Report by Simon Hutchinson
 MassaCa Cup Ugo Capet's team on the left Simon Hutchinson's on the right |
I returned to New England on business and arranged a rematch with the Metro West Boston Subbuteo Club’s champion, Ugo Capet, for MassaCa 2, the second Massachussetts versus California friendly tournament.
The first MassaCa was played in June, 2008, when I had won the series with three wins, one draw, and two defeats. You can read the report here»
We met on Sunday September 7, 2008, and played seven games of twelve minute halves. I used my Birmingham City team mounted on Sureshot bases and my SportsFigure goalkeeper, Ugo used Sweden on Hasbro solid bases and a traditional Subbuteo style goalkeeper.
As the day wore on the humidity rose and became an increasing factor in my play. At the start I found the Woodentop pitch fast enough not polish my figures’ bases. By the end of the day I was using polish before every game and using the polishing cloth at half time, and still finding figures would not glide as I expected them to.
Simon 1 Ugo 0 (HT 1-0)
Ugo almost took the lead early in the game when he made his way through my scattered defense and I was forced to make a good save with my goalkeeper. I scored the only goal of the game in the first half with a long pass from my defense to a lone striker, who pushed the ball over the line, and scored with low hard shot. The second half was played mainly in my half between the half way line and the shooting line. My defense contained Ugo’s offense, and he struggled to get another shot on goal.
Simon 3 Ugo 1 (HT 1-1)
Ugo opened the scoring in the second minute. I equalized two minutes later and the half ended even. In the second half my offense was more aggressive and I scored goals in the fourth and eighth minutes and make it two wins out of two games.
After these games we took a lunch break. When we returned the room we were playing in had become a lot more humid and this affected my figures ability to glide across the pitch for the remainder of the day.
Simon 0 Ugo 0 (HT 0-0)
There was lots of back and forth and we both had shots but were unable to score. I came closest with a shot at the start of the first half that struck the cross bar, and
a fluffed shot that went four inches wide of the goal with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Simon 2 Ugo 1 (HT 1-1)
I took the lead at the start of the game, Ugo equalized just before the end of the first half. My goal midway through the second half gave me my third win of the day.
Simon 1 Ugo 1 (HT 0-1)
Ugo took the lead early with a great shot over my goalkeeper. Thereafter, the game was even with a lot of back and forth possession as I struggled with some figures getting stickier than others in the humid conditions. I tied the score in the fourth minute of the second half. At the end of the game I was on offense pressing for the winning goal. When the timer went off to signal the end of the game I was teed up with finger poised for a shot with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Simon 2 Ugo 1 (HT 0-1)
Ugo took the opening kick off, drove down the field and scored within 20 seconds. He dominated long periods of the second half, but my defense and goalkeeping kept me in the game. Perhaps it was against the run of play that I equalized in the middle of the second half, and scored the winning goal with less than two minutes left with a powerful shot from the left that went under Ugo’s goalkeeper.
After these six games I was leading the series with four wins, two draws, and no losses. I had scored nine goals and conceded four.
The last game was considered the final for the MassaCa Cup, I had brought from Los Angeles on my previous visit.
 The line up before the final |
Ugo 1 Simon 1 (HT 1-0, AET 1-1, shoot out 8-7)
At the end of regulation time the game was tied 1-1. I scored in the fourth minute of the first half, and Ugo had equalized with three minute remaining in the second half. There was no score in the “sudden death” overtime, so the game was decided by shoot out.
Ugo shot first and I saved, and I scored my shot. We both scored our second. He scored his third, straight on to the goal, and saved my shot. We both saved each others fourth shots. We both scored the fifth. As we were still tied, 3-3, the shoot out became “sudden death”. Both of us scored our first four shots and the pressure was mounting for who was going to make the first mistake. Ugo scored with his fifth shot. My fifth shot struck cross bar and bounced away from the goal. Ugo was the winner of the cup.
While it was disappointing not to win the Cup, with only one defeat by shoot out in seven games I was happy with my performance.
 The figure that scored the winning goal in the shoot out is carried by his team mates |