2024-11-30, 09:03 AM - Word count:
The S18 season kicked off this week with the traditional SSL Shield match between Cup Winners Schwarzwalder FV and Majors Champions Reykjavik United. Both teams enter the season expecting to do battle for the league title once again, and this matchup should give us a hint of what’s to come over the course of the season.
The match kicked off with SFV on attack early, winning a few crosses and forcing goaltender Brick Wall Jr to make a clutch save in the 10th minute to prevent an early blow. SFV’s Dombrofski Maximiliano picked up the first card of the game in the 4th, setting the tone early for a very physical game.
Despite SFV’s overwhelming early pressure, it would be Jean-Claude Goddamn who opened the scoring for Reykjavik in the 17th minute off a decisive through pass from Henry Andrews - or would it? The referee’s arm went up, and VAR determined that Goddamn jumped early, and the goal was disallowed. SFV breathed a collective sigh of relief, and went back on the attack, leading in xG decisively at the 30 minute mark in a game that appeared at times to be nothing but SFV corner kicks.
Games aren’t won by xG though, and in the 33rd minute Reykjavik United would storm back, working the ball up the right wing to the foot of Furious Chicken, who threaded the defense with a low pass to the box that would be picked up by none other than Jean-Claude Goddamn, beating the goaltender with a low shot just past the outstretched hands of goaltender Sarantsatsral. With newfound momentum, Reykjavik would press the attack, picking up a near identical goal off the far post from Alessandro Del Pirlo. Andrews’ assist would stick this time after a picture perfect tackle against SFV’s Whittington. The pressure continued, but added time’s late attempts at breaking the Reykjavik stranglehold would come to naught, as an offside flag disallowed what would have been a great off-tempo run by Wang Zhihao.
![[Image: 4QtUXfc.png]](https://i.imgur.com/4QtUXfc.png)
Halftime: SFV’s early pressure comes up short, and one break was all Reykjavik needed to storm back to the front
The second half picked up where the first left off, with Reykjavik setting up shop outside the box, maintaining most of the possession while SFV did their best to break the tempo and counterattack. That would begin to change around the 52nd minute when the Black Forest team got their first real chance at sustained offense, with more opportunities coming from a corner in the 60th and a run up the left side in the 63rd. These chances came to naught, though, and entering the final third of the game, SFV players and fans alike were feeling the inevitable creeping in. In what could be the play of the game, another SFV chance collapsed at the feet of Reykjavik’s Steve Urkel, with a clean tackle in the box that turned into a brilliant counterattack. Urkel took the ball himself up the center and fed the pass to Goddamn, who in turn found Del Pirlo. Shattered by the short passes from Reykjavik, the SFV defense collapsed and it was Felix Arasov who practically walked the ball into the net for a 3-0 Reykjavik lead.
With the lead secured, Reykjavik entered lockdown mode, conceding possession to SFV for much of the following ten minutes as a series of low-percentage shots fell harmlessly into the hands of Brick Wall Jr. Despite a spirited attack for the final minutes, SFV failed to convert any of their numerous set piece opportunities, and the opening game of the S18 season came to a close not with a bang, but a whimper.
Final Score:
Schwarzwalder FV: 0
Reykjavik United: 3
Ramen’s underrated player of the match: Steve Urkel
![[Image: v95yTDN.png]](https://i.imgur.com/v95yTDN.png)
The match kicked off with SFV on attack early, winning a few crosses and forcing goaltender Brick Wall Jr to make a clutch save in the 10th minute to prevent an early blow. SFV’s Dombrofski Maximiliano picked up the first card of the game in the 4th, setting the tone early for a very physical game.
Despite SFV’s overwhelming early pressure, it would be Jean-Claude Goddamn who opened the scoring for Reykjavik in the 17th minute off a decisive through pass from Henry Andrews - or would it? The referee’s arm went up, and VAR determined that Goddamn jumped early, and the goal was disallowed. SFV breathed a collective sigh of relief, and went back on the attack, leading in xG decisively at the 30 minute mark in a game that appeared at times to be nothing but SFV corner kicks.
Games aren’t won by xG though, and in the 33rd minute Reykjavik United would storm back, working the ball up the right wing to the foot of Furious Chicken, who threaded the defense with a low pass to the box that would be picked up by none other than Jean-Claude Goddamn, beating the goaltender with a low shot just past the outstretched hands of goaltender Sarantsatsral. With newfound momentum, Reykjavik would press the attack, picking up a near identical goal off the far post from Alessandro Del Pirlo. Andrews’ assist would stick this time after a picture perfect tackle against SFV’s Whittington. The pressure continued, but added time’s late attempts at breaking the Reykjavik stranglehold would come to naught, as an offside flag disallowed what would have been a great off-tempo run by Wang Zhihao.
Halftime: SFV’s early pressure comes up short, and one break was all Reykjavik needed to storm back to the front
The second half picked up where the first left off, with Reykjavik setting up shop outside the box, maintaining most of the possession while SFV did their best to break the tempo and counterattack. That would begin to change around the 52nd minute when the Black Forest team got their first real chance at sustained offense, with more opportunities coming from a corner in the 60th and a run up the left side in the 63rd. These chances came to naught, though, and entering the final third of the game, SFV players and fans alike were feeling the inevitable creeping in. In what could be the play of the game, another SFV chance collapsed at the feet of Reykjavik’s Steve Urkel, with a clean tackle in the box that turned into a brilliant counterattack. Urkel took the ball himself up the center and fed the pass to Goddamn, who in turn found Del Pirlo. Shattered by the short passes from Reykjavik, the SFV defense collapsed and it was Felix Arasov who practically walked the ball into the net for a 3-0 Reykjavik lead.
With the lead secured, Reykjavik entered lockdown mode, conceding possession to SFV for much of the following ten minutes as a series of low-percentage shots fell harmlessly into the hands of Brick Wall Jr. Despite a spirited attack for the final minutes, SFV failed to convert any of their numerous set piece opportunities, and the opening game of the S18 season came to a close not with a bang, but a whimper.
Final Score:
Schwarzwalder FV: 0
Reykjavik United: 3
Ramen’s underrated player of the match: Steve Urkel
