🏆 "THIS TROPHY, THIS VICTORY IS OURS, ALL OURS!!!!" 🏆
🏆GUNMA UNITED MAKE HISTORY, WINNING THEIR FIRST EVER
AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!!!!🏆
GUNMA UNITED IS CHAMPION!!!!!! Sometimes dreams do come true, even in the unlikeliest of places. Absolutely out of nowhere, this group of ram-shackle outcasts, unknowns, local prodigies, and world travellers have claimed their first ever AFC Champions League!! The unlikeliest of teams led by the unlikeliest of leaders, Angel Comizzo. In a thrilling, stressful, absolutely nerve-wracking double legged final, Gunma United have done what seemed impossible only two short seasons ago. By Winning Asia's most prestigious tournament and forever etching their names in footballing history, Gunma United might as well be the footballing story of the year, a rugged dark horse candidate which, against all odds, have claimed Asia's top footballing glory.
The first leg was in Gunma. In front of a packed stadium which lit up the stands with red smoke and thrilling chants, the team came out ready, with their gameplan in mind and very motivated. Comizzo had spent the last week analyzing FC Seoul, and had psychologically prepared and primed his players for the ultimate stage. The two managers were a complete contrast in styles. While Seoul came out with Comizzo energizing his players, animatedly clapping and giving impassioned speeches, Seoul's manager Park Ji-Sup stoically stood in the sidelines, without uttering a single word, with only the slightest of smile on his face. This contrast was very interesting, and would be seen throughout the two matches. While Comizzo jumped up and down on the sidelines, earning a few touchline warnings from the referee, always moving, yelling, making gestures, talking to the referee and always motivating his players wildly, Park perhaps didn't utter a single word throughout the series, his expression rarely changing, letting his preparation do the talking. It's not that Comizzo cares more about his team than Park, it's just that their way of showing it is completely different.
Back to the match.
Gunma kicked off as the home team, and after a few cagey minutes where nerves could be felt on both sides, and a few careless possessions did not amount to much, it was immediately apparent that both teams had their definite and defined styles. Both teams playing to their strengths:
Park's Seoul was keeping possession over 70% of the time, a staggering number, passing the ball around deftly between their midfielders, and looking for opportunities. They were also pressing very high, and very intensely, a difficult combination for
Comizzo and his team.
Gunma was having trouble finding chances, but whenever they got the ball, they decided to pass very quickly, shortening possession and going immediately on the offensive. The strategy worked, as
United in the 16th minute, struck first with a goal by
Kaito Nakamura, resulting from a buildup play with
Morita and a beautiful pass by
Someya!!
1-0 Gunma United!
And only 7 minutes later, in the 23rd minute, the 2nd goal, courtesy of
Saulo Mineiro! Once again Morita organizing the play, setting up Nakamura with the assist to the speedy and talented
Brazilian star, who scores!
2-0 Gunma United! FC Seoul were shell-shocked. Even though
Park's face never changed expression,
Comizzo celebrated both goals with a lot of emotion, hugging his assistants, and exhorting his team to stay alert and keep up the pressure. This was a clear 1-2 punch to
FC Seoul, after they had started the game dominating with almost 80% possession, they were suddenly down in an 0-2 hole, with still 60 minutes left to go in the match! Even though
Gunma United had only had 2 chances, they had scored on both, with deft passing and finding spaces between the high
FC Seoul press! It is important to note, also, that both plays were started by
Morita, the Defensive Midfielder who had done such a great job containing Nakata in the previous match, was now showing class on both sides of the pitch, orchestrating the midfield a la Luka Modric!
As the second half started,
FC Seoul continued and in fact increased their possession strategy, trying to find spaces for their talented scorers
Ahn Jung Hwan, and Serbian
Paločević, to no avail.
Gunma's defense was solid, as
Comizzo decided to make a small adjustment during halftime and have the players press the
FC Seoul attackers more, to cut off the passing lanes and create more counterattacking opportunities. And this is exactly what happened, as the match progressed, it was clear that
Gunma's defenders were doing their job brilliantly, covering up
Seoul's attacking space before they could generate trouble,
Seoul had the ball, but were passing it without generating much danger. (Even though
United keeper
Osako did save a couple of good chances by Paločević and Ahn). And then it happened! In minute 80, another counterattacking play by
Gunma United leads to the third score!
The opportunist,
Shigeta! Remember when he said in
Gunma United's media day, Shigeta said:
"I try not to pattern my playing style. I like unpredictability and opportunity."? Well that is exactly what he did to score the third goal! Out of nowhere, after a nicely set up play by Nakamura and Someya,
Shigeta appears without a man marking him and scores! and 10 minutes later, it's a wrap! The crowd erupts in ecstasy,
Comizzo hugs his assistants and his players, and everybody wearing red celebrate a dominating 3-0 win at
Gunma Stadium! We have the upper hand in the final! With
28% Possession, and with only
4 shot attempts, with less than half of the passes attempted and completed,
Gunma had won in a very
Comizzo-ball like performance, and were going to Korea with a
3-0 advantage!!
The second match, back in
Seoul, was full of tension and excitement. Perhaps most observers, including the commentating team, belived that
Gunma United had this final wrapped up, with a
3-0 advantage, it was ours to win or lose. Even the UK commentator, Jim Beglin, which was covering the final for the audience outside of Korea and Japan, said so in his pre-game remarks: "It seems to me like they have a distinct advantage, and only an effort of titanic proportions will suffice for
FC Seoul". If most of the analysts thought that the return leg match was only a mere formality, somebody forgot to tell
FC Seoul, who came out smoking. Even before the match, and during it as well,
Seoul's manager
Park Jin-Sub stood pensively in the sidelines, with a small smile on his face, thoughtful, seemingly confident and analyzing everything. To some analysts, it might seem like
Park was nonchalant and detached..... But no. He had a a plan.
Comizzo had a plan as well: His plan was not only to withstand
Seoul's offensive firepower, "aguantar el partido" like we say in South America, but also to find counterattacking opportunities just like in the first match, back up his defensive lines a bit, but still apply pressure and look to counter and use his players' superior speed and good teammwork and chemistry in order to finish
Seoul off. But that plan backfired quickly.
FC Seoul was dominating the first 15 minutes of the match.
Gunma United felt a bit lost, because even if we were looking for the same counterattacking spaces as in
Gunma stadium, here at
Seoul Olympic Stadium those spaces just weren't there.
Seoul was passing the ball beautifully, making triangulations, and not only keeping possession, but generating a lot of chances inside and outside the box. Even though we were still 3-0 up in the aggregate score,
Seoul did not succumb to desperation. Much like their manager, they calmly kept playing their game, confident that the irchances would come if they were persistent and patient. In fact, a lot of chances would come in the first 15 minutes. And all these efforts paid off! In the 18th minute, Korean superstar and K-League sensation
Ahn Jung-Hwan scored from just inside the box, after precise passing by Seoul's midfielders and attackers.
The score was
Seoul 1 (1) Gunma 0 (3).
The rest of the first half continued in similar fashion. Although
Gunma United did have chances, they were few and far between. It was like
Seoul was a different team. They were generating a lot of danger, and as the first half ended, the score remained
1-0 Seoul. The second half was more of the same, in fact
FC Seoul came out even more aggressively now, understanding that they had to score 2 goals in order to send the match to extra time.
Comizzo was extremely nervous in the second half, his gum had been chewed down to dust, he was sweaty, screaming and gesturing all over the touch line. In minute 56,
Nakamura had a wonderful opportunity to score an away goal, but
Seoul's goalkeeper
Baek Jun-Beom saved the day with a great save. All the while,
Seoul kept doing their business, as urgency started to take its toll.
Comizzo had asked his wingers to track back, as the
Argentine decided to play defensively, and the wingers had helped a lot in these roles. Minute 70, and
Someya and Shigeta are completely exhausted and are substitued. The Defensive Midfielder,
Morita was doing his usual brilliant job covering the spaces. But aside from that one chance,
United were not creating danger. They were holding on with a 2 goal advantage.. The clock keeps ticking, There are 5 minutes to go in regulation time and
Gunma will be crowned champion!
And once again,
Ahn Jung Hwan scores, with a brilliant one on one play. The Korean star eludes several
Gunma defenders and scores a powerful shot with the right foot!
Minute 85! It is 2-0 Seoul! The aggregate is 3-2 in favor of Gunma United, and with 5 minutes to go, these are the longest 5 minutes of Angel Comizzo's life.
"Get on him, get on him!!!!!!!!"
"Come on Honda, do it for your family!!!!!! Do it for your city!!!!!!"
Honda dispossesses Ahn with a clean tackle in the box.
"Clear the ball! Clear the ball!"
"What are you guys doing?? CLOSE THE PASSING SPACE! CLOSE THE PASSING SPACE"
"THAT'S NOT A CORNER KICK!"
"Yes!!!! Great job!!!!!! HEAD IT OUT!!!! Morita now just clear it!!!! NO DON'T PLAY IT CLEAR IT!!!!!!!!"
"WHAT'S THE TIME???? WHAT'S THE TIME????"
.................2 MINUTES EXTRA TIME................
".....Footballing Gods. Please hear me. Do it for my Players. Do it for Japan. Do it for my Family. For Argentina....."
WHISTLE BLOWS
GUNMA UNITED IS THE CHAMPION OF THE AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gunma United has done it. We have won the
AFC Champions League!!!!
In a show of class, manager
Park and
Comizzo exchange a small embrace after the match.. As
Park whispers to
Comizzo: "You are the best manager in Asia. Congratulations."
I have no more words to describe this feeling...... So let's hear it from
Comizzo and the
Players....
Reporter: "You said you would describe your personal feelings after winning the Champions League."
Angel Comizzo: "Yes, I feel like I owe you that... I, I am immensely happy. Not even winning 4 championships with River Plate as a goalkeeper can compare to this happiness that I feel..... After... after being rejected in all of South America, being called all kinds of names by the media, people saying I was done as a manager, that I didn't have any knowledge of the game...... To come here, make.... make a new home.... It is more than.... I can express in words. Until now, I was known as a River Plate man.. But from now on, no matter where I go, I will always represent
Gunma United. You guys.. You guys gave me everthing, To me and my family..... To our fans, Japan, Argentina, For my Players, For my Country, For Gunma.. WE DID IT... THIS TROPHY, THIS VICTORY IS OURS, ALL OURS!!!!!"
Nakamura: "I've heard people refer to me as a "star" in this team. But I'm only a small piece of the puzzle..If anyone deserves the most recognition, it is our true leader,
Comizzo-Sensei. Without him, none of this would've been possible, but he would still say this is a team effort. This is an immense joy I feel right now, made even greater because we did it as a team."
Honda: "In Japan, we are taught to keep our emotions inside, not to show them. In
Japanese culture, if a person shows too much emotion, it could be considered as showing too much vulnerability or being rude, or disrespectful to the feelings of other people.
Comizzo-Sensei has taught us that in the South American way, feeding off your emotions can not only help you as a footballer, but it is also a beautiful worthwhile thing in your life."
Shigeta: "I just took my opportunity when it presented itself (talking about the third goal in the first match). I think what opponents most undervalue is the element of surprise. And I used that to my advantage.. I give a lot of credit to my teammates for deflecting the attention, that has happened often in my footballing career. I am not the star. But today, I was able to find the unmarked space. That is my game."
Morita: "Everything in life has a balance. If our manager and our other Latin players bring the emotion, which was a beautiful, very powerful thing, we also need a cool head to temper the emotion and give it direction. I think the combination of calmness and fire, that is one of the elements that helped us reach the title. I think that was my greatest contribution,
trying to keep calm under pressure."
Someya: "This is cool."
Saulo Mineiro: "
One day, I will bring these memories back to Brazil, when I retire, and will tell my friends and family that, an entire ocean away, I have a second family who I will always love and be grateful to. All of you Gunma citizens, you are my family now. That being said, I hope tonight we celebrate at Barbacoa Churrascaria Aoyama, the finest BBQ & Samba music in Japan! Don't worry coach, no sushi there, hahahahahahaha I think it's time we go back to our roots!!"
I would like to thank: Master
@Holland for always supporting me and also for his amazing gameplay mods!! GRAZIE BRO!!
My friends
@Joga @mattmid @*aLe @The Moroccan @slamsoze and
@Madmac79 for always following my stories and for their AWESOME comments, questions, follow-up, jokes etc.. You guys are the FUEL of this thread!!
@TardeRedonda and
@caballofoca for their real life support!!
Anyone else who has read my Master League stories and enjoyed them....
and last but not least.. to
@damienferriggi for being the inspiration for this thread!! Hope you keep going bro!!
Become the wind!
YOu survived the fakin scripted ACL final too. Only one notice. As you are playing a Japanese team, and given the anime like Slam Dunk, or Captain Tsubasha that alwaysm conclude to a Nippon Challenge, why you not play the FIFA Club World Cup too?
