1.FC Union 0 - 1 TeBe

Paul-Rusch-Pokal, quarter final

So TeBe move into the Berlin Cup semis with a great away win at moneybags Union. 250-odd TeBe fans apparently made a great noise, the winner came in the second half from - who else? - Micha FussFussFuss. The team are on a great run at the moment, I think that's 8 wins in a row. Typical TeBe, either very very good or awful.

A great match report (in German) and photos can be found on stadionbesuch.de.

Derry City 0 - 0 Linfield

Thompo yet again.

Group 2

Team P W D L GD PTS
Shelbourne 5 2 2 1 +4 8
Linfield 5 1 4 0 +2 7
Derry City 5 1 3 1 +2 6
Glentoran 5 1 1 3 -8 4


So we lose the lead of the group, Shelbourne having tanked the Glens 3-0 at the Oval, and apparently we were a bit lucky, but I was pleased when my dad phoned me to tell me the result, even if I couldn't get back to sleep after that, I'd have taken a draw before the game. Air McNair will hopefully have a wee summary to follow but some points:

+ we're still unbeaten in all-Ireland competition this season!
+ another clean sheet away from home
+ the fans, despite a 1.5 hour round trip on the way home across the border, got home safe and sound
+ a win vs. the Glens in our last match will see us through to the semis, probably as group winners as I fancy Derry to get something from Shelbourne. That would mean a home draw vs. Drogheda United, tough but not as tough as a prospective away match vs. Eircom League Champions Cork City...

- We've only scored 2 goals in 5 matches now
- Team knackered

Nearly there...

Ireland quakes in Linfield's wake

Cracking article on UEFA.com about Linfield being unbeaten in 47 domestic games this season, and being the first Champions in European leagues this season. More recognition...

Shelbourne 0 Linfield 0

Travelling Bluemen (cheers Thompo)

Setanta Cup Matchday 4

This competition is hotting up, with the Blues in the driving seat. A backs to the wall performance after a ridiculous sending-off for Maccers for daring to shout at a player who tried to assault him leaves us top of the group:

Team P W D L GD PTS
Linfield 4 1 3 0 +2 6
Derry City 4 1 2 1 +1 5
Shelbourne 4 1 2 1 +1 5
Glentoran 4 1 1 2 -4 4

4 points from our last 2 games, Derry (a) and Glentoran (h) would see us through, probably as group winners.

Champions!

Many thanks to Thompo yet again

First in Europe!

Linfield clinched their 46th league title on Saturday with still 6 (SIX) games to go in the league campaign. This went a long way to making up to last season's last-gasp league disappointment.


This team now has the chance to make themselves legends. A win in a possible Irish Cup Final vs Glentoran (who we haven't beaten i nthe final since the 1940s) would secure a domestic clean sweep, not done since the legendary Seven trophy-winning Linfield team of 1961/62.


But the way to REALLY make themselves legends would be to win the all-Ireland Setanta Cup too, making it 5 trophies for the season and Linfield to be true Kings of Ireland.

** UPDATE: Linfield drew 0-0 last night in Dublin with Shelbourne, Maccers was sent off AGAIN for apparently growling at a player who had just tried to remove his kidney with his studs. A good reult, seeing as the Glens beat Derry surprisingly 1-0. We're in the driving seat, and as the fans were singing all last night:

"WE ARE INVINCIBLE!"

Nearly there...

If Linfield beat Armagh City away tomorrow, they will win their 46th Irish League title. And can concentrate on the Setanta Cup and doing the Clean Sweep. Here's the table:

Carnegie Irish Premier Division Table

		P	GD	PTS
1	Linfield	23	62	63
2	Glentoran	24	20	47
3	Portadown	23	20	44
4	Dungannon Swifts	23	14	38
5	Ballymena	23	-2	37
6	Cliftonville	23	2	34
7	Newry	24	5	33
8	Limavady	23	-5	30
9	Armagh City	23	-13	29
10	Loughgall	23	-2	28
11	Coleraine	23	-13	28
12	Lisburn Distillery	23	-2	27
13	Glenavon	23	-19	25
14	Institute	23	-16	21
15	Larne	23	-19	20
16	Ards	23	-32	10

Fix

I was informed by my dad on Saturday that Linfield, having progressed to the Irish Cup semi-final, drew Bangor, the weakest team in the hat, avoiding big rivals Glentoran at the same time. I was delighted with this; I want us to beat them in the final and exorcise a 60-year Irish Cup final hoodoo we have. The draw:
Larne vs Glentoran
Bangor vs Linfield

Only on Monday when I went on Irish League Forums did I realise how badly rigged this 'draw' was. To wit:

1. The balls were transparent, and contained in a feckin glass fruit bowl.
2. No stirring of the balls was conducted on TV before the first 2 balls were drawn (only before the final two!) Glentoran fans watching the room on CCTV before the draw went live on air confirmed that no stirring was done at all beforehand.
3. Adam Coates, radio presenter, told everyone beforehand that the practice draw had yielded Larne vs Glentoran and Bangor vs Linfield. Surprise surprise!!
4. The presenter called out Larne as ball 1, when on the screen it said Glentoran. It turned out that the names in the bowl had no numbers anyway...
5. Allegedly sponsors had said beforehand that they wanted a Linfield - Glentoran final.

Fixed draws are nothing new. That it was done so amateurishly and brazenly live on air - only in Northern Ireland.
I have the download here, but unfortunately you have to be a member of ILF and for that amig@s, you have to pay 10 English pounds. I'll see what I can do later about getting it onto another file, it really is ridiculous.

TeBe 3 Hansa II 1

Fuss slots home the third

So at last, my first 'real' game since September. The pitch was white with green markings; don't think i've seen that since the 'white ball' Glens-Blues game back in 1995.

To be honest, I don't have too much to report from the game, seeing as I was too busy chatting and catching up with people to pay too much attention to the action. In the first half, TeBe displayed some crisp neat passing, remarkable given the surface, most of their good stuff going through Fuss (finally no high balls pumped forward to him) and Micha was sharp as a tack. I like his combination with my new cult favourite big Vuckovic. TeBe went in at the break deservedly 3-1 ahead.

A big thanks to Mr. Bungle, stadium DJ, for playing my request Teenage KICKS by the Undertones, and for Felix for providing the record.

The second half was pretty poor, but not surprising given the surface. The fans however were in fine fettle, belting out a host of old favourites, and 'Caravan of Love' was given another airing, though it still requires some learning by the newer fans. Again, Mr. Bungle, star that he is, played the 'proper' version after the match.

After, we managed to slip into the press conference, where free beer and food awaited. Raickovic the trainer truly is a man of few quiet words; the Hansa trainer was magnanimous in his praise. After, some chats ensued, first with my new english-speaking mate 'Thompo' and then Micha, hounded all night by the Fortuna Stalker.

All in all, I thought TeBe looked good, no way will we go down now, so it's a case of Aufbauarbeit now till the end of the season, let the team get to know each other, then really go for it next season when hopefully Babelsberg will be in a league above and FC Union will be bankrupt.

Hertha BSE 2 - 1. FC Koeln 4

Was at this game in the away block with a few TeBe mates on Saturday cos one of them is from Cologne and a big fan. Was the first time I'd been in the Olympiastadion in 6 years and was well impressed with the place, the roof keeps it warmer and adds to the atmosphere.

- Great 2nd half, Hertha were all over them in the 1st half
- 2nd goal was a fantastic volley
- Hertha suck and i take it their trainer has been sacked?
- Fan protest outside the ground afterwards, they want the manager Hoeness and not the Trainer Goetz sacked
- Good atmosphere in the Cologne block, was impressed
- 12 Euros, half as cheap as I paid 2 weeks earlier to get into Doncaster-Gills

Some photos: