Report by Simon Hutchinson
I had to be in New England for a week in business. I contacted the Metro West Boston Subbuteo Club and they invited me to play their number one seed, Ugo Capeto, for the first ever MassaCa (Massachusetts California) series of games.
Sunday June 22, 2008, was a hot and sticky day, and while it had rained a little earlier it was still very humid when the six game series started.
Simon 2 Ugo 2
I scored two goals in the first five minutes of the game from quick breaks from defense into attack. At the start Ugo was rusty, not having played since Christmas, but as the games wore on his touch appeared to come back to him. Just before half time Ugo drove through a gap my defensive line, straight in front of the goal, and scored with a powerful shot.
In the sixth minute of the second half Ugo stranded his goalkeeper, leaving an open goal. I touched the ball to the edge of the “six yard” box. Then with a flick of a figure from outside the penalty area I struck the wrong side of the ball. It narrowly missed the goal, barely grazing the outside of the goal post. I cried out in disgust, and my frustration at having missed this shot affected the way I played for several minutes afterwards. During this time Ugo snatched his second goal from a shot that struck the post, bounced out, struck the back of the goalkeeper, and into the goal.
Simon 2 Ugo 0
Ugo had most of the attack in this game. Either his final touch deserted him or I successfully blocked his figure from the ball. My defense would win possession and quickly pass the ball up to two forwards just outside Ugo’s shooting line. But I was only able to capitalize on these breaks twice, both times with just seconds remaining in the half. I scored my first goal 14 seconds left in the first half, and the second with 59 seconds left in the second.
Ugo 3 Simon 1
It was noticeably more humid during the third game than it had been during the previous games. I handicapped myself by forgetting to polish my figures’ (Sureshot) bases before kick off, and they did not glide the way I am use to. They tended to stick to pitch stopping just short of the ball on many occasions. Ugo’s Subbuteo bases did not seem to be affected in the same way.
Ugo had most of the possession and scored the opening goal with a shot from the right midway through the first half. Within a few minutes I had equalized from a quick break up the pitch followed by a quick shot.
Ugo's second goal was scored from another shot that struck the post and then bounced off the back of the goalkeeper into the goal. His third was a powerful shot from the right that went over my goalkeeper and into the goal.
We took a thirty minute break for refreshments and our hosts put a fan in the room with the pitch in it to help it cool off.
Simon 3 Ugo 1
The lower humidity at the start of the game suited me and I was able to play more fluid game than I had previously. Early in the first half Ugo stranded his goalkeeper, and this time I took my time to ensure I struck the right side of the ball to score. As the game wore on my opponent started to have more of the possession, but as had happened in earlier games, either his final touch came short or I blocked his figures from the ball. A missed defensive flick game Ugo the space he needed on the left to position his figure to shoot the ball over the goalkeeper to equalize just before half time.
While Ugo continued to press my defense, I would win the ball and make long passes to two or three figures just outside his shooting line. In the tenth minute a quick pass from defense to my attackers on the left allowed me to bypass Ugo’s defense and my shot rifled into the left side of the goal. With just one and half minutes left I made another quick pass up the pitch and scored before Ugo could block my figures with a defensive flick.
Simon 2 Ugo 1
This time it was Ugo who broke quickly pushing the ball through my defense, and then scoring with a powerful drive just beyond the reach of my goalkeeper. I pressed hard for the remainder of the first half trying to equalize, winning more corners in this half than I had had in all the previous games combined. I was finally able to score from one of these corners, and the first half ended with the score tired.
The second half was very even as we both pressed the others’ defense, and we struggled to get into a position where we could make a threatening shot on goal. Ugo conceded a foul just outside the right side of his shooting line. I pushed the free kick over the line in just front of another of my figures and chipped Ugo’s goalkeeper to score the winning goal.
We took a meal break before playing the final game of the night.
Ugo 2 Simon 1
Ugo took the lead again from another quick break down the right and shot that passed my goalkeeper. Soon afterwards Ugo stranded his goalkeeper, and I missed the open goal again. But I came back and equalized with two minutes left in the first half.
We both struggled to get past the other’s defenses in the second half. With two minutes left it looked like the game was going to end in a tie. Then Ugo pushed the ball around the right side of my defense and scored.
I would like to thank the Metro West Boston Subbuteo Club for their generous hospitality, making me feel most welcome, and I hope that if I make another trip to New England we can renew this friendly rivalry.
Capeto is about to shoot