Team Riders is Club World Champion 2022! They defeated SAF in the final thanks to a dominant finish. For a long time the final was open.
SAF, who had previously defeated Schalke beaters Ninjas in Pyjamas in the semi-finals (2:1 and 2:1), as well as Riders felt each other out at the beginning of the match. It was only in the second half that both played with a slightly more open mind, which was to pay off straight away – for both.
Turnaround reply
In the 50th in-game minute Dan ‘Stingrayjnr’ Ray was able to get free in the sixteen. He set off on two dribbles, but the opponents all oriented themselves towards the centre. A momentous mistake, as without any pressure from the opposition, he finished into the far corner – 1-0. A lead that was not to last long.
Only three in-game minutes later, Riders played a long ball behind the chain. Their striker was able to get through in a one-on-one and scored with a direct shot from an acute angle into the far corner.
Riders’ Diogo ‘Tuga810’ Pombo and Andoni ‘AndoniiPM’ Payo had one more shot on target but failed to block from close range. It was a draw going into the second leg.
In this match, the dominance of the Riders asserted itself. They had more of the game, SAF tried to get behind the chain quickly with long balls – in vain. As in the first leg, the second half was to be much more spectacular.
Riders refine their dominance
After 60 in-game minutes, Pombo and Payo had a great opportunity to take the lead. They set up a passing sequence in the sixteen and had the eye for the player standing free eleven metres centrally in front of the goal. He shot with all his might, but aimed into the virtual night sky. They did much better just a few moments later.
They played SAF dizzy in the penalty area, crossed, but this time the powerful shot was on target – 2-1 on aggregate. Ray and his team-mate ‘Conkai’ then opened up, but there were no more opportunities of their own. Instead, Riders had the decision on their feet twice, but failed to score.
Nevertheless, the goal from the 63rd in-game minute was enough. Diogo ‘Tuga810’ Pombo and Andoni ‘AndoniiPM’ Payo not only won the trophy, but also 300,000 US dollars in prize money.
For Pombo, a long-awaited moment: “I am so happy! After four years – I lost a lot of important, big matches, never won a major tournament. It was the toughest match we had in this tournament. The equaliser was so important,” he told FIFA on the mic.
For the German participants, the tournament went off with mixed feelings. While 1. FC Köln were already eliminated after the group stage, Schalke and NEO met in the round of 16. There, the Knappen prevailed, but had to return home after the quarter-finals.
After the FIFAe World Cup, which Umut ‘Umut’ Gültekin won, and the FIFAe Club World Cup, the FIFAe Nations Series is coming up next week. Umut’, Mustafa ‘xMusti19’ Cankal and Dylan ‘DullenMIKE’ Neuhausen will play for the title for Germany. The DFBe team will kick off on 27 July at 6 p.m.
