League

Crooksville
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Aidan Henry started the match with the kick off. In the 4th minute, Alan Correa made a precise shot to the right of Rhett Schaffer. Groton's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 1-0. Quinn Crenshaw made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Aidan Henry in the 9th minute of play. In the 12th minute, Trent Varner ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Rhett Schaffer was frozen by the shot and now it was 2-0. After 14 minutes, Michael Frey mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Groton and the Shandong Luneng FC players grew even worse after the yellow card. After a rather tough play, Groton's Michael Frey got a free kick in the 14th minute. After 19 played minutes Groton got a freekick which was hit by Basil Donovan. 21 minutes into the match, Groton's goal looked a bit too open when Wilford Foote came free, but Rhett Schaffer reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Wilford Footes short, quick shot in the 23rdth minute got Rhett Schaffer to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. Shandong Luneng FC's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Rueben Morales in the 24th minute. The corner led to Shandong Luneng FC's Winston Curry getting away a dangerous shot that went just outside the goal. The audience thought a goal was coming when Trent Varner got free with Rhett Schaffer in the 28th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Everyone was convinced a goal was close when Shandong Luneng FC's Wilford Foote in the 34th minute lifted the ball towards the upper right corner, but Rhett Schaffer was perfectly placed and prevented a goal for Groton through an amazing save. 43 minutes into the match, Groton's goal looked a bit too open when Wilford Foote came free, but Rhett Schaffer reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Quinn Crenshaw didn't succeed to prevent the ball from going into goal when Groton's Cary Hunter shot an unexpected shot in the crossbar's under edge and made 2-1 in the ordered_time% minute. The away team players looked dejected as the walked off the pitch at half time. They had fought hard, but were still losing 2-1.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Wilford Foote to strike the kick off in the second half. If Cary Hunter had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 51st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Winston Curry during the 52nd minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. In the 52nd minute, Winston Curry hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 56th minute, Aidan Henry left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Groton fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 2-2. Groton's Rhett Schaffer played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Wilford Foote in the 61st minute of play. Wilford Foote struck a weak shot in the 66th minute. Rhett Schaffer didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Shandong Luneng FC. Trent Varner sent away a hard shot on goal in the 69th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Rhett Schaffer took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Trent Varner, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Quinn Crenshaw showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Aidan Henry in the 75th minute of the match. Aidan Henry sent away a hard shot on goal in the 76th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After some fancy dribbling in the 78th minute, Cary Hunter managed to get in a good position for a shot. Groton's supporters rose to their feet, but Cary Hunter was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Quinn Crenshaw breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Shandong Luneng FC's Wilford Foote got a good chance for a goal in the 84th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. In the 86th minute, Wilford Foote got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. In the 87th match minute, Groton was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Edward Carson to maneuver through the defense. Rhett Schaffer showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Trent Varner, who was totally free with the ball in the 88th minute. After having played for 91 minutes, Aidan Henry managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Groton's supporters crossed their fingers, but Aidan Henry was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. The second half was just like the first, even and exciting. The match ended in a draw.