FOR a game that lacked as much drama as a suburban book club meeting, the final line in the story could have been pure fantasy for Jersey in Rome. As it turned out, they were handed a rude introduction to the fine line of international football.
With seconds remaining, Jay Giles lofted a long free-kick into the box hoping for a last-gasp equaliser. In almost slow motion, the ball travelled over everyone and then time stood still. The ball landed at the feet of goalkeeper Euan Van Der Vliet, of all people, the goal gaping.
Collective breaths were held.
But not by his opposite number Gabrielle Marini, who flung himself at Van Der Vliet’s feet and stole the ball away from him.
A 1-0 defeat for the JFA Combination – in full England kit as the nation’s representatives in Rome – against their Uefa Regions Cup hosts, Lazio.
They were seemingly in control of the match, growing in confidence and dominating possession, albeit without much threat, when, with less than quarter of an hour remaining, Jersey were undone.
After Luke Campbell cleared from a deep Italian free-kick, the ball was lofted back into the box. Harry Curtis stepped out a yard too far, letting substitute Daniel Rossi get on the wrong side of him to volley into the bottom right-hand corner.
Until then, neither team looked like scoring on the apocalyptic-looking wasteland of a pitch at a decrepit Stadio Comunale Quinto Ricci in Aprilia, a site that resembled something you might find in the no-go areas of Chernobyl.
It suited neither team.
A petulant yellow card received by Jonny Le Quesne a mere moment before the break was the only real incident of any note in the first half. Just one effort on target was mustered by both teams: a half-hearted header from just inside the penalty area from Kamen Nafkha.
There was more rhythm in Tony Adams’ ‘dancing’ the tango on Strictly Come Dancing than on display here. Jersey were unable to get their forwards into the game while the Italian strikers must be directly related to Pippo Inzaghi for all the times they were caught offside.
The second half became even less fluid as both teams resorted to niggly fouls and a few unnecessary feet left in too long, stopping the flow and provoking mini-melees of protest.
As the game entered the last quarter, Jersey were starting to get into some kind of groove and began to dominate possession and territory but the Italians, with catenaccio in their DNA, made themselves difficult to breakthrough.
Then came the goal, that leaves Jersey leaving them a lot to do to qualify from this intermediary round group.
They meet German amateurs Bavaria on Sunday needing a win to have any realistic hope of progressing to the 2023 finals as group winners.
