Halftime update (with "live" current scoring in red): **Sasha Juniors -- 13.5 + Steele(1-1=0*) **Real Newark -- Estupinan(1-1=0*) + Willock(1*) + Mac Allister(0*) +BrunoG(1-1=0*) + Welbeck(1*) So, it's just 0 to 2 so far, with RNewark needing to overcome a 13.5 deficit.... Sasha Juniors successfully survives the first half with no attacking returns for RNewark, and RNewark grimaces to see the BrunoG yellow card. BUT, the next key point will be the 60-minute mark, both for playing time and for Newcastle mids if they still have the clean sheet. If nothing else changes, RNewark will get 6 more points at 60 minutes, with just 1 point to SashaJrs, making it 9-2 on the today, and leaving RNewark needing just 7 more points.... And, a Mac Allister appearance point (and goal threat) waiting on the bench, although the Mac Allister attacking return could break the Newcastle clean sheet if Willock and/or BrunoG are still in..... For SashaJrs, Steele is on 2 saves, so could pick up an additional point with just one more..... For RNewark, Willock was perhaps the most active in the first half and had the best opportunities in the first half with a couple of promising link ups with Almiron.
Big sequence around min 50-52 Almiron with a wide open look from a Willock header, saved by Steele. So, +1 for Steele, while Willock misses out on the assist. Then, Brighton counters for a goal to make it 2-1, which removes the Newcastle midfield clean sheets that might have fallen for RNewark.... Minute 55 or so see Mac Allister enter the game. +1. (Although Welbeck exits in a trio of changes, so doesnt get to 60 minutes).
Min 59-62 -- Willock must exit with a hamstring injury but stays on the ground long enough to get to the 60 minutes... Mac Allister gets a yellow card, so -1. Looking like RNewark will need two attacking returns in the final 25 minutes given the yellow cards and no clean sheet points.
Min 90 - Bruno G goal makes it 4-1 to Newcastle. Looks like RNewark still needs 6 more points in the 8 added minutes (an Estupinan to Mac Allister goal may be the only way at this point, although perhaps another Bruno G goal would get him the bonus points...)
Final whistle. Sasha Juniors looks to have held on, but we'll wait for the final official scores at this point.
GW36 is Champions Round G17, the final GW. DE-CUP Champions Round Champion -- Sasha Juniors (83)!!! And, it's end of the line for Real Newark (78). CHAMPIONS ROUND – Real Newark (78 points - GW36) **SECOND STRIKE - ELIMINATED Summary: *[No Strikes (0) = --] *[1 Strike (1) = Sasha Juniors (gw22)] *[Eliminated (8) = Game of Ohhhs (gw23,gw24), REVEALED: Starboy XI (gw25,gw27), Borussia DaMarcus (gw26,gw28), Stormin Gunners (gw21,gw29), Top Shelf (gw30,gw32), blechs_dawgs (gw20,gw33), Glorydaze (gw34,gw35), Real Newark (gw31,gw36)] ===== 78 is certainly the highest score for a strike in the BE-Cup or DE-Cup this season, and may be the highest score for a strike ever. And, yes, the scores across the entire league were up this week. The average of 65.1 by the All Rocks Teams in GW36 was 3rd highest of the season, behind only the 80.5 in gw29 and 72.7 in gw34. While ending up with 78, Real Newark had ways to victory on the final day--indeed, a late run by Bruno G at the top of the box in the closing minutes could have done it with a wunder-strike for the 5-point midfielder goal, but the pass was off, he couldn't control it, and he then crumbled with a cramp after 96+ minutes. Back down to the other end, it would have only taken a trip in the area to send Mac Allister to the penalty spot, but no one stabbed at the ball and no one fell as Enciso shot wide, and the final seconds ticked away.... It was a frustrating day for Real Newark with seemingly one step backward for each step forward. Welbeck subbed in minute 56 missed out on a point by 4 minutes. Bruno G and Mac Allister picked up unnecessary yellow cards. Bruno G and Willock missed out on the midfielder clean sheet bonus. Missing out on each of those 5 single points could have done it, and then the Steele save on Almiron from point blank range to deny the Willock assist was probably the biggest moment, especially when followed by the Brighton goal to bust the NEW clean sheet. Alternatively, and certainly in the hypothetical woulda, coulda, shoulda box, Real Newark is still holding the Triple Captain Chip, which would have meant an additional 7 points from Kane had it been played for the DE-Cup championship...... But well fought to the end. And, kudos to Sasha Juniors, who survived after picking up an strike long, long ago in this round's 3rd gameweek! It meant going 14 straight weeks without landing at the bottom, capped off this week behind the stellar returns of Gundogan (19), Eze (16), Martial (8), and captain Haaland (7*2), with 6 points on the deep bench via autosub being the difference. Indeed, third substitute Konate's 5 points as the second autosub WAS the 5-point margin of victory. There will be no time to rest for Sasha Juniors, and little time to celebrate either, as the DE-Cup winner now proceeds straight to the SE-Cup, to go head-to-head over the final two gameweeks with BE-Cup winner Living in Dreamland.
The SUPER-Eliminator Cup is being played this season across GWs 37 and 38, so we are underway. After GW37, the scores are: BE-Cup Champion -- Living in Dreamland -- 59 DE-Cup Champion -- Sasha Juniors --------- 68 Both teams played their bench boost in GW37, and that is basically the difference in the scores at this point, with Living in Dreamland getting just 2 bench points, while Sasha Juniors puts up 10. The chips are now gone for both, and it will head-to-head for the first XI with a 9-point gap separating them.
The SE-Cup moves into the second leg in GW38: Sasha Juniors holds a 9-point edge from the first leg. Living in Dreamland has an early goal from Captain Kane, while Sasha Juniors sees Captain Haaland on the MCI bench. The armband will shift to Eze if Haaland doesn't play, although it will certainly be no surprise to see him get some minutes. As of 20 minutes in, the live scoring is 17-6 in Dreamland's favor, but that doesn't include autosub points. It basically even at this point, with 70 game minutes to play.....
With all GW38 games at halftimes, the live scoring is: Sasha Jrs -- 68 + 14 = 82 L in Dreamland -- 59 +18 = 77 **This does not include autosubs or vice-captaincy, if applicable Sasha Jrs has 5 starting players who haven't played, and has Ward-Prowse with 6 on the bench, who would seem likely to get in, as well as the potential shift of the armband to Eze (currently 1 point) if Haaland does not get minutes. The points come from a De Gea penalty save and a Sterling assist. Sasha Jrs still has a MCI clean sheet in play. Dreamland has 2 starters (Stones and Buendia) who have not played, with only 1 point from Konsa currently on the bench, so current edge to Sasha Juniors for the auto-points that may come. Dreamland's points come from goals from Kane and Watkins. Dreamland still has a Spurs cleansheet in play. Notably, Dreamland has Mitrovic currently on -1, on the flip side of the De Gea save, with that one moment potentially being pivotal. 45 mintutes to go for @tarvinodos and @winbop. On to the second half......
I will update again if there is any adjustment required, but bonus points are now part of the live scoring and all that remains is autosubs and vice captaincy adjustments, which will add 10 to Sasha Jrs to go to 37 and 2 for Living in Dreamland to go to 69. Which means for the two legs: BE-Cup winner: L in Dreamland -- 59 + 69 = 128 DE-Cup winner: Sasha Jrs -- 68 + 37 = 105 For Living in Dreamland, it was the Spurs duo of captain Kane for 16*2 and Pedro Porro for 13 that overcame the first leg deficit with room to spare. Which wraps up the eliminator competitions for 2022-23 with the award of the Super-Eliminator Cup to Living in Dreamland!!! Congrats, and well played to all.