Round: Semi-Finals Venue: National Stadium, Warsaw Rules: 90 minutes, followed if necessary by extra-time (original rules with multiple goals possible in 30 minutes) and then if the scores are still tied a penalty shoot-out * Note - If you think the game will go to extra-time please choose that option (at the bottom end of the poll) and then you can say what you would choose for the score at full-time in normal time/90 minutes in the thread, as well as give details of how you'd see extra-time going Line-ups: (diagrams in following posts) AC Milan 89-90 - Giovanni Galli; Mauro Tassotti, Alessandro Costacurta, Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini; Roberto Donadoni, Frank Rijkaard, Carlo Ancelotti, Alberigo Evani; Marco van Basten, Daniele Massaro. Ajax 94-95 - Edwin van der Sar; Michael Reiziger, Danny Blind, Frank de Boer; Frank Rijkaard; Ronald de Boer, Clarence Seedorf; Jari Litmanen; Finidi George, Patrick Kluivert, Marc Overmars. Voting deadline - 26th May 2015 (1 week from now) Main thread: http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/1989-2014-fantasy-world-club-cup.2012816/page-22 Feel free to discuss the match and how you think it would play out, and then after you vote for a scoreline feel free to provide reasoning. If considering substitutions, please check the players were at the club in the relevant season and then you are free to consider 3 substitutions selected from the whole squad for each team, in the scenario you envisage
A couple of days left for people to vote on this semi-final or add comments about how the game might pan out or who might score etc. It's hard to make a guess, but I've gone with a bigger scoreline here for the semi on neutral ground, as compared to what I predicted or what was announced as the result based on all votes in the two group stage games between these teams - 3-2 to Milan. I think Ajax are a very functional (but with style/skill) team but I don't see them having the game their own way throughout against this Milan team in such a big game. There might well be periods of cancelling out but I think the quality of each team going forwards will shine through at times and I'm going for a few goals being scored. Maybe Milan's pressing hurries Ajax into losing a bit more possession than they usually would, but I'm picking Van Basten out as the game decider with the skill to pick a hole in the competent Ajax defence, perhaps tricking his way past Blind before scoring the opener....and the scoring instinct to get on the end of a cross and put the ball in the net (perhaps he does that for the winning goal). I'm saying Ajax get some goals in a purple patch around the middle of the game before Baresi and co get back some control - perhaps Litmanen with a volley from inside the box and then Finidi George unleashing an inspired one from outside the box. I might as well complete my selections of goalscorers for this game so I'll say Rijkaard drives forward, exchanges passes with Van Basten and then plays the ball to Donadoni who twists his way inside Frank de Boer and fires home for a Milan equaliser, and then Donadoni is also the most likely source of the cross I'm saying leads to Van Basten's winner. None of us would be able to call the exact scenario of course (but feel free to lay out yours like I say) but that's my effort, and generally speaking I feel 3-2 to Milan could be a reasonably likely outcome and I'm favouring Milan to edge it thanks to Van Basten and their attacking play in general which I can see bringing rewards in this semi-final as it often did for them in big games which raised their enthusiasm and drive.