Mamio - Gruno 2 4-7 (3-3)

Our first loss of the season and a disappointing game.

Mamio started off too weak and within minutes we were 0-2 behind. After that, everybody was finally awake and hit back. Julien scored three times in the first half. Gruno also scored one more time, so at the break it was 3-3.

The second half was a true disappointment. A couple of individual mistakes led to a comfortable lead for Gruno, scoring three times: 3-6. Mamio still tried to get back and did score one more time (Dumas), but it wasn't enough. Eventually Gruno would win 4-7.

Positive notes: Our team grows stronger every week. Defense, midfield and forward are all sufficiently strong for this league now, and in every line we have enough backup. We shouldn't be afraid of any team and I think we can compete for the second or third place. That's a lot more than anyone expected at the beginning of the season!

Negative notes: Many simple mistakes were made. To win the top matches in this league, ninety minutes of concentration are required, and any gallery play in defense or near our own goal should be banned. Also, we should be more tolerant and positive towards each other and accept mistakes. Criticism is ok, senseless arguing is not.

Eating boerenkool together has a positive effect on things like this. We should do this more often! Thanks to Toontje and his girlfriend for the delicious dinner!

The next couple of matches will be decisive. I hope we can prove that we belong in the top of this league. I think we can...\

GVAV/Rapiditas 7 – Mamio 1-2 (0-2)

Match report 2 by Daniel: where he says Nietzsche he means referee.

It was a strange and cloudy Sunday morning, that morning of the 22nd of October. Fourteen resilient young men, who woke up at an unchristian time that day, made their individual ways to an enigmatic place, somewhere halfway between the hectic but comfortable beingness of the city, and the apparently calm and serene, but latently sinister and hazardous beingness of the Northern Dutch countryside. For that shadowy moment in the stream of life, these resilient young men were balancing on, in the famous words of the great German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, "the suspended cord between animal and Übermensch". Most of them one by one, some of them in little groups, arrived that morning at the misty, dew-covered meadows and by so doing, made the transition from the vita contemplativa, in which they had comfortably dwelled that night, to the harsh reality of the vita activa, in which they were to be engaged soon. And th….

Okay, okay, okay!! I´ll stop!! I´ll skip the traditional philosophical overture… Sorry… I´ll stick to the facts, then.

08.39
Only twenty minutes to go, but only about six of us have yet arrived. You can see the panic in the eyes of our opponents, fearful as they are that the match will again be cancelled. As our 7th player enters, one of them shouts with joy: "YES!! You´re with seven now! That´s the official minimum, so now you MUST PLAY!! You CANNOT WITHDRAW this time!!"

8.44
Cell phones are being put to work. Some are being answered. Eight, nine, ten.. it appears we will almost have a full team.

9.03
Beginning of the day (measured by light fall): we can discern the field now.

9.07
Even the goals and chalk lines become visible.

9.14
The referee is bringing his whistle to his mouth. We are only with ten. To make things worse: Alessio discovers that there are no keeper´s gloves present. As a true Italian, devoted Roman-Catholic, he gets down on his knees and starts praying. Then, suddenly, something is falling from the sky. Everybody looks up.. Is it…? Are they gloves…? Then, with a boom, the thing lands right on the middle spot. As the chalkdust evaporates, we can see what it is. There are no gloves, but it´s Dumas!! Wearing football gear and all. So there is a God: we are with eleven now.

9.15
The match starts.

Mamio´s line up:
Goal: Alessio M.
Defense (l-r): Martin, Elmer, Bas, Johan
Midfield (l-r): Yasen, Arnout, Alessio D., Dumas
Attack: Julien, Daan

6´
The match starts very relaxed, mostly due to our own efforts to ´feel the water´ first. One can tell that Mamio Sunday 1 has grown the past matches and has become a mature, intelligently playing team.

7´
Daniele arrives. All Mamio players are delighted. His arrival is just in time, because seconds later, Elmer gets a nasty kick and has to leave the pitch.

8´
´Tonje´ arrives at the scene with a lot of noise from his Vespa Gilera. He throws down his bike and immediately takes over the flag from Elmer in order to wave towards GVAV´s goal each and every time something of import happens in the field. (Thank you, Tonje!)

11´
Mamio is slowly but firmly taking control over the match. Mamio´s defense is superior and our midfielders dominate the center. We witness nice and sharp combinations from Martin to Yasen to Arnout, to Alessio and back on the left side; on the other side Johan and Dumas play well together and prove that technical supremacy always beats brute strength.

23´
Mamio starts creating chances, most of them originating after good ´deep passes´ from Arnout and Alessio to Julien and Dan, who´re both ´creating a lot of danger´ in and around ´the sixteen´. Besides both forwards also all of our midfielders get some chance to score (Dumas, Daan and Julien from closeby; Alessio, Arnout and Yasen get some chances to shoot from just outside the penalty box), but somehow, GVAV is lucky and manages ´to hold the 0´. As one of their defenders stated at that time: "Hmmmm, it appears we have a little guardian angel sitting on our goal-bar."

27´
Their luck ends. After a fine pass from Yasen, Daan (once again..) doesn´t control the ball properly, but somehow manages to lift the ball over the defenders with a subtle heel-kick. The defenders do not know what to do with it, and Dan steals the ball before they can get to it. With a final move he tricks the last standing defender, penetrates the sixteen without hurry, and calmly finishes with a dry leftfooted kick in the right corner.

31´
The Play of the Day. Johan passes a couple or more players, keeps the overview, and then adds his name to an elite group of defenders (Ruud Krol, Frank de Boer, Ronald Koeman, Franco Baresi, Franz Beckenbauer) who once or more in their careers gave The Perfect Pass to a forward over a distance of 40 meters or more. From about ten meters before the middle line, he crosspasses from the right side of the field to the left side, the ball flying over Daan´s head as well as over that of three defenders, landing exactly in front of Julien´s feet. Julien controls the ball as only players who have undergone the superb French football schooling system can, defends the ball in typical Julien-style with all of his body, holding off two defenders, and finishes almost identical (remarkably!) to Dan four minutes earlier. 2-0! Tonje is already leaving to Mamio´s cantina to put the champagne in the fridge.

37´
Mamio is creating more chances, but does not manage to score. GVAV is getting more aggressive, apparently eager not to loose on their home field. They hit the post once, but then, in the 37th minute, their left forward strikes… The ball is flying towards the inside of the right post, about half a meter high, with considerable speed. We all see the 1-2 coming, except for Alessio. He dives, stretches, and manages to touch the ball with the tip of middle finger. The ball is slightly deflected – just enough to finish just wide. A great safe by a keeper that is not a keeper but is becoming a real keeper more and more by the day.

45´
Tea time. At least for us. Whomever noticed GVAV´s number 9, must have noticed that he clearly was of Colombian origin. Some of our player witness him doing a suspicious transaction (something with sports bags), near a black, blinded limousine at the parking lot during halftime, after which he disappears into GVAV´s dressing room. It is not easy to come up with hard evidence, but everything points in the direction that he brought some ounces of snow into GVAV´s dressing room.

46´
GVAV starts furiously. In fact, the whole second half GVAV plays ferociously. They continuously attack with almost all of their players, putting the pressure firmly on Mamio´s defense. But surprisingly (or actually not surprisingly any more?) Mamio´s defense is not impressed at all. Despite 23 corners against, GVAV factually does not manage to be dangerous more than maybe two or three times at most. It is true that especially Yasen and Martin have to fight like lions on their side to stop the continuous waves of GVAV-attack along that side of the field, but their efforts prove sufficient in order to prevent their wing forwards from giving any real dangerous passes. In the center, Johan and Bas prove superior in the air-to-air combats. On the ground Daniele is – as usual – the sturdy and stable ´rock in the surf´ (a Dutch saying).

77´
As the remaining time lessens, GVAV is willing to take more and more risks in the back. This results in some fine Mamio-gallery play on the midfield, especially a couple or more times when newcomers Yasen and Dumas are involved.

80´
At the end of the game a couple of GVAV-players start losing it. They make some nasty fouls, especially on Julien, who in the opinion of some of these woodchoppers should have remained totally silent after terribly being kicked on the legs from behind. (Funny thing is, that they after the match said they liked the match, particularly because there was this "real match-like, hostile-but-not-too atmosphere". Strange people…)

88´
After making at least two great safes on the line, Arnout unhappily has to use his elbow this time to prevent a GVAV-goal. So: penalty. They take it flawlessly. 1-2.

90+2´
There´s no German end to the match. No lucky final seconds goal for GVAV. 1-2 is the final score.

Victory is ours.

Third half
About half of the team makes it back to Mamio, where we find Tonje so kind to open up the bar. He fixes some hot chocolate with whipped cream, and serves some beers to the others. The sphere is of course great: we climb to position 3 or 4 in the league.

Next week will be a tough one: we have to play at home against the league´s leaders, Gruno-2. They beat GVAV a couple of weeks ago with 8-1. So they know to do something with a ball. Anyhow, with the great shape we demonstrated in the first half, and the calmness and effectiveness of the second, we should be able to make it a real battle of the giants.

Man of the Match: Johan
Save of the day: combined price for Arnout´s double goal-line safe and Alessio´s first half ´Glanzparade´
Card of the day: Alessio D. for not taking distance (someone should forbid him to watch too much AC Milan on TV)
Debutants of the Day: Yasen and Dumas (who both proved to be able to perform on a big field, in an official match)
Trick of the Day: Daan´s successful ´Zidane´ (in order to gain time seconds before full time)
Defender of the Day: Martin (for engaging in at least 43 personal duels)
Free kick of the Day: Daniele just missing the post with a fine leftfooted shot
Header of the Day: Bas (oeuvre-price for his 7-0 score in personal air duels)
Missed person of the Day: Kostas (who doesn´t long for his Russian yelling and shouting?)


Cheerz, Daan

GVAV Rapditas 7 - Mamio 1-2 (0-2)

Match report 1 by Alessio D.: Where Alessio says KNVB he actually means GVAV...

When the alarms of the Mamio’s players ring, outside it is completely dark and our beloved players are sleeping under their warm sheets. To wake up is a very difficult job and only some of them will manage it. At 8 o’ clock at Mamio’s headquarters there are only Bas, Elmer, Arnout, Johan and Jassen. Alessio the southern and Martin arrive late with two eyes that look like the bottoms of Chinese woks. Toontje is also there to comfort our poor heroes with coffee. Bas has on the list 14 acceptances for today but it seems that getting 11 would already be a miracle.
Johan and Elmer have cars so at least they do not have to bike until Kardinge. In Kardinge there is only Dan, punctual like a Swiss watch. Fortunately mobiles come into the play. After calls and sms, Alessio the northern communicates that he is still biking in the middle of Groningen countryside, Daniele just wakes up, Julien and Dumas appear out of the blue. Enough to start, here the line up made by Elmer. Goalkeeper: Alessio the norther; defenders from right to left: Johan, Elmer, Bas, Martin; midfielders from right to left: Dumas, Arnout, Alessio the southern, Jassen; forwards: Julien and Dan. When the match starts Daniele is still in the dressing room, let’s hope he will not fell asleep there again.

KNVB is a good team, they have nice technique in the front but they look a bit sloppy in the back. Mamio immediately realizes that they can get 3 points out of this match. Showing good personality they take the initiative. Dan and Julien are served quite well and they arrive at the shoot pretty often. Unfortunately Elmer, anticipating an opponent with a perfect jump, badly falls on his ankle and he has to get out. Daniele takes his place. His appearance is not the most ensuring one, his hair looks like a nest that got out of a laundry machine. However he will play a wonderful match confirming the fact often in football the appearance is often inversely correlated to the performance. Suddenly Dan scores! Great penetration by Jassen on the left side, bad mistake by a KNVB defender that lets a ball to pass, Dan gets the ball, dribbles a defender and with a perfect left shoot he scores the 1-0. The second goal comes soon. Wonderful 30 meter pass by Johan that cuts the field and let Julien to penetrate KNVB defense. Julien shows his confidence with the goal. He avoids a defender and he collocates the ball in the right corner of the goal, nothing to do for the KNVB goalkeeper. KNVB reacts quite strongly. Alessio the northern makes a wonderful saving showing his very good reflexes and he comes out of the area always with a perfect timing. When he cannot arrive to the ball, it is the post that says no to the KNVB players.
Here it finishes the first half. Mamio is leading but the match is not closed yet. KNVB has showed that they can even win this match. And here it comes another positive sign from this match. Mamio enters the field in the second half with a good mentality, ready to suffer, if necessary, to defend this victory. Indeed KNVB does not resign at all and attack vehemently. At the end of the match they will collect 15 corner kicks and Arnout will have to make 3 wonderful savings just on the line of the goal. In occasion of the last one he partially does it with an arm and the referee whistles the penalty. Alessio the northern guesses the right side but he cannot get on the ball. It is 1-2. However there are only 2 minutes to go, Mamio controls the match exactly like AC Milan controlled last champions league final against Liverpool and it brings the victory home. This victory is a perfect welcome for the new two players that have just joined the team: Jassen and Dumas.

A particular remark goes to the referee. Finally a very good one! He has handled the match perfectly showing that he masters the regulations. For example, when Alessio the southern stands in front of the ball for a KNVB free kick, the KNVB player kicks the ball on Alessio’s legs and the referee cannot avoid in giving him a yellow card, as the rule says. Having such good referees really helps in enhancing the overall enjoyment of playing. Obviously referees can do mistakes, as everybody does. But they have to show that they know the regulations, and this referee really did it.

GVAV Rapiditas 7 - Mamio 1-2 (0-2)

Quick match report: Today we won the early-bird game (starting time 9 o'clock!) against Rapiditas by 2-1. Already in the first half we took the lead after Daniel and Julien scored two pretty identical goals, with their left foot! The second half was more difficult: the GVAV people were pressing more but our excellent defense managed well. A lot of corner kicks were given away though, and eventually one was bound to go in. It never did, but one attempt was stopped by Arnout's right arm and the referee decided to give a penalty. This was already during the closing minutes of the game, so our victory was never seriously challenged anymore.

This victory will finally make us move up a bit in the league. That's something we really deserve, I feel, after playing five matches and not losing one of them.

Goals: Daniel (approx. 25"), Julien, 30"

Lineup: Excellently composed by Elmer

Mamio 1 - Gronitas 5 4-4 (2-2)

A wonderful sun shines on the Mamio’s field, it encourages to play football during this Sunday of the beginning of October. Today Mamio has 13 players, a bit strange when considering the perfect weather. The line up is decided by Arnout (actually he decided to be a normal player this year so nobody knows why he does the line up every time…): Goalkeeper: Alessio the norther; defenders from right to left: Kannath, Elmer, Daniele, Jose; midfielders from right to left: Rink, Arnout, Alessio the southern, Andrei; forwards: Julien and Dan.

The conditions of the players are not at the top: Alessio the northern has a pain in the neck, Arnout is a bit injured, Jose has a muscle pain and he cannot start. Rosty will have to take his place. Moreover, just after 2 minutes the starting of the match, Rink will get out because a terrible kick of a Gronitas player. Chen will have to take his place.

On the other side the opponents look like mountains, physically they are probably the strongest team seen on the Mamio field. However they do not run that much and, especially in the back, the do not look very good.

After a very strange talk by Dan (nobody knows who gives him the task and the authority of making this kind of philosophical soccer talks…), the real fight starts: Julien immediately introduce himself: with a wonderful slide, he anticipates a Gronitas defender and he collocates the ball between the post and the goalkeeper, it is 1-0. After 5 minutes there is a nice combination of Gronitas’s players at the limit of the box area and a nice shoot determines the 1-1. Mamio reacts strongly. Nice ball served by Arnout to Dan that unfortunately does not control properly. Andrei penetrates Gronitas defense even resisting a fault, he is alone against the goalkeeper but Tonje stops the action and gives the free kick: terrible decision! Elmer, the captain, does not ask anything to Tonje and Alessio the southern, as usual, shouts like a evil-possessed witch. Mamio’s goal is in the air and it arrives soon: good corner by Alessio the southern, powerful jump by Arnout that, with a nice heading, scores the 2-1. No pause: it is again the time of Gronitas now. They play good in the mid where Alessio the southern and Arnout have some problems on the defensive part. In fact Alessio the southerns does not control an easy ball and a Gronitas players explodes a powerful shoot from 25 meters, nothing to do for Alessio the northern because the ball ends his trajectory just under the bar. It is 2-2.

Finally the break arrives. It is a though game. Everything could happen in the second half.

The second half is about to start and Mamio comes into the field with 12 players. Arnout decides that Chen has to get out and, quite brutally, Arnout communicates to Chen the decision.

Mamio takes the control of the match, Kannath and Rosty push on both sides, Andrei runs constantly and Julien is playing very good. Elmer and Daniele keep the defense high, very high, maybe too high! In fact with 2 Italian-style counterattacks Gronitas makes 2 goals. To be honest Alessio the northern has his substantial part of responsibility, especially for the second of these two goals. He is too late in getting out of the 16 meters box area. Many times soccer is strange: Mamio is playing better and now it is 2 goals behind. But the match is not over yet, there are still 25 minutes, Gronitas players start playing a classic “catenaccio” letting Mamio playing freely till 30 meters from their own goal. Mamio has quite some chances: good dangerous penetrations by Julien; nice actions by Rink on the left and by Andrei on the right; and finally many shoots from the long distance by Alessio the southern (never really dangerous, tough). Actually Mamio would need just the right last pass, it seems that some fantasy is missing. Tonje understands it perfectly and there he comes to give a little hand. Andrei is slightly pushed within the 16 meters box area, penalty! Alessio the Southern shoots slow and central but the ball goes inside: 3-4! Andrei goes out and Johan gets in. Now the match is literary a siege! Gronitas defends its goal as it was Alcatraz and Mamio pushes constantly. The final beloved goal finally comes from Johan. He has arrived late today and he still looks a bit sleepy. But he will surprise everybody: when trying to make a cross from the right side, he shoots a powerful bomb that does not even need to be deflected, it goes straight under the bar. It is 4-4, it is 4-4, it is 4-4! There is a couple of more minutes, Mamio wants to win but there is not time enough for another goal, Mamio is still unbeaten but it collects another draw. Both teams give compliments to each other and go out of the field in a nice friendly atmosphere.

(Alessio D.)

Mamio 1 - Gronitas 5 4-4 (2-2)

Yesterday we drew against the number 2 in the league, Gronitas. We played very well, but the opponents were from another level than what we experienced so far. We were lucky to draw in the end, although we did deserve it.

Goals: Julien, Arnout, Alessio D., Johan.

(match report by star reporter Alessio D. coming up!)