Azzuri entered the final against Alistair Scott’s VI as slight favourites having won the group match between the two sides – both teams had progressed from Group 2 – by a goal to nil.
The first half was a tense affair with chances at a premium. In fact the main talking points of the half were some tasty challenges from both sides. Chris Orme set the trend in the 2nd minute with 2 challenges as the match threatened to boil over.
It was 5 minutes before the first shot on target when both sides exchanged long range efforts. Azzuri managed the only other strike on goal before half time as the defences kept firmly on top.
As expected the match opened up a bit in the 2nd half. Within a minute of the restart both sides had had good chances, Steven Gaughan having the best chance for Azzuri before Azzuri keeper Tony Torriero was called into action.
Despite being lead from the front by Michael Sharp, Alistair Scott’s VI struggled to make an impact, their only other chance of the half coming 4 minutes from full time. Azzuri had chances to win it with Hall and Gaughan but neither could stop the game going to extra time.
Within 30 seconds of the start of extra time Azzuri won a throw in on the half way line. The ball, after being played forward, was played back into central defence from where it was switched by Ewan Latham to the left wing where Duncan Ratcliffe made a surging run before driving a ball low and hard across the face of goal. Hall had made the perfect run and from close range beat the advancing keeper.
As Alistair Scott’s VI ran out of steam – they had played the whole tournament without substitutes – Azzuri created more chances but failed to score.
Azzuri proudly lifted The Oxfam Cup for 2009. They will hopefully return next year to defend their title.
