(GFWC Matches 45/46) Ecuador and and England Scrape Through By Narrow Margins

A Chapter by Steve Clark

The following articles highlight the process of Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and their demise from the governance of international football and the rise of Global Futbol.

June 28th, 2018 (GFWC Matches 45/46)

Ecuador and and England Scrape Through By Narrow Margins

Libya 0-2 England

Ecuador 0-1 Costa Rica

England has beaten Libya 2-0 after Lingard ensured he slotted the rebound from a missed penalty, while a tight defensive game between Ecuador and Costa Rica saw Costa Rica winning on the day, but Ecuador still progressing.

It was Libya against England, however, who attacked first, needing a Pickford punch from a deep and dangerous cross.

Libya’s goalkeeper, Nashnoush, was awarded Man of the Match, just edging out his counterpart. His first save was from a Kane shot, before the Libyan defence ensured the ball was clear out of danger.

Cahill also tried a counterattack from defence, running between Libyan players. However, the Libyan defenders managed to block the shot.

Nashnoush then made two great saves in quick succession. England kept peppering the goals, with a miss to the right by Sterling. Sterling finally got on target after a great Trippier run. Trippier, who had received a yellow card in the 3rd minute, stepped up his game and challenged the right back of Libya constantly. That pressure found him behind the defence and running in on goal. As he neared, he passed low to Sterling, who finished his second goal for the tournament from a metre out.

As the break neared, England felt the need for another goal. Lingard worked hard and had two chances go over and wide respectively, the latter from Young’s cross into the box.

England switched to a more defensive play for much of the second half, presumably to stop Libya’s chances of levelling early. This brought Libya back into the game, at least in the midfield, although they struggled to get past the five English defenders. Libya took three shots from a distance, all blocked by English defenders.

Rashford was substituted on and had a chance to score England’s second, but Nashnoush had other ideas. Then came a couple of great Libyan shots by Al-Warfali and Elhouni respectively, both needing a deft touch by Pickford to ensure a clean sheet.

Libya then gave away a cheap penalty by Al Gamal as they tried to stop England from scoring. Lingard stepped up to the spot kick and staggered his run. This strange move allowed Nashnoush to somehow save the kick, only for the ball to bounce back to Lingard, who made sure the ball hit the back of the net.

England attacked for the last nine minutes but could find no more avenues to goal. As soon as the whistle went, they turned to their bench to find the result in the other game against Ecuador and Costa Rica.

In a surprise, Costa Rica sidelined Navas and brought in keeper Moreira to take over. They also started Smith as part of a 5-man defence, looking to thwart the Ecuadorian attack early. This proved fruitful, as Ecuador struggled to get through balls to Caicedo and other attackers.

Ecuador’s Montero was the first to shoot on goal, receiving a direct pass from Larrea, but the soft shot was too easy for Moreira.

Down the other end, Ruiz seized an opportunity and broke for goal, only Dominguez dived on the ball before Ruiz could shoot.

Ayovi proved dangerous down the left midfield as Ecuador attacked. His cross in the 20^thminute found Larrea, whose volley missed the mark. Martinez also bodied a cross, this time from Noboa on the right. It was on target and needed Moreira’s parry away. The ball looped to a contest between Larrea and Smith, with the former winning, but Smith’s pressure ensured the direction of the header missed over the crossbar.

In injury time of the first half, Costa Rica won a penalty as Ecuador scrambled in defence to stop a goal, instead fouling in the box. Dominguez managed to stop Oviedo’s penalty kick, as it bobbed straight to him. Costa Rica knew this may come back to bite them as the game wore on.

Now attacking relentlessly, Costa Rica found Ecuador hard to penetrate, particularly since Ecuador seemed to be playing for the draw. Both teams had semi-chances, but both knocked the ball over the bar. Ecuador then had a great opportunity, clear of markers, but the timing of the pass was off, and the assistant referee called offside.

Back the other way Costa Rica came and produced some advances. Ruiz missed a clear shot on goal, or should at least have made Dominguez save it. Ecuador then gave away a free kick right in front of goal, about 20 yards out. However, substitute Azofeifa’s shot was soft, and easy for Dominguez to hold.

Ecuador then caught Costa Rica on the counterattack and fought for a chance, only to hit the shot wide.

In a last-gasp effort to score, Costa Rica substituted Bolaños on for the penalty-misser Oviedo. This proved a masterstroke by coach �"scar Ramírez as Bolaños immediately took the ball from the midfield out to the right wing. He crossed the ball into Ruiz, who jumped over Achilier and headed past Dominguez.

Calculators suddenly came out around the stadium as spectators relayed the score from the Libya-England match. About this time, Lingard had scored the post-penalty. Suddenly Costa Rica needed an extra goal, and Ecuador needed to stop them or produce an equaliser.

The final ten minutes became a scramble as both teams attacked and counterattacked. As time started to run out, Azofeifa shot from long range, beating Dominguez’s dive, but not the post. Wallace was first to the rebound, but trying to header from the edge of the box proved too much, and the ball missed the same post by less than a metre.

Ecuador then counterattacked, and in injury time, won a corner. Martinez jumped over Smith and headed for goal, only the post seemed to be a magnet again, and the ball hit the outside of it. Borges ensured the clearance was away from Ecuadorian players. At that, the referee blew for full time.

The Costa Rican players at first were a little jubilant, then realised they had not scored enough to progress. Though they had the same goal difference as England, it was England’s extra two goals that secured them second place. The Ecuadorian players collectively sighed, since another Costa Rican goal would have swapped their places and Ecuador would have missed out altogether.

After a good night’s rest, Ecuador and England will study their opponents from Group G, which will be decided tonight and thus finish off the group matches. Meanwhile, Costa Rica will wonder what went wrong and where they could have produced another goal or two. Libya, meanwhile, will seek retribution for a mostly poor performance in the World Cup with their opening Nations League match against Nigeria.

Libya	0-2		England
7 5 53 18 1 2 71 75	Shots Shots on Target Possession % Tackles Fouls Corners Shot Accuracy % Pass Accuracy %		10 5 47 24 1 2 50 72
66’ #19 Zubya off, #20 Al Ghanodi on 73’ #3 Sabbou off, #16 Al Masrati on 80’ #2 Al Gamal		3’ #12 Trippier 39’ #7 Sterling (#12 Trippier assist) 45’ #7 Sterling off, #22 Rashford on 66’ #10 Young off, #17 Dier on 73’ #8 Henderson off, #21 Loftus-Cheek on 81’ #6 Lingard