on Friday. Kadri fully understands the task his side face this season but will have found plenty of positives in a competitive display by his side as they continue their development.