2026-01-18, 09:12 PM - Word count:
The World Simulation Football Classic is only held once every year and Zaza Banana finally gets his chance to shine on the global stage. Banana is from Cameroon and so was sorted into the West Africa club. While he didn’t expect much, Banana believed there was a small chance that the team could either spoil or get lucky and make it out of the group stage. From there, who could say what would happen in the knockout stage?
Banana scored four goals in this tournament with two of them coming in the final match against Benelux. Early in the second half, Banana tracked down a ball and swung it back towards the middle and Maarten Slothlenburg had to make a brilliant save. However, in doing so, Benelux gave up the corner and ended up paying for it. Banana got inside position off of Nepa Paya’s corner kick and headed the ball just inside the near post to make it 2-1 West Africa in the 47th minute. Moments later, Steven Urkel was knocked down inside the box and the referee awarded a penalty. Slothlenburg dove to the right, but Banana also went right and made it 3-1 in the 54th minute. The moment was short lived and Benelux eventually came back and took a 4-3 lead late. However, Urkel scored a dramatic tying goal in the 90th minute to force a 4-4 draw.
Unfortunately, Banana’s efforts, while good, were not good enough for the team to win a game during this football classic, but to manage a draw out of a team with far better skilled players is something that he did not imagine happening. Banana is hopeful that he has one more shot at a title next time around.
Banana scored four goals in this tournament with two of them coming in the final match against Benelux. Early in the second half, Banana tracked down a ball and swung it back towards the middle and Maarten Slothlenburg had to make a brilliant save. However, in doing so, Benelux gave up the corner and ended up paying for it. Banana got inside position off of Nepa Paya’s corner kick and headed the ball just inside the near post to make it 2-1 West Africa in the 47th minute. Moments later, Steven Urkel was knocked down inside the box and the referee awarded a penalty. Slothlenburg dove to the right, but Banana also went right and made it 3-1 in the 54th minute. The moment was short lived and Benelux eventually came back and took a 4-3 lead late. However, Urkel scored a dramatic tying goal in the 90th minute to force a 4-4 draw.
Unfortunately, Banana’s efforts, while good, were not good enough for the team to win a game during this football classic, but to manage a draw out of a team with far better skilled players is something that he did not imagine happening. Banana is hopeful that he has one more shot at a title next time around.
