Random Musings Fatima vs Mucurapo
Well folks yours truly and the forumite known as Swima decided to take in the double header at the HC, I was armed with a 3 piece box of Uncle Roy, with slight pepper and I proceeded thru the car park amidst all the construction for Carifesta and landed up on the front steps.
It was den I get meh first touch of vexation and dose of reality.
Imagine…. I pay more to watch a Colleges League Double than TT vs North East Stars.
The price was 20$,inflation is really something and I realize I getting old and I started to reminisce…….. Long gone are the days when a game used to cost 2$ in uniform and 5$ without. Long gone are the days of standing around the roped field five and six people deep, school chants , drums and riddim section ponging and the girls walking around the field up and down like they wukking taxi. For those who went Fatima yuh used to buy a snocone, soft drink or a juice/mix punch by Reggie and a bag of plums and some chinee mango by Mrs. Reggie to take in the action.
Also standing behind the bench along the western side of the ground was reserved for Fatima supporters only and the rest had to make do behind the goal post and take sun in dey eye on the eastern side near the tennis court.
“Yeah 20”…….said the surly ticket attendant who snapped me out from my trip down memory lane.
After being scrutinized by the ole man who took the ticket stub we looked to get a good seat away from the “Chirren”. Now it was kinda strange. There were no large set groups of supporters, everyone mingling…some Cic men here some Qrc men there Compre men across so…Girls so everybody mix up. Which is good as it shows there is little divisiveness amongst the young people today. Crowd estimated to be about 600-800.
Also I was still so worked up and concerned about the price I asked a Youth in uniform how much he paid to get in....$10 was his reply and it had me thinking
10$ to get in here plus they had to at least give the youth a 20 for food, then he must need a 10$ to go home. So yuh mean to say Parents dese days does give they chirren nearly a 40$ to go to school?.....nah something ent adding up...or am I being delusional....anyways.
There was a booth handing out Tortilla chips free so I helped myself to a pack and then I ended up on the lower tier near the 18 yard box movietown side. The chairs were kinda wet and after moistening the seat of my work pants I settled into the action.
It was now around 4:45 and I managed to take in the closing session of the first game between QRC and St. Anthonys which the Westmoorings Tigers won by a score of 1-0. The standard of play from these two teams have gotten better since last year and while I did not see too much of the action…maybe a 10 min or so I did not see anything from these two teams to suggest they would give Fatima or Mucurapo any trouble.
During the break between games I was looking for a lil Stag but was reliably informed that no Alcohol was being served as it was a school event. However the company I was with managed to bribe a bucket man to sneak in a few rounds of the precious golden liquid. However this was shortlived as he said Police was watching and he couldn’t handle us anymore…so the only golden liquid that was consumed thereafter was Apple J.
We planning for them next game though…..We going Grounds…..all by weself……not a school chile, police, ticketman , bucketboy, nobody to see, hear or bother us….I feel we go tote some scotch in that jump-up and make it festive….anyhow
On to the main event was my Alma Mater vs Compre…the Mucurapo Derby and what a game it turned out to be. A game of two halves and excitement down to the wire.
Disclaimer….I doe know the line up, the players name or jersey number as this is the first game of the season…as such I will be referring to them by their ethnic composition, hairstyle, number and boots/style colour. Do not be offended I just describing the players appearance.
Fatima boasted in its line up 3/4 players from the TT national under 16 team…Bateau in the back, Knox in the fwd line, de Freitas on the wing and I think the Keeper.
Compre did not have the trouble man from last year Guerra but they retained the Albino/redman keeper whom I shall christen “Sugars” who incidentally was the MVP of the match.
Fatima lined up in a 4-4-2, the national players sporting the red TT boots, the rest of fellas had orn the new Puma V6, some umbro and some of the nike total90 / mercurial. Yellow and blue top, blue shorts, blue socks.
Mucurapo 3-5-2, Lined up in the all burgundy kit with some white trim…most of the fellas had orn a black puma tugs.
The big player for Compre in both stature and skill was their central midfielder wearing the number 7. he had plenty lil tricks, nice first touch , he try to cyap man, plenty rolly poly but he get some good jam in he arse too. He was the best outfield Mucurapo player on the day. The rest of Compres players lil thin and nashy, some of them doe have much speed, but they are all composed on the ball and they have beat.
Fatima on the other hand had some bigger players with more speed and size, also the individual technique of some of the players were better, in terms of knocking the ball, driven passes trapping etc. you could see they went lil coaching school and thing.
In the first half it was somewhat uneven….Fatima had possession but could not break down Mucurapos defense. All credit to Mucurapo they maintained a good defensive zone and shut down anything in the last third of the field.
They also played a counter attack game…soaking up the pressure and then going fwd quickly.
Fatima on the other hand possession…reach the final 3rd and den just doe know what to do or they gave away the ball…something like the Socawarriors. But good buildup and possession.
Mucurapo scored first off a free kick….. cross headed down………. a player collects the ball between the Fatima defence he glides past one and slots it into the far corner. Very composed and well taken goal.
It is then a vociferous Mucurapo supporter whom I shall call “uncle” starts to cheer.
Uncle was my entertainment for the half….he was doing a kinda commentary shouting hard, buffing men, applauding plays but yuh had to see uncle. He had a kinda Ras that was on its last grains…it was something akin to a reverse halter. If uncle was washing his face…he woulda have to pass soap all on the top of he head... get the picture…also Uncle was viewing the game tru some cokes bottle lens, and at times I wondered if he was really watching the same game I was watching.
Some good beat pass, plenty roly poly and fan, some attempted fan. Number 7 for Mucurapo the big man was dishing it out and the winger for Mucurapo as well.
For Fatima Knox was turning men, but the fella who stood out for me as a beat man was the number 10. he was being played on the left wing in a sliver white nike boots, mercurial. But it was when he moved inside into a kinda central position he start to tun up men. Look out for him, he have a Indian finish….slender… and he trim is either a kinda Ricky Martin Flip up or is a side part with grease. Either way he was playing sensible, beating doing he roly poly, screening and passing good.
Fatima had a number 13 in the middle was was blasting some shot too.
Fatima number 3 a right wingback in a white umbro tugs show what grit and determination is. He short and small like a Ramco gas tank and he get plenty fake and beat but he never lose he marker and all the pretty moves that number 7 put on him…he always had him covered and he did not allow the man to pass. Even though he get sub it was a job well done.
De Freitas get a nasty sex on the line but he do the right thing and the ball pass but not the man.
I also start to get worried…as I wasn’t seeing where and how Fatima woulda score a goal. Compre defense lock down…Sugars saving good and the few chances Fatima get man throwing away and hitting shot wild.
SO at the half Compre 1 Fatima 0
Went down stairs and I watch the wildlife lil bit…I realize the youths today looking a lil bigger and older than those of yesteryear. Also these young girls dressing inappropriately for this kinda event. You wouldn’t even know some of them is youngsters…So lemme give alyuh a Word of advice….look down by they ankle….all school girls does have a socks mark/tan line. Big woman doe have that….so if in doubt check the mark…if it dey yuh know is a smallie.
After maintaining a pineapple chow….I reach back up and who is to score a Goal…Compre.
A man get a tru ball on the break…keeper rush out…he get drag…a defender tries to clean up …he get leave out too and shot…….ball in the net goal.
I start to get vex again and I say tings grim….where oh where this goal coming from?
Eh he game is only 50 min old and Fatima like they spring to life…number 10 with the Indian Finish start to toolum men, the winger start to rip man and run down the flank and cross. The coach like he tell them the defence too strong ketch them on the flank and is only raid after raid on the Flank…total Fatima ……and Compre looking like a shit breeze pass tru. They ent know what to do, man panic in he back, no more knock, they hoofing and kicking up man and Fatima piling on the pressure.
Pressure does buss pipe and from a corner a small man rise up and put a bullet header past Sugars and game is now 2-1.
The Fatima youths start to get orn wild and prance. Man start to jump up and dive in the seat..Man start to wine..People putting they T-Square up in the air and waving it..and the supporters start to chant.
Next ting yuh know 5 min later…de Freitas get a tru ball…rip a man and slot it past Sugars….GOAL.
Next ting the men start to get orn wild…man diving, and jumping up..T square in the air again. Then the fellas start to give the Compre Youths talk and picong.
It was all Fatima…the subs came orn…and is only skill and speed and rip down the line. Compre ent know what to do. The stuffing was beaten out of them and Fatima have Compre on the ropes.
It was then known as the “Sugars” show……Folks this Albino Keeper, singlehandedly kept Compre from Conceding 4 more. Some certain goal….sugars pulling back with the tip of he finger. He getting shot…he getting beat he getting all kinda toe poke and ting and Sugars had the answer. I ent go lie I applaud that young man on real occasions for the remainder of the evening.
Then in the 89th min Compre gets a breakaway and Fatima player does the correct thing…a professional foul to stop him before he reach too close to the goal.
Fatima sets up the wall, everything set and then BBBBBAAAAMMMMMM.
Against the run of play this fella hit a dipping curlers from 30 yards out into the Fatima goal…Keeper had no chance….A BESS freekick.
The Compremen gorn wild and start to run up and down the stadium, some run orn the track, they start to wine, they start to Wily bounce.
And me…boy when I tell yuh that goal hurt meh like a tight shoe.
I feel it all in meh guts. I good steups, but the goal was a good goal and a bess match winner.
But Fatima ent give up 3 min extra time and we camp out in Compre 18 yard box, raid after raid and is excitement…meh heart jump up when a man leggo a bullet….Sugars at full stretch….he cyar make….. and then…..PIIIIINGGGG…off the cross bar. When I tell yuh man cuss.
Free kick, shot, miskick, over bars…save by Sugars
Compre then get two fast break....one v one with the Fatima keeper and man hitting wide.....had they scored those chances the score woulda end up 4or 5 in Compre favour.
More attack by fatima...some last ditch scruffle and den Tweeeeeettt final whistle.
Compre 3…Fatima 2.
But what a game!!
I ent get excitement and entertainment so since Bahrain or the TT vs Guatemala.
I go make this a regular, is a bess lime and I will try to see all the teams and the action as it unfolds.
Until next match.
