He's a mod so has been playing the game for a while so it's no surprise he's up there. The pedigree of the team is not in doubt. Last season we were in the same group and actually got a 5-2 win against Northern and knocked them out the tournament. Frankly though it was an AI result so I don't take credit for it.
To the game I must admit to doing a touch of homework before the fixture and noticed Utd were a little open to narrow formations. I don't like exploits so I wasn't going to play narrow but it did give me a clue to a weakness.
In the first half things were not going well although they were not really creating great chances the pressure was on heavily. Late in the first half our keeper saved a shot but in attempting to get the rebound pushed it over the line.
I decided to be brave at half time. I pushed the line up and brought Mungy Bungy on for Malonga, so an AMC for a striker. I stopped the full backs making attacking runs. My thinking was that Mungy would pressure their midfield / back line and stop them making a telling pass over the top, with the entire defensive line not making any forward runs are attacks would become more focused down the middle. The strikers were not even seeing the ball so were redundant anyway.
The 2nd half passed with two decent chances going to either team both didn't convert. It stayed at 1-0 until a long range free kick in the 75th minute. Meretta took a punt the keeper could only parry and Mungy reacted quickest to make it 1-1.
With the game looking as if it was going end in a draw I got even braver. Hefferman was brought on. Hefferman, who at the start of the season looked very average but had, after the first 20 games been simply sensational at youth level, so much so that he has been making the subs bench in senior games. This was Champions league against a team filled with stars and if you wanted a Roy of the Rovers story a 90th minute goal from a 18 year old that had been written off was just what the game should be about.
In the 91st minute Mungy took control of the ball in the middle and pulled one of Utd's players out of position. Lucho saw the gap and attacked the space, Mungy pushed a perfect through ball for him you can imagine the moment. Joy fell as Utd's goalie Reina parried the shot but.....
What's this with an open goal........ HEEEFFFFFEEEERRRRRMAN Ohh yes T Shirt over the head and doing a funky dance. Utd's players were screaming for offside but replays showed Lucho had timed his run to perfection.
We've little hope of Champions league glory but after a disappointing NFA campaign this was a moment to savor.
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