2025-08-29, 09:47 AM - Word count:
And so the storied day had arrived, the simulation soccer leagues season 22 kickoff was upon us, the starting gun one again taking the form of the Founders Shield.
A fabled and much awaited battle of two titans of the game; on one side, the defending Major League champions and S21 cup runner up, Hollywood FC. Their opponent, the young up-and-comers, a spirited rival for last seasons league title and the S21 cup champions, Uniao Sau Paolo.
League vs Cup, Red vs Blue, America vs Brazil - the stage was set.
Initially the anticipation seemed misplaced, as these two sides, with so much expectation on their shoulders, opened the season with a nervey and cagey affair. Both team scrapped and grappled to try and seize a foothold in the game but the first half an hour passed with little of note.
It's ultimately the plucky underdogs who find the first breakthrough, as Nerve De Groot works the ball to Roquefort Cotswald who finishes smartly to out USP up, 1 goal to the good.
Well, this first breakthrough seems to bring the whole game to life as suddenly there is action everywhere! Shortly following the breakthrough goal, the scorer Cotswald is brought down inside the Hollywood area. Despite USP protests, it is ultimately deemed no foul and play resumes despite the ongoing discussion from the boys in red and black.
The back and forth continues for the remainder of the first half, before, on the stroke of halftime De Groot breaks free again. He picks out Rubio who does what he does best to double the Sao Paulo lead, leaving USP feeling vindicated after the controversial penalty decision earlier in the half.
HT USP 2 - 0 Hollywood
The second half continues in much the same fashion as the first finished, a well contested affair with neither team able to really seize control over the game from the other. This metaphorical wrestle became physical early in the second half, as a tangle in the Sao Paulo area leads the ref to award a penalty! Feeling slightly hard done by following the first half penalty decision going against them, a second has the USP players up in arms. The raucous atmosphere isn't enough to put Pete Martell off, as he keeps his cool from the spot to bring Hollywood back into the game.
If the first hour of this game was well contested, the following half hour can only be described as chaos. It was as if a giant hand had reached down and crank every single players 'competitive' dial to 21 as chances continued to fall at both ends. Hollywood were unfortunate to not find themselves level after a few enormous saves from USPs Aguilera wearing number 1.
Unfortunately for the red and black army, there's very little Aguilera can do when Jalen Brooks smashed an equaliser home in the 73rd minute.
Hollywood, with tails up, look to build on their second half comeback from 2 goals down, and 11 minutes later they get what their after. A well worked free kick routine leaves Gerd Klose essentially unmarked with the ball on the edge of the USP area and he is able to beat the USP number 1 to give Hollywood a slender lead and complete the comeback late in the game.
It looks, for USP, like the story has already been written and the plucky underdogs are going to fall short, similarly to last year's league campaign. At this point in the game, after letting a 2 goal lead slip and finding themselves behind with 6 minutes of regulation to play you might be understanding if heads began to drop as the weight of inevitability begain to stagnate them. But USP are, fortunately, just built different. Forever the underdog, and ever scrappy, the boys in red and black take this adversity in their stride and begin to push for an equaliser, aware that without something soon this game is going to slip away from them.
Following a Martell faceplant, bullets of red bomb forwards on the counter after the quick change of possession. Yoma Hashimoto finds Zach Mulder out wide who finishes expertly from an almost impossible angle to bring USP back level in the 88th minute.
End of regulation USP 3 - 3 Hollywood
What better way for this epic story to finish than with a trip to extra time? A well fought contest between two great teams, indivisible through 90 minutes of football.
Extra time begins.
Chances at both ends.
Fans on the edge of their seats.
There isn't a claim body in the entire stadium.
A great save from Walrusson.
Over the bar from Hashimoto.
Hashimoto again. Finds De Groot. GOAL! USP take the lead in the 100th minute! A sea of red and black in raptures as they celebrate what they hope will be the winning goal that will earn them a second shield in as many seasons.
The second half of ET begins, and somehow, despite having played almost 2 hours of football, the standard from both teams in this match just does not drop. Greta chances fall at both ends resulting in some big saves from both keepers, some excellent clearances from Slab Head at the heart of the USP defense, and a rattle of the crossbar from Zach Mulder as USP come agonizingly close to putting it beyond reach.
After what feels like an eternity, USPs anxiety and tension is relieved by the piercing sound of the final whistle. A fantastic game of football to kick off what promises to be a thrilling and well contested season of football ultimately breaks Sao Paulo's way. Heartbreak for Hollywood, ecstasy for USP as they defend their Founder Shield title and add to the ever growing trophy cabinet from recent seasons.
FT AET USP 4 - 3 Hollywood
A fabled and much awaited battle of two titans of the game; on one side, the defending Major League champions and S21 cup runner up, Hollywood FC. Their opponent, the young up-and-comers, a spirited rival for last seasons league title and the S21 cup champions, Uniao Sau Paolo.
League vs Cup, Red vs Blue, America vs Brazil - the stage was set.
Initially the anticipation seemed misplaced, as these two sides, with so much expectation on their shoulders, opened the season with a nervey and cagey affair. Both team scrapped and grappled to try and seize a foothold in the game but the first half an hour passed with little of note.
It's ultimately the plucky underdogs who find the first breakthrough, as Nerve De Groot works the ball to Roquefort Cotswald who finishes smartly to out USP up, 1 goal to the good.
Well, this first breakthrough seems to bring the whole game to life as suddenly there is action everywhere! Shortly following the breakthrough goal, the scorer Cotswald is brought down inside the Hollywood area. Despite USP protests, it is ultimately deemed no foul and play resumes despite the ongoing discussion from the boys in red and black.
The back and forth continues for the remainder of the first half, before, on the stroke of halftime De Groot breaks free again. He picks out Rubio who does what he does best to double the Sao Paulo lead, leaving USP feeling vindicated after the controversial penalty decision earlier in the half.
HT USP 2 - 0 Hollywood
The second half continues in much the same fashion as the first finished, a well contested affair with neither team able to really seize control over the game from the other. This metaphorical wrestle became physical early in the second half, as a tangle in the Sao Paulo area leads the ref to award a penalty! Feeling slightly hard done by following the first half penalty decision going against them, a second has the USP players up in arms. The raucous atmosphere isn't enough to put Pete Martell off, as he keeps his cool from the spot to bring Hollywood back into the game.
If the first hour of this game was well contested, the following half hour can only be described as chaos. It was as if a giant hand had reached down and crank every single players 'competitive' dial to 21 as chances continued to fall at both ends. Hollywood were unfortunate to not find themselves level after a few enormous saves from USPs Aguilera wearing number 1.
Unfortunately for the red and black army, there's very little Aguilera can do when Jalen Brooks smashed an equaliser home in the 73rd minute.
Hollywood, with tails up, look to build on their second half comeback from 2 goals down, and 11 minutes later they get what their after. A well worked free kick routine leaves Gerd Klose essentially unmarked with the ball on the edge of the USP area and he is able to beat the USP number 1 to give Hollywood a slender lead and complete the comeback late in the game.
It looks, for USP, like the story has already been written and the plucky underdogs are going to fall short, similarly to last year's league campaign. At this point in the game, after letting a 2 goal lead slip and finding themselves behind with 6 minutes of regulation to play you might be understanding if heads began to drop as the weight of inevitability begain to stagnate them. But USP are, fortunately, just built different. Forever the underdog, and ever scrappy, the boys in red and black take this adversity in their stride and begin to push for an equaliser, aware that without something soon this game is going to slip away from them.
Following a Martell faceplant, bullets of red bomb forwards on the counter after the quick change of possession. Yoma Hashimoto finds Zach Mulder out wide who finishes expertly from an almost impossible angle to bring USP back level in the 88th minute.
End of regulation USP 3 - 3 Hollywood
What better way for this epic story to finish than with a trip to extra time? A well fought contest between two great teams, indivisible through 90 minutes of football.
Extra time begins.
Chances at both ends.
Fans on the edge of their seats.
There isn't a claim body in the entire stadium.
A great save from Walrusson.
Over the bar from Hashimoto.
Hashimoto again. Finds De Groot. GOAL! USP take the lead in the 100th minute! A sea of red and black in raptures as they celebrate what they hope will be the winning goal that will earn them a second shield in as many seasons.
The second half of ET begins, and somehow, despite having played almost 2 hours of football, the standard from both teams in this match just does not drop. Greta chances fall at both ends resulting in some big saves from both keepers, some excellent clearances from Slab Head at the heart of the USP defense, and a rattle of the crossbar from Zach Mulder as USP come agonizingly close to putting it beyond reach.
After what feels like an eternity, USPs anxiety and tension is relieved by the piercing sound of the final whistle. A fantastic game of football to kick off what promises to be a thrilling and well contested season of football ultimately breaks Sao Paulo's way. Heartbreak for Hollywood, ecstasy for USP as they defend their Founder Shield title and add to the ever growing trophy cabinet from recent seasons.
FT AET USP 4 - 3 Hollywood
![[Image: gmSTbwI.png]](https://i.imgur.com/gmSTbwI.png)
