[NoSkillz]

Tue. December 6, 2022

UEFA Champions League - Group B
Dover (4-0-1, 12 points, 1st) vs. Slovan Bratislava (0-0-5, 0 points, 4th)
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, UK

Betting Odds: Dover: 4-6 (Favourites) Draw: 9-4 Slovan Bratislava: 7-2
Past Meetings: 1W 0D 0L

This game is meaningless in the grand scheme of things, as we've already guaranteed qualification into the knockout stages. Bratislava haven't even scored a goal in the group stage and have allowed 18.

We are starting ALL substitutes today with one exception being DC Rayane Hamon - he will miss our next league game on the weekend due to yellow card accumulation so I'm starting him today. We are going with a 4-4-2 DM (4-2-3-1) formation and will start two kids in the midfield in Gian Marco Fanfoni and U18 player Emmerson Harvey. I've also called up Lyubomir Kunchev from the U18s and he will likely get a chance to play at some point today as well.

Dover: 4-4-2 DM (4-2-3-1) Control
GK - M. Perez
D - C. Guzman, D. Traore, R. Hamon, K. Zagos
M - E. Harvey, G. Fanfoni
AM - S. Henni, Z. Bardi, G. Allan
S - P. Moses
Bench - M. Yilmaz, S. Reed, S. Spall, E. Agbo, L. Kunchev, S. Ingram, W. Rooney

The Slovaks will line up in a standard 4-4-2 with Juraj Rehak, a ten goal scorer this year up front alongside Nail Guschin. Bohdan Spanik is in goal. Despite starting a young squad, I tell them I expect a win today.

4' - We win a corner and hold possession down the right. We start a gorgeous three way passing play in the box, with Fanfoni first feeding Allan, who feeds Paul Moses and the young on-loan striker delivers a first touch shot past Spanik and IN! Great start men! DOVER GOAL 1-0

6' - Kostas Zagos with an unnecessary foul well away from goal and he's given a yellow.

15' - Graham Allan is ON FIRE! We cause a turnover and it's Allan streaking up field. He crosses into the area and there is Zoltan Bardi to one-time it past Spanik and we lead by two!!! DOVER GOAL 2-0

29' - Incredible passing off a throw in down the right side. All one touch passes, from Bardi, to Zagos, to Allan, back to Bardi then a cross. It's headed out but right onto the foot of Gian Marco Fanfoni and the 18 year old on loan midfielder strikes the ball with FURY into the back of the net and we lead by three!! I LOVE this kid! DOVER GOAL 3-0

35' - The speed of Moses is breathtaking, as he makes up at least ten yards on the retreating defender and beats him to the ball. Moses gets in on goal and Spanik does well to turn it behind the net for the corner. We can't do anything with that corner and Fanfoni actually ends up getting a yellow card for a foul.

44' - We win a corner and Allan's cross is headed toward goal at the far post by Daniel Traore. Paul Moses ends up getting a last touch on the ball, kicking it over the goal line and IN for his second of the game and we have ourselves a ROUT! DOVER GOAL 4-0

HALFTIME - EASY! We hold 59% of possession and outshoot them 17-1 (8-0 on target). They are no match for our backups, which is great to see. Another splendid half from both Moses and Allan! I tell the team I'm pleased!

60' - We head up field after a Bratislava clear and Moses has a step on the defender. Just as he approaches the area, he's taken down from behind and that's a straight RED CARD! The Slovaks are down to ten men. Spanik makes a nice save off Fanfoni's free kick.

70' - We take out the excellent Graham Allan and bring in Lyubomir Kunchev. We also take out Emmerson Harvey and bring in Shaun Spall.

85' - With Daniel Traore off for some treatment, Bratislava send a man through our defence and force Manuel Perez into a nice save to maintain the shutout.

86' - Terrible defence, as Carlos Guzman completely whiffs on a tackle at midfield and that allows Peter Hricov to dance past him. The 18 year old feed a nice pass up to substitute striker Gabriel Rubio and he makes no mistake, pounding a shot that Perez gets a piece of but not enough and Slovan Bratislava have their first goal in the group stages. SLOVAN BRATISLAVA GOAL 4-1

I take out Daniel Traore and bring in Emmanuel Agbo. This is Agbo's first official professional appearance.

That's all. Easy win.

Dover 4 - 1 Slovan Bratislava
Goals - Paul Moses 2 (8.8), Zoltan Bardi (7.8), Gian Marco Fanfoni (8.3)
Assists - Graham Allan 3 (9.1)
Man of the Match - Graham Allan
Other Dover Notables - Kostas Zagos (7.6), Rayane Hamon (7.1), Daniel Traore (7.3), Carlos Guzman (7.2), Said Henni (7.1)
Attendance - 17,034

Another comfortable win! 59% of possession and a 24-4 (9-2 on target) shot advantage, as we definitely took our foot off the accelerator in the second half.

-- We earn £696,000 for the victory and finish first in Group B on goal differential!

-- Here's a look at the final Group Stage results:

GROUP A
1. Dortmund - 15 points
2. Olympique Lyonnais - 12 points
3. AaB - 6 points
4. Anderlecht - 3 points

GROUP B
1. Dover - 15 points
2. Sevilla - 15 points
3. Porto - 6 points
4. Slovan Bratislava - 0 points

GROUP C
1. Manchester United - 16 points
2. Galatasaray - 7 points
3. Celtic - 5 points
4. Panathinaikos - 4 points

GROUP D
1. Barcelona - 16 points
2. AZ - 9 points
3. Palermo - 8 points
4. Dinamo - 0 points

GROUP E
1. Real Madrid - 15 points
2. OM - 12 points
3. CSKA Moscow - 9 points
4. Grasshoppers - 0 points

GROUP F
1. Manchester City - 16 points
2. Benfica - 8 points
3. Hoffenheim - 6 points
4. Le Mans FC - 4 points

GROUP G
1. FC Bayern Munich - 15 points
2. Sampdoria - 11 points
3. Shakhtar - 5 points
4. Fenerbahce - 2 points

GROUP H
1. Atletico Madrid - 16 points
2. Liverpool - 11 points
3. Fiorentina - 7 points
4. Partizan - 0 points



Next Up

-- Our relatively easy schedule continues, as we face relegation favourites Birmingham, the 19th placed team in the league in Premier League play.