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GM Monkeys is an amateur football team based in the Greater Manchester region of England. The group of players is loose gathering of people who have met via the British Born Chinese website, but has broadened to include people who are not members of the discussion board.

Sunday 22nd June 2008 (GM Monkeys 7 v Argentina 5)

Venue: - Albert Park, Salford (astroturf)

After cruising to a 5-1 victory over Singapore XI, the Monkeys were once again up against Argentina. Having met 3 times previously, sharing one win each, and a draw no one could predict the outcome.

Playing in their usual 4-4-2 formation, Argentina kick off the 1st half, the monkeys playing in a 4-3-3 formation pushed forward from the off, stopping Argentina in the midfield and protecting the new look back 4. The monkeys, growing in confidence with every touch and claiming most of the possession in the opening period throw more players forward without creating much in the way of a clear cut chance. Argentina, defending well manage to break on the counter, only good defending prevents the Argentina striker from getting off a shot at the expense of a corner. With the Monkeys claiming a significant height advantage they were unable to stop, probably the smallest player on the field, from rising to meet the in swinging corner and heading home. 1-0 to Argentina against the run of play. Obviously shaken by the goal the Monkeys get the game back under way and immediately push for an equaliser, the ball finding Kin in space on the right, his cross is collected by Daz in the box and coolly slotted home, all square again at 1-1 within minutes, the reply that the Monkeys were looking for. With new boy Rob Gore protecting the back four, Yip and Chris are given more freedom to express themselves in attack, with Yip making a darting run into the Argentina box before going down under a heavy tackle from the centre back calls for a penalty are ignored as Kin meets the ball on the edge of the penalty area and smashes the ball into the back of the net 2-1 the Monkeys and with confidence back up the Monkeys continue to push forward from the Argentina restart.

Another counter attack leads to a good finish from the Argentine striker 2-2, and it seems like there are afew cracks in the Monkeys make shift defence. But good work from Chi Chris and Daz down the left after the restart and Chris gets through 1 on 1 with the keeper, the keeper manages to block the ball on the line, but his reactions aren’t quick enough to stop Kin from coming in to tap the ball home. 3-2 and the Monkeys seem to be cruising. From the restart Argentina managed to regain some composure and build momentum, attacking down their left wing, the midfielder and full back linking up well several times, but Phil and Simon kept managing to close them down and break up the play before Argentina could create a clear cut chance. When the Monkeys got the ball back they managed to keep hold of it, passing from the back into midfield, and across midfield, building the play patiently, a stark contrast to not only Argentina’s direct play on the day, but the type of football that the Monkeys have played in previous games, where the defence would play a long ball in the hope of a striker getting on the end of it.

The first half ends 3-2 and the Monkeys on a high can’t wait for the second half to start. Monkeys get the second half underway and continue where they left off with attacking easy on the eye football, a passer by might have thought they were watching Spain at the Euros had they not known they were in England. With all the early pressure it wasn’t long before the Monkeys once again broke down the Argentine defence, this time, Chris in space, unselfishly passes to Andy in the box before Andy is flattened, again appeals for a penalty are ignored and Argentina’s counter is once again broken up by the Monkeys defence. The next goal came again from some clever work down the left from Chi and a nice pass to Yip waiting in the middle just outside the penalty area, with time and space, Yip steadies himself and sends a shot curling into the top right corner 4-2 Monkeys. Feeling the pressure Argentina drop deep and before long make a costly error, Daz’s cross is hand balled in the box and its penalty to the Monkeys.

Daz once again steps up to take the penalty, would the pressure of the miss against Singapore XI get the better of him? No, he calmly send the keeper the wrong way and slots home, monkeys lead 5-2, five minutes later and a penalty is awarded in the Monkey area, again for hand ball, Rob unable to move out of the way makes contact with the ball, claiming his innocence and protesting against the decision the penalty is still awarded and the Argentine striker steps up and smashes the ball down the centre of the goal 5-3, could this be the start of an Argentina come back? Argentina’s confidence certainly increased after the penalty and before long they get another from a mistake at the back by the Monkeys 5-4, Argentina growing in confidence send more men forward in search of an equaliser, and their defenders are left ball watching as a ball is played over the top for Kin to chase, with the keeper coming out, Kin side foots the ball under the keeper to the bottom left corner 6-4 Monkeys and the energy is building as Argentina spot weaknesses in the Monkey defence. Again a mistake in defence gifts Argentina the ball and another goal 6-5, the Monkeys lapses in concentration seem to be letting Argentina back into the game and could be costly. But with Argentina pressing for the equaliser Monkeys manage to grab a few more chances, 1st Yip sends a cross to Kin waiting in the box who brings the ball down on his chest and sends a half volley towards the top corner which is well saved by the keeper. Then with 5 minutes left on the clock Chris plays a square ball to Yip in the center about 15 yards from the edge of the area, finding himself again in space he drives forward, and shoots just outside the area sending the ball low into the bottom left corner leaving the keeper with no chance.

Full time and Monkeys win 7-5 with Argentina giving the Monkeys a scare in the 2nd half but not quite having enough.

Player Ratings (Out of 10) and Comments:

Rated by Chris

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