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| SCORING SUMMARY |
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Guarded Gvardiya
Harlow Stopper
Ukranian Vyscha Liga team napoleonskaya gvardiya hosted Grilled at Odesa in a tight, closed game that saw few exciting moments. The goalkeepers had the best of the early game, with
Zhan Ju-Hau losing out to gvardiya's supremely fit Portuguese goalie Sérgio Padrão in a race to an outstanding sixty-metre through pass from defence.
Nor Suhaimi bin Che Lah looked jittery, and was a step slow against English forward Owen Peart, taking his calves in an unneeded challenge. A booking was called for. Defensive mainstay Víctor de Pablos found himself in an alien situation when fate handed him a one-on-one with Harlow, but Harlow timed his leg-sweep well and took down Pablos second and the ball first.
The second half saw
Jon Andrea Rottman carded as he petulantly kicked the ball into the stands after a throw-in call went against him. Padrão saved gvardiya again as he faced down Hobson and body-blocked the close-range blast. gvardiya were controlling the midfield, but the lone Peart was ineffective with three defenders breathing down his neck. Vali Dinu nodded a cross from right winger Eddie Österström down and out, and that was it for the regular ninety minutes. Offensive fullback Felix Avitan had the only decent chance of the extra period, which didn't bother Harlow.
The game then progressed into penalties, and homegrown captain Veniamin Timiryazev banged a confident kick down the line. Harlow hadn't moved, though, and gathered it up.
Joe Stern booted his into the left corner with the outside of his boot, totally fooling Padrão. Padrão stepped up personally against Harlow as he lobbed down the centre, as the disbelieving Harlow had already committed himself to the left. Hobson appeared to have lost his touch as he sprayed a weak shot to the outside, leaving the score at one apiece after two kickers each.
Vali Dinu laid a soft one that Harlow could react to in time, while Dewilde picked his corner and just hammered it in. Österström and Pakpao did the job for either team, while English winger Leroy Hunt, reportedly requesting transfer, hit a good one but Harlow guessed. Grilled won with that save, but
Nor Suhaimi bin Che Lah was given the final inconsequential attempt, which he duly passed to Padrão.
