GRAND FINAL MATCHUP SET
09/24/2012 22:17
The final four of the 4th installment of the Dew Cup has finished,and the survivors of the most grueling tournament yet will set to due to battle in week to call themselves champions. Our first matchup in the report, saw the two highest rated teams pitted against eachother in what was sure to be an enthralling matchip. DVB, however had other plans for Goombie, and their attack fired early. 3 goals before halftime, for a team like Bushwackers, whose defense is strong, assured that Goombie would never get a shot in this one. Goombie would eventually pull one back, and had some chances to get it closer, but Bushwackers defense held firm, and their attack eventually put it away, and end a frsutrating semifinal for Goombie......4-1.
The other semifinal was a battle between Tenpool, seeking their first Finals appearance, and last series runnerup: Hapuna FC. A match between two high flying, easy scoring teams, assured us of one thing.....a low scoring tactical affair. Hapuna buried the game's first chance, a corner from Dale finding one of the cup's elite aerial players, Maure for the opener, 1-0. Hapuna, kept the pressure on, and Tenpool's defense was at 6s and 7s and gave away a penalty in the 21st minute. Dale, the assister on the opener stepped up, looking for his 4th goal of the Cup, but Ronald Swartz laid up to make a fingertip save at full stretch, to keep Tenpool within one goal. Swartz was called upon again, a mere 4 minutes later, with another unbelievable save, singlehandedly killing Hapuna's momentum. Tenpool, slowed the match down with some fine possession, and slowly built their confidence looking to equialize. They found the goal they needed, with some fine work thru the midfield, and Lugo buried the chance.... all even headed to the break. The second half saw a much slower pace, with two teams trying to grind out a win in conditions deteriorating by the minute. The only sdlid chance to score came via Hapuna, but Swartz was on the spot again, this time to preserve the tie score. Both teams were cautious, and that lead us to play extras....After a tentative first 15 in Overtime, Tenpool came out firing, and Leon Gerlicher got on the end of a beautiful pass from the middle, and hit a sweetly stroked volley to bury the game and Hapuna....
2-1 Final.
So the Survivors of the Group of Death, who saw little between them in their opening round fixture, will battle it out for supremacy. Bushwackers seeking their 2nd title, Tenpool their first.