D1 Matchday 1 Round-Up

[Scarface]

Game Of The Week

D1 Matchday 1: Alizee Lyonnais 1-2 Galaxy FC

Alizee XI

GK: Gregory Coupet
LB: Eric Abidal
CB: Daniele Bonera
CB: William Gallas
RB: Willy Sagnol (sub 75)
CM: Gennaro Gattuso
CM: Francesco Totti (c)
LM: Florent Malouda
RM: Joaquin Sanchez
AM: Kaka
CF: Louis Saha (sub 88)


Subs used:
Sidney Govou (sub 75)
Giorgios Samaras (sub 88)


Galaxy FC XI:

GK: Timo Hildebrand
LB: John O'Shea
CB: Alex da Costa
CB: Per Mertesacker
RB: Johnny Heitinga (sub 72)
DM: Owen Hargreaves
CM: Michael Essien
CM: Wesley Sneijder
CM: Steven Gerrard http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/4407/staruh7.png
LWF: Arjen Robben
ST: Fernando Morientes (sub 72)

Subs used:
Ivan Klasnic (sub 72)
Nigel de Jong (sub 72)

Scoring summary:
GAL - Gerrard (42)
ALI - Totti (55)
GAL - Sneijder (73)

Bookings:
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9251/yellowcu1.png GAL - M. Essien
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9251/yellowcu1.png ALI - G. Gattuso
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9251/yellowcu1.png GAL - J. O'Shea

Comments:
With both sides desperate to start off the season in good stead, it came as a big surprise that both teams fielded weakened sides in this exciting season opener.

Galaxy dominated the early proceedings, with Essien and Gerrard shining in particular, as they bossed the centre of midfield. The game seemed to bypass Alizee skipper, Francesco Totti, and the WCL finalists were made to pay, when inspirational Gerrard broke the deadlock on the stroke of half time, rounding off a slick team-move, involving Essien and Morientes, by slotting the ball under the body of the advancing France #1, Gregory Coupet.

Knowing a much improved performance was required, Alizee started the second half brighter, and were rewarded for their good play, when ten minutes into the second half, Sagnol and Joaquin combined down the right to draw Hargreaves out of position. The ball was centred to Totti, who spectacularly volleyed into the top corner from 25 yards out.

The goal seemed to spark Galaxy back into life, with Gerrard again stamping his authority on the game. In the 73rd minute, Bonera was adjudged to have fouled Robben, and from the resulting free kick, Sneijder curled home a fine winner.

MOTM: Steven Gerrard

http://www.lfctoronto.com/blog/Steven%20Gerrard%201.jpg

A superb performance from the England midfielder. Dominating proceedings in the centre for the majority of the match, and getting the better of the out-of-sorts, Reno Gattuso.

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D1 Matchday 1: Newton Heath 3-1 Racing Combine Harvester

Newton Heath XI

GK: Iker Casillas
LB: Arthur Boka
CB: Rio Ferdinand
CB: Fabio Cannavaro (c)
RB: Giourkas Seitaridis
DM: Mahamadou Diarra
CM: Yaya Toure
CM: Julio Baptista
LW: Joe Cole http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/4407/staruh7.png
RW: Robin van Persie (sub 68)
CF: Klass Jan Huntelaar (sub 86)


Subs used:
Damien Duff (sub 68)
Andriy Shevchenko (sub 86)


RCH XI:

GK: Carlos Kameni
CB: Jorge Andrade
CB: Kolo Toure
CB: Gonzalo Rodriguez
LWB: Sylvinho
RWB: Hatem Trabelsi (sub 65)
CM: Thiago Motta
CM: Mark van Bommel
RWF: Pablo Aimar (sub 65)
LWF: Lukas Podolski (sub 73)
ST: Luca Toni

Subs used:
Sebastien Deisler (sub 65)
Simone Perrotta (sub 65)
Nihat Kavehci (sub 73)

Scoring summary:
HUN -Baptista (29)
HUN - Huntelaar (54)
HUN - Joe Cole (65)
RCH - Toni (68)

Bookings:
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9251/yellowcu1.png RCH - G. Rodriguez
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9251/yellowcu1.png NEW - R. Van Persie

Comments:

The WCL winners started their campaign against newly promoted, Racing Combine Harvester, in what turned out to be a thrilling encounter.

With both teams being reknowned for their tight defence, the game was surprisingly open, with chances at either end.

However, it was Newton Heath who would take the lead, courtesy of a thumping header from Julio Baptista, after good work down the left flank by Arthur Boka.

RCH hit back, with a Lukas Podolski effort stinging the hands of Iker Casillas, prior to Cannavaro clearing the ball out of play.

Matters were made worse, though, when Joe Cole played in Huntelaar with a clever chipped pass, and the Dutchman made no mistake, firing the ball past Kameni into the back of the net.

The newcomers were then given a warning of how tough life can be in the top tier, when Joe Cole swivelled and placed a shot into the far corner - which the goalkeeper could only stand and watch - to give the hosts a somewhat flattering 3 goal advantage.

Luca Toni managed to pull a goal back soon after, by linking up with Lukas Podolski and then prodding home from 12 yards, but it was too little, too late, as Newton Heath hung on for an opening day victory.

MOTM: Joe Cole

http://www.football.co.uk/shared/images/players/england_world_cup/joe_cole.jpg

A vibrant performance from the flamboyant winger. Causing the newcomers defence problems from start to finish, and having a hand in Huntelaar's first goal of the season, aswell as getting on the scoresheet himself.

Other scores:

Nedy 3-0 Ronaldo
(Villa 20, 73)
(Terry 52)

MOTM - John Terry

Reyes 3-0 Barry
(Henry 15, 79)
(Lampard 65)

MOTM - Thierry Henry

Minof 2-1 vanNistelrooy
(Ronaldo 4)
Riquelme (74)
(Stankovic 84)

MOTM - Deco


Team Of The Week

----------------------------Landreau--------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
------Miguel----------Ayala--------Terry--------------Boka---------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
-----Joe Cole---------Deco---------Gerrard----------Stankovic-----
--------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------Ronaldo--------Henry---------------------------



That's all I have time for this week. In future, I will try to do 3 match reports, and 2 brief descriptions.

[Preki-USA]

good work james, i like the idea of showing the starting XI, definately an addition I will make, although i may just show the line ups as they are seen in the match thread.

the books, although cute with that lil guy there, can get confusing because of suspensions etc....i dunno but I feel like Essien will end up with 25 yellow cards if we just hand them out to people we expect to get them.


I think if we rotate who does these it will keep it interesting and the goal scorers will differ too, so then perhaps we could keep a scoring tally and assist tally.

[Scarface]

Cheers for the comments. I'll try to keep things different each time, although I have no problem with other people doing these reports if they'd like to, as i'm not keen on doing them every week.

I was planning to post a sticky thread in 'Press Room' a few games into the season, with a top goalscorers list for each division, and the various awards each week/month.

[Preki-USA]

Nice, I'll do the same for D2...if you think of anything let me know, and i'll do the same.

EDIT: and if anyone else has any ideas, post them in the press room thread, we could have a nice brainstorm.

[Nedy]

Good work James.

[Hunter]

A great read James, and great work. Certainly makes the FL more interesting and I enjoyed reading every bit reported. The weeks best 11 at the bottom is a nice touch too.

Keep up the good work.