ARAZIM vs. YAKUM FC
FC starts the 2nd round with an even score vs. Arazim (2nd place in the table) - Dudu scores them both.
Are they coming back? FC opened the 2nd round against the same team that humiliated the R&B in the opening game of the season 4-0. Arazim is currently on 2nd place and is one of the strongest championship contenders. However, FC was favorable through most stages of the game, and a surprising win was well within the R&B reach.
At the opening though, it was Arazim who controlled the tempo of the game, and were the first to score: an attack came from the right wing. Arazim's right winger cut into the middle and sent the ball deep into FC's box. Eli (the goalie) was late to cover the ball and Arazim's fast striker chipped the ball over him to open the score: 0-1.
Strangely enough, the goal served as a trigger in FC's favor. The R&B took over the game and applied heavy pressure on Arazim. Uzi G, FC's defensive midfielder was literally destroying Arazim's efforts to create any kind of attacks, while Ilan A. and Dudu repeatedly embarrassed their defense. FC leveled in the 20th minute. Roi C. took over a ball in the left, and shot it to the goal. Arazim's goalie could only deflect it, and Dudu D. was first on the rebound to score: 1-1.
FC continued their good effort, and were soon ahead in the game. A free kick from the left was brilliantly crossed by Ilan A. between the goalie and the defense, and Dudu D. was again faster than anyone to volley it into the net: 2-1 FC in the 30th minute, that concluded the first half scoring.
The R&B continued to control the game on the 2nd half, but were set back by Arazim's equalizer on the 55th minute. A free kick from midfield was sent high into the box, and a misunderstanding between Idan S. and Eli resulted in a frustrating own goal from Idan's head: 2-2.
But the R&B were still playing good football, and were creating good chances. In the 65th minute, the ref overlooked a clear penalty for FC, after Roi C. was brought down inside the area, right in front of him (it is not the custom of the writer to criticize the referee, but this was too much). Just before the closing whistle, FC created one more chance, as Dudu D. got the ball inside the area, but Arazim's goalie made the save. A 2-2 draw in the end.
Frustration, along with some cautious optimism prevailed in FC's emotional comments. Ilan A. sounded angry: " we can't be happy with a draw. We had to win this match and we must not get accustomed to give up wins". Ohad G, on the other hand was happy with the score: "they are in 2nd place while we are down here - a draw is a respectable score, though we could've used the points." Another reason for FC to look forward is the better shape of the "Australians", Uzi G, and Dudu D. which have not been themselves since their arrival to the team back in November. Let us hope that we will see the same FC next week when they meet Kfar-Yona.