Well hello there. Welcome back to the 2021 CM Cup and more precisely Groups A and B. By the end of today we could know the identity of our first qualifiers into the knockout rounds but likewise there are teams scrapping to stay alive. Things are getting interesting and I’ll get you scores, you’ll find them here first on Robot Wars. Might have mixed my intros there.

Group A

FMCM_FC vs FPLHints

Nathan played our a dire 0-0 in his first match so improvement is imperative if he is to be in the latter stages. The South American front 3 must improve.

Ash has the benefit of a win in the bank making this somewhat less of a pressure cooker for him. A win and he’s through regardless.

Ash takes an early lead through Savicevic and has a golden opportunity to double when awarded a penalty on 20 minutes. Vialli reminds us all why he took up management by ballooning the spot kick. Salas equalises to rub salt in bald wounds before Stan Collymore restores the lead before half time. More action in this first half than the entirety of Nathan’s first game! The home side go in search of an equaliser but Ash not only locks the door, he stands various heavy objects behind and in front of it and ensures nobody can get in or out. It finishes 2-1 and Ash takes his seat at judges houses.

Nathan had the better of it but Ash was the more clinical. Something about xG, probably.

Bizarre to see so many average ratings from a winning side but that’s just how it goes. Sergi takes man of the match from left back, I don’t know why.

Nathan will be wondering how that got away. All eyes on game two…

Footballacumen vs hsoper404

Andrew’s position is perilous having lost the first game. A defeat here and automatic qualification is impossible and he’d be left relying on being one of the best third placed teams. He resists the temptation to call on Dundee or Amoroso just yet.

It’s as you were for Harry. The dull 0-0 of game one might not actually be a terrible result here for Harry with a home game against already qualified Ash to follow…

PENALTY! The space cowboy (not JK, Florian) slots it away and Harry is up and running. It’s a pretty even game but the longer it goes on, the more desperate Andrew becomes. Fonseca, Dundee and Amoroso are all thrown on but it’s Raul who scrambles an equaliser. Before either manager can think about what happens next, Fonseca wins the game with a belter. Andrew’s subs have won it, or at least one of them has.

You wouldn’t say it was necessarily deserved on the balance of chances but overall, perhaps. Who ruddy knows.

Stimac and Costacurta take the acclaim with a pair of 9s. RIP Christophe Revault, who sadly passed away recently.

Ash books his place in the last 16 whilst all of the other three can still qualify. Andrew is in the box seat and will likely make it through with just a point away at Nathan, whilst a win for Harry would leave him relying on goal difference to guarantee a spot but 4 points will almost certainly be good enough for the third place qualifiers.

That’s all from Group A for today, let’s pop over to Group B.

Group B

9798Nikolai vs NTR9798

Nikolai is everybody’s go to for tactics but he found himself on the wrong end of a defeat in match one. There’s some added pressure here as a defeat would almost be the end. John Barnes is called up for the occasion.

The people’s champion Nick could do with at least avoiding defeat to go with his point the first time around. He needs to find an improvement on his CLM form.

An early contender for game of the tournament sees Hubner open the scoring only for Nilis to equalise right on the stroke of half time. Nikolai has long had a love affair with Marcus Gayle (in game only, I think) and he nets twice to put Nikolai in control. Beckham reduces the arrears and although there’s a push for an equaliser, Hubner gets his second to finish it. Or does he? Substitute Graef does make it 4-3 from kick off but Nikolai holds on. What a game!

It is deserved for Nikolai overall but Nick can take plenty of positives from this.

Pagliuca takes man of the match despite shipping 4, which says it all.

That result is great news for Dave who can secure qualification with a win. Deano will also not be too upset by the result here!

Emsonite vs DaveMathieson84

It’s still 5-3-2 from Deano.

Dave has a great front two as I’ve alluded to before, it’s going to be tough to stop.

Very tough…Owen scores after a minute to give Dave a flying start. Sensible head Edmundo equalises 18 minutes later though so it’s all square at the break. Dave tears into his side at the break whilst Dean brings on Del Solar for Yalcin, presumably a coincidence that Bergkamp restores Dave’s lead just two minutes after the restart. With the game stretched, Owen races away to score his second and Dave’s third to book his spot in the last 16.

Dave’s side proved just too strong and that leaves Deano nervously awaiting the final game.

No surprise to see Owen scoop man of the match.

There we have it then. Dave’s into the last 16 whilst Nikolai’s gone from bottom of the table to second. Nikolai vs Deano looks like being a shootout whilst Nick will need a win against Dave to get through. It might be a tight one!

That’s a huge day of results and we’ve got two teams through already. Nobody is totally sunk yet and I’m looking forward to June 6th to see how these two play out. Toodles for now!