Road to Final Midwest 2005 - the Group Stage

Group Stage

Vandy FC vs Iowa

As for our first game, Iowa is not much of a fight; since they did not have enough substitutes and the fact that we beat em 9-1. Sadly to say, I didn't score a goal eventhough we scored 9 (but I do assisted most of the players...haha)

Scorers : Joe (3), Taib (3), Lan (1), Adeeb (1), Hisyam (1)

Vandy FC vs Northwestern

In this next game, here, we finally meet our match. Northwestern was the one who actually beat last year's champ, that is Purdue, with the final score of 1-0. Feeling a lil bit nervous, we played safely as a mistake might coz us bumped out from the group stage and eliminates the chance to go to the knockout stage. But, it turned out that we were the ones who scored first. A dashing move from Joe, followed by his powerful strike, he finally manage to put the ball behind the net in just 8 minutes of play. The score was now 1-0...7 minutes later, Joe scored again as he received a wonderful low-left-footed cross from me (owh bangga2 haha)...the crowd rushed into the field, but then a whistle was blewn as the referee sent Vandy FC's supporters out of the field...finally, we got our rythm back...with our 2-nil lead, we were now more confident in controlling the ball...In the second half, Taib scored with his usual powerful-outside-from-the-box shot and that makes us a 3-nil lead...the game ended with Vandy FC 3, Northwestern 0.

Scorers: Joe (2), Taib (1)

Vandy FC vs Purdue

Still excited about the 3-0 winning between the Northwesterners, we sat under a tree thinking that we had at least and hour before our next game starts...as we sat a friend offered us to eat KFC...we were bound to eat at most a piece of the KFC's but some of us ate two; very stubborn ah kami...right after that, the referee called for captains...we were a lil bit confused as we were told that we would have an hour break before the game starts...it turned out that none of us really checked the actual time of play...so, with our stomach half full (enough for us to not play well), we went into the field and played between the Padi FC (sigh)...the game ended with 0-3 loss and puts Padi FC at the top of the league (salahkan ayam KFC...arghh haha)

This put us in a very tight spot as we will be tied to the Northwesterners if they do win their next game, which is between Iowa...and of course, we expected that they will win the game as the record showed Iowa didn't win a single game and had had a major defeat between us Vandy FC (9-1) and Purdue (9-0)...the thing that will decide which team will go to the next round is the goal difference between the Northwestners and the Iowans...if the Northwesterners scored 11-0 to Iowa, they will set their foot to the next round and will puts us in the third position; a position that is not eligible for the team to go any further...we prayed and prayed, hoping that He will put His side on us...moments later, we heard the most wonderful news...the Iowans FORFEITED the game!!! (no one knows the reason of this such act...hehe who cares!!)...a forfeit from the Iowans automatically gave the Northwesterners a 3-0 winning, not enough for them to be in the second place...and with that news, we jumped with our highest height, knowing that we actually made it to the knockout stage.