Saigon has been suffering under a tremendous heatwave the last week, which will be booked as the hottest week in South East Asia since beginning of time. Luckily our game was booked late enough in the afternoon, which saved us from some of the inevitable burns the Sa*nts had to endure right before us, sun-wise and pride wise. You know its bad when you look across the pitch and you see an visual heat distortion damping in the thick air over the astroturf.

Coach pat started the game with a rudimentary 4-4-2. A tactical plan that would allow us to control, and play from a condensed backline. A stroke of genius, or a bad move? 90 minutes would tell.

Raiders were putting in the work from the start of the game, with Stefan and Stu hurting the french wings, and Eoin and Mike Clark holding midfield. High pressure brought some some early chances through Hoggy, but the first ten minutes showed that Olympique is not a team you blow away, they will bring a guaranteed fierce battle, sacrebleu!

And as often this season, when a game is tight like it required some of Mike Owen’s pixie dust to break the deadlock: Two French defenders in the wind, completely neglecting Mike Clark – who was far better positioned – and a crossed-left-footed-sizzler ended up in the far corner. 1-0 after 15 minutes. It did look like Olympiques ‘Fat Barthez’ could have done more to prevent the goal, which would get confirmed later on in the game.

The French were bitten in their baguette and dominated the next 15 minutes, without ever unraveling the Raiders solid back four: The Eiffel Dowden deflected a certain goal with his Face/chin/chest, and Harry was applauded by the crowd for two Cannavaro-like interceptions in a one on one. It may have been because of the clochardesque proportions of his beard; it looked like no Frenchie wanted to get close or past him. Games are won from a solid organisation, embodied by our CB’s today, both deservedly nominated for MoM.

The pressure then balanced out into a tactical chess game, with coach Pat wildcarding his Fantasy Football line up in what looked like a simultaneous 5 way substitute. A 50 yard dash in the blistering heat was unforgiving for anyone on the pitch, so the generous amount of substitutes proved to be of importance!

Raiders came 2-0 up on a fast break through a carving run From Hoggy. The goalie managed in first instance to belly away the shot, but his sharp rebound was pinpoint and accurate and surely going to be Hoggy’s maiden goal… before it got got punched over the line by Stuart, who sheepishly explained himself after the game with: “Well yeah, guys… I thought it was gonna go wide so I tapped it in”. Opportunistic like a Pham Ngu Lao street kid!

Seconds later Mike Owen recovered another ball, took on the grey defence and goalie and slotted it to Rich, who controlled it cool as ice and buried it in an empty net to put us on roses. Raiders 3-0 up and leaning back.

The turkey of the match was also decided somewhere around that period when Nico (back from a 6 month sabbatical for no apparent reason) managed to dribble himself twice, miscalculated his footing, and turned slower than a monster truck in the span of 10 minutes. It must have looked like a fat kid that was presented with a cake after not eating for months: eager and uncontrolled, joyous and gluttonous.

Cue half time, slap-asses were given, and Coach Pat decided to play ‘like Italy’ to start the second half.
That means: leaning back, cementing the shit out of our defence with a double belt, and it definitely means: fuck the French, let them do the running!

The sun was setting, Olympique was trying but not managing and never got further than gentle pressure or desperate long range attempts.

Mirko picked up a yellow card for professional time wasting, but made up by disarming the ensuing free kick.
In a great display of mature football, the Raiders kept getting the best chances, and it sure is nice to rotate up front, because you know space will be coming towards the end of a game.

And so it happened: MoM Dowden with a pinpoint high and deep clearance ball to Nico, and the average football fan knows that a one on one with 20 year older Fred holds some potential. A blink of an eye later later, Fred was bodychecked out of the way, and the goalie chipped from 20 meters out.
The fact that the keeper was slightly heavy on the bones and couldn’t really jump doesn’t take away the shine of this peach, and boys… did that feel great!

(Its also quite nice to write these reports myself I must add, but thanks anyway for being an awesome bunch that can sweep a bad moment under the Raiders rug).

The comforting 4-0 was on the boards, and the Raiders cruised out the game. At least, not before Mike Owen found another moment to spoil the crowd, danced around Fred and Fat Barthez who were both still moaning from the 4-0, and toe poked the 5-0 in the back of the net. Please note in the footage that Stuart was vulturing around to steal another goal there, but Mike finished off properly.

Who will keep this guy from the Ballon d’Or at the end of the season? I would have to be because of an illusive Luke McDonnel hattrick in the champions game, or who knows, a Daniel free kick that doesn’t launch into hyperspace… We don’t usually give him Man of the Match, but it was another game winning display that will surely be missed next season. The game ended and an allround stellar performance was celebrated.

What did it this time: great organisation and discipline throughout the team. It may not always have been pretty, but that is just the way you play out a game like this.

Fighting for every inch, not pulling back, and grinding through. Testament to this are Craig’s and Ollie’s pepperoni sized leg burns that will be updated on the Raiders instagram daily.

Finally the beers and the calculator came out. With two games to go, Raiders are top of the league (well, Im not sure, but for the sake of happiness, lets just assume this for a second). We have to get past Japan and SEA Collection in our last two games, and maybe hope for a small misstep of Nam An.
I can’t recall Raiders ever being in a position like this so close to the end, so the coming weeks will be exciting!

Props to Pat for making all the right choices once again, and for everyone’s understanding that a squad this strong comes with rotation; in selections and in game time.

It’s one for all, and all for the title from now on, let the newspapers know! Raiders are in it to win it, and we’re on a good wave…

Lets ride this out!

RAIDERS!!