The weather was pretty good at the stadium today for the match. They fielded: Kacerovský - Decker, Delaine, Waqas, Janiak, Emslie - Standish, Hosker, Franklin, Solstrand - Ðurić.

Lineup: Dob - Panigrahi, Jeftić - Kamel, Ze Han, ter Berg, Mohammad Harun, Xin Lee - Parvathaneni, Xin Seng, Egan.

Phobia FC fielded a 5-4-1 lineup. For Grilled Birds, the formation of choice was a 2-5-3. Using their divine (+4) (24) counter-attacking abilities was the strategy of choice for Phobia today. Grilled mostly ignored the flanks in favor of their divine (+8) (28) ability to attack in the middle. A mistake by the home side's central defense after 4 minutes allowed Chan Ze Han to score for Grilled. The visitors have the lead, 0 - 1. With 13 minutes played, Bernie Egan nearly put the visitors up by one more as he broke through in the middle and fired from just outside the box, but his shot whizzed just over the bar. A foul called during a Phobia counter-attack resulted in a great chance to score, but Sebastian 'Seabass' Janiak's shot rattled off the post. After 15 minutes, Grilled's Chan Ze Han burst through the central defense and let loose a cannonball of a shot, scoring for 0 - 2. Philip 'Banjo' Decker was ever so close to scoring after an excellent corner was perfectly redirected by Branko Ðurić, but the ball went off the post and out. After 31 minutes, the defensive line of Phobia created a counter-attack through the middle that gave Radoine Delaine a good look at goal, but his shot glanced harmlessly off the crossbar. 0 - 2 was the halftime score. Grilled had the upper hand in possession, maintaining an impressive 70 percent possession of the ball.

Magnus 'Red Devil' Solstrand was in the clear after breaking through the offside trap following a Phobia counter-attack from the left with 57 minutes played. His neat finish made the score 1 - 2. A thrilling play through the middle after 60 minutes gave Grilled's Chan Ze Han a chance to increase the lead, and he happily obliged. The score was then 1 - 3. He'd already scored two, and with the third, Chan Ze Han had a hattrick! As the 69 minute mark approached, the Phobia manager decided it was time for a substitution. Branko Ðurić reluctantly made way for Antoine McCreery. Kalki Parvathaneni was, after 77 minutes, almost able to extend the visitors' lead with a well placed diving header after the ball had looped into the center, but the home side's keeper Viktor 'The Cat' Kacerovský made the save. Only after several tries were Phobia able to break through on the left 79 minutes in, getting the ball to Sebastian 'Seabass' Janiak who cockily put away the goal to make the score 2 - 3. After 82 minutes, Grilled began to show their lack of experience and they threatened to wilt under the heavy pressure from their opposition. Grilled were determined to attack in the middle, even their wing attacks ended up coming through the center. The ball was in the back of the home team's net yet again after 83 minutes, but this time the referee called the goal back because Salah Kamel had knocked a member of the opposing team to the ground while the play occurred down the middle of the field. Antoine McCreery stunned the crowd with a brilliant counter-attack from the left, giving Phobia the goal to make it 3 - 3. As the match nears its end, the referee deemed it appropriate to add 2 minutes as stoppage time. The match ends 3 - 3. Looks like Nate Silver was right again - his prediction that Grilled would have 70 percent possession in this half was spot on!

Phobia's best player was Antoine McCreery. You can tell it was nickel beer night yesterday at the local bar because Afsar 'The Wall' Waqas seemed to stumble all over the pitch. Most important Grilled player was Bernie Egan. I can't remember Bhavya Panigrahi ever having a worse night than he just had.