Between Iraq and a Hard Place

September 2018

League 1 – Southend v Orient (Away)

A poor start, conceding in under 5 minutes after getting sliced open by one-touch passing. The post comes to our rescue  minutes later, still a 1-goal mountain to climb.

An offside flag saves us from shipping another goal just before Half Time.

We equalise in the 2nd Half, Summer signing Joel Ambalu racing away to smash the ball home.

To be fair, I am happy with a draw here as Southend had by far the better chances.

Final Score: Southend 1-1 Orient (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, South 1st Round – Orient v Gillingham (Home)

A quality start as we score with our very 1st shot, 48 seconds in. Young winger Thurgood slides in 5 minutes later to bag his 1st ever goal for the club. 2-0 now.

Gillingham get one back from a corner, a powerful headed effort at the 37 minute-mark. Midfielder Nash scores a belter just a few minutes later to restore our 2-goal lead.

The 2nd Half saw us continue to create chances, some of which were ruled out for offside, but no further addition to the scoreline.

Final Score: Orient 3-1 Gillingham (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

We have been drawn against League 2 outfit Brentford for the South 2nd Round of competition.

League 1 – Orient v Hartlepool (Home)

An injury to 1 of our central midfielders 2 minutes into this match forces an early substitution.

Both sides creating half-chances throughout the First 45 minutes but scores remain locked at Nil as the Half-Time whistle sounds.

Some fine passing play leads to our opener, 60 minutes on the clock and scored by Omoijuanfo. This would prove to be all that separates the 2 sides in an edgy encounter.

Final Score: Orient 1-0 Hartlepool (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

League 1 – Wycombe v Orient (Away)

Not a good start, shipping a goal after just 9 minutes. We hit back a few minutes after though, a Free Kick nestling in the top corner.

An Own-Goal midway through the 2nd Half outs us behind again, before a golden chance to equalise for a second time is blasted well over the bar, time quickly running out.

The match ends, and we unfortunately chalk up our first loss in the young League campaign.

Final Score: Wycombe 2-1 Orient (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

League 1 – Colchester v Orient (Away)

A cracking shot from way out gets us ahead on 24 minutes. Despite further efforts, the score doesn’t change as the First Half comes to a close.

A corner 54 minutes in nets our 2nd goal, and Ambalu provides a quality finish for our 3rd.

Final Score: Colchester 0-3 Orient (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

International Friendly – Iraq v North Korea (Home)

A quality headed-goal gets us off the mark on 18 minutes. Despite carving out multiple chances, we allow North Korea to equalise 10 minutes from the Final whistle.

A pretty poor result considering the amount of possession we retained throughout the match.

Final Score: Iraq 1-1 North Korea (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

League 1 – Orient v Wrexham (Home)

We begin the match by holding the ball well, but finding it hard to break down the Visitor’s defences. That is until a jinking run down the left and a scything ball inside to Luke Williams leads to our opener on 32 minutes.

Williams pops up again in the 2nd Half to latch onto a lofted through-ball to net his and Orient’s 2nd goal of the match. Wrexham sneak one past us on 66 minutes to ensure we didn’t take the 3 points as a given. They later have a potential equaliser ruled-out as being offside.

Left-back Molyneux eases the Home-crowd’s nerves, expertly steering his shot into the net from a tough angle 5 minutes from Full Time.

Final Score: Orient 3-1 Wrexham (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

International Friendly – Iraq v Vietnam (Home)

A surprisingly even opening to this match, each team creating good chances. Vietnam take the lead though after 13 minutes, a deflection from one of our defenders steering the ball past a hapless GK.

We equalise with 26 minutes gone, a well-worked passing move opening space for striker Ali to finish.

10 minutes into the 2nd Half and Vietnam again take the lead, despite our domination. The pre-match underdogs strike again, this time from a corner after 68 minutes to out the result beyond too much doubt.

Worrying signs before the West Asian Championship tournament.

Final Score: Iraq 1-3 Vietnam (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

League Cup, 3rd Round – Blackpool v Orient (Away)

A dodgy goal after 13 minutes gives the Home side the advantage – deflections galore as the 6 yard box resembled a pinball machine.

Poor marking from a 24th minute Free Kick results in Blackpool’s 2nd goal.

A quality save from the 2nd Half restart keeps the deficit at just 2. 70 minutes gone, and we pull a goal back – our first effort on target.

Despite the late goal, we never looked to trouble Blackpool all that much and have to bid farewell to our League Cup run.

Final Score: Blackpool 2-1 Orient (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

West Asian Football Championship – Iraq v Syria

We conceded a penalty 18 minutes in – and it is duly dispatched to have us behind from the off. Syria go on to make it 2-0 in their favour just before Half-Time, turning our Centre-back inside-out before slotting away from close in.

We are showing nothing in the way of attack and can barely contain the opposition in defence. Beginning to think about resigning from the Iraqi post.

Striker Ali breaks away clinically in the 83rd minute to score for us; before a stunning strike from outside the box well and truly wraps this one up for Syria with only minutes to play.

Final Score: Iraq 1-3 Syria (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

Immediately following this match, I tendered my resignation as Manager of Iraq.

League 1 – Orient v Nottingham Forest (Home)

Another dodgy deflection comes to haunt us, Forest with the lead after 23 minutes. We equalise a few minutes later with a lovely side-foot effort from midfielder Jimmy Smith.

Forest again take the lead, tidy one-time passing unlocking our defence for an easy finish. They score again almost straight from the restart, and we are sinking without trace at Home.

Just to ensure complete embarrassment, Nottingham Forest score yet again 10 minutes from Full Time. A truly awful display from my Orient side, and one I will not look to have repeated.

Final Score: Orient 1-4 Nottingham Forest (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

Next month, Next blog

October holds 5x League matches for us – Away vs. Coventry, Barnet and Torquay; Home against Plymouth and Doncaster.

We also have the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, South 2nd Round match, Away at Brentford.

Turning the Tide

October 2017

German 2nd Div. – Frankfurt v Karlsruhe (Home)

After a team-meeting to try and raise spirits and performance levels, we started this match in the right manner. Striking the post after 13 minutes, the resulting rebound and buildup is finished with a sliding effort at the front post.

The game evens out, with both teams holding the ball fairly well. We go on to strike for our 2nd on 34 minutes with an accurate headed finish.

After 58 minutes, striker Lebedynski tucks away a precise through-ball for our 3rd goal. The result was down to a much-improved team performance, and one we could be very proud of after a horror time of it previously.

Final Score: Frankfurt 3-0 Karlsruhe (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

German 2nd Div. – Frankfurt v Offenbach (Home)

Despite again starting the stronger, Offenbach score first on 16 minutes. Lebedynski soon restores parity, passing home his own deflected shot just 5 minutes later.

As the 2nd Half begins, we continue to pressure the visitors, a few shots whistling just over the bar. Lebedynski smashes home his 2nd goal at the 72 minute-mark after a delightful pass from centre-midfield.

Offenbach level the scores just 2 minutes later with poor marking costing us dearly. The crossbar is rattled later on, but the ball just will not cross the line for us. Lebedynski is denied his hat-trick by an offside flag, and newly-subbed striker Johnathan flashes his shot just wide on 90 minutes.

Final Score: Frankfurt 2-2 Offenbach (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

German 2nd Div. – Unterhaching v Frankfurt (Away)

We are making a good habit of starting well, this time wasting a chance on 6 minutes as Johnathan sprays his shot well wide with just the ‘Keeper to beat. Young striker Lebedynski continues his rich vein of form with the opening goal after 16 minutes. The same man pops up again soon after and fairly blasts a shot against the bar, as we continue to take the game to the hosts.

After Johnathan is taken off injured, his replacement up-front strikes our 2nd goal just before Half-Time; a precise finish after some one-touch interplay on the edge of the area.

Into the 2nd-Half, and Ehlert adds his second on 57 minutes after strike-partner Lebedynski streaks down the right channel and cuts it back for a simple finish. Ehlert turns provider himself, passing to a deep-lying midfielder in the box to fire home for our 4th, 75 minutes gone.

The clean-sheet is tarnished by a defensive mix-up right on Full-Time, but it can’t detract from a truly stunning performance away from home.

Final Score: Unterhaching 1-4 Frankfurt (screenshot and highlights below)

German Cup – 2nd Round – Union Berlin v Frankfurt (Away)

As has been our trend, we dominate this match from the off, creating many half-chances but without reward.

In the 2nd-Half striker Ehlert beats everyone, Goalkeeper included but snatches at his shot to blast wide. We eventually break through after 61 minutes, left-winger Uludag’s late run rewarded with a deft header. A sliding effort at the front post nets our second on 71 minutes.

We never looked in danger of losing this one, and march on to the 3rd Round, above and beyond initial Board expectations.

Final Score: Union Berlin 0-2 Frankfurt (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

Next month, Next blog

3x League matches in November and 3 chances to continue our new-found form. Away matches at Wehen and Erfurt, hosting Aalen in the other game.

Iraq are back in action, and we hope to record our first win of the Asian Cup Qualifiers as we travel to Hong Kong. Then we welcome Philippines to Baghdad a few days later for a Friendly.

Keeping up (Dis)appearances

December 2016

Serie A – Palermo v Cittadella (Away)

Traveling to a 2nd-placed Palermo was sure to prove a task for my flailing side. Despite giving up a fair amount of possession, we restricted the Home-Side’s chances and went back to the Dressing Sheds as we started; 0-0.

It wasn’t long before Palermo eventually broke through, and on 51 minutes a point-blank headed goal separated the sides.

It wouldn’t be a Cittadella match without more goals though, and a penalty was conceded and dispatched at the 68 minute-mark to keep up the tradition.

Despite this loss, the slimmer margin of 2 was somewhat heartening, as were the handful of chances we managed to create.

This match was the first time I employed a 4-1-4-1 formation, exchanging the second striker for a Defensive Midfielder. I may just stick with this and see how we travel in matches to come.

Final Score: Palermo 2-0 Cittadella (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

Serie A – Cittadella v Fiorentina (Home)

Sporting my latest tinkering on the formation, we welcomed a Fiorentina side that hadn’t been bested in their last 9 League outings. This was evident within 5 minutes, as they opened the scoring.

With 30 minutes gone some poor defending gave Fiorentina a chance on the edge of the box, which was curled expertly past a flailing ‘Keeper.

Cittadella finally troubled the scorers themselves after 56 minutes as a deflected shot fell kindly for Left Winger, Janzer to pass into an empty net.

Any hopes of a fight back were quickly dispelled just 2 minutes later with the 2-goal margin restored with surgical precision.

Despite again scoring ourselves on 74 minutes via a headed Free-Kick, we never really looked like getting anything from this match. It should come as no surprise.

Final Score: Cittadella 2-3 Fiorentina (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

Serie A – Catania v Cittadella (Away)

This match started promisingly as we kept possession and created a number of half-chances early on. It all came to nothing though, as usual we concede first. To rub salt into the wound, this was Catania’s first shot on-goal, 16 minutes in.

Failure to clear a corner was our downfall 10 minutes before the break, and we would head to the tunnel down by 2, with a job on to salvage anything.

Another set-piece goal from us, and some form of hope ignited at 66 minutes. A freshly substituted Centre-Half nodding home.

This only served to fire Catania up, and they go on to score 3 more goals in quick time, devastating our players with their incisive attack.

Final Score: Catania – 5-1 Cittadella (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

Below is the latest League Table. Not quite halfway through the season, and we have certainly made survival a tough ask. 10 points from safety already.

Next Month, Next Blog

Three of January’s 4 Serie A matches will be played in-front of a disheartened home crowd, with Bologna, Roma and Lazio scheduled to visit. The away trip will be to Genoa.

Iraq are back in action facing 2x Asian Cup Qualifiers. An away trip to Tajikistan before hosting Bahrain in Baghdad.