Exciting match but I WIN!

Last match of group stage:
MATHEMATICS 2-3 YJ
(promos being the KNOCKOUT STAGES)

Maths scorers: Polynomial (22'), Sketch (92')
YJ scorers: Inequalities (25'), Cuboid (28'), Substitute (109')

After much hype before the big match, YJ finally emerged triumphant to secure a place to the next round (ie he shouldn't be forced to quit school.. yet). It was a pretty exciting, high-scoring match, but in the end we know that YJ's going to get all the score. Despite a bold early prediction that Mathematics was going to see YJ off, he wasn't to be defeated so easily.

Maths opened the scoring with Polynomial, who ran past FOUR defenders (the question indicated - polynomial of degree four) to cunningly slide a deceptive one past the 'keeper. YJ had no chance of defending that goal, and is confident of scoring 0 for that question. However, the joy of Mathematics was short-lived as YJ quickly equalised via a deft counter-attack, using imba striker Inequalities.

Then the shock came - YJ took the lead in the fifth period (question) of the match, using his fans (GC) as support. With the YJ fans throwing bottles and coins at the Mathematics players, they were easily felled. Then like Matrix Reloaded, the speedy midfielder called Cuboid weaved in and out of the defence in instants, suddenly leading to the second goal of YJ's team. His matrix-like reflexes (like the one in the GC) left the Mathematics defence stunned, 2-1 to YJ at the break.

After half-time which was all of 60 minutes, Mathematics tried hard to get an equaliser but couldn't find it till the later stages. Sketch, a defender, came up from the corner (since question 9 is at the start of the page) and slammed the ball in with a curling shot!!!!! (as you can tell from the graph) What the heck, no one could believe such a shot existed, but that's the beauty of Mathematics. Go look at Question 9 to see the exact curvature of the shot, wonderful I tell you.

Sketch was also known by a nickname - g(x). Which was why when he shot, YJ just ggxx-ed. Without getting a clue on what on earth was g(x), he failed terribly for the g'(x) section. Zero. Sources will indicate that g(x) has a certain connection with Swiss defender Gygax, but let's not bring the real World Cup into this World Cup, which is obviously far more exciting.

Being level at 2-2, both teams pressed for the winner - for the winner would qualify automatically for the next round. Then as news filtered through that Chemistry owned Economics 6-0 (what a surprise), it was now or never for YJ. And the stroke of luck came at the penultimate period of the match when YJ made a substitution - the substitute, better known as "Substitute", took u = 2x + 1 and took the defence around the pitch.

And with astouding speed, he integrated the ball into the goal. The final nail into Mathematics' coffin - and the team that had bugged YJ for six months finally fell at the blow, not being able to score any at the eleven minutes after that. The match ended 3-2 at YJ's favour, and pretty much deservedly so.

We had a post-match interview with YJ, who initially declined to comment because he was busy partying with his friends who had finished their group matches also. However, after much persuasion, we were granted to an interview with him. He said, "It was a marvellous victory, all three points. At least it saved my overall campaign (with Maths as the only pass). But I'm glad it's over and that's all I care about."

Back to partying.

Well so that was that for YJ's group, finishing second with 4 points, though with the worst goal difference. Qualifying for the second round (promos), YJ hopes that the team will slowly gel towards better performances and less drubbings against stronger opponents like Chemistry. The other final group matches look to finish tomorrow, with Biology and Japan being the opponents.

Good luck to everyone for their final group match tomorrow. I am pretty pleased with my result.