The 10 most interesting games in the history of the KOA

[dnielsen]

Which are the 10 most interesting games in the history of the KOA?

The idea of this thread is to provide a guided tour through the archives of Kick Off 2 footage, based on the accumulated experience of the KOA. This might be interesting for new people taking their first look around, and of course also for old-timers, as a reference for study or discussion.

The archive of all recorded games is here:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15358

All suggestions will be added, there is no need to limit the list to exactly 10.

Please write a few words about why a particular game is interesting. You can choose any reasons yourself. Some reasons could be, for instance:

- historical interest
- instructive high level defense
- classic, tense fight
- an interesting style of play
- etc. etc.

All reasons are good!

Then I will update this post with your description of the game and embed the youtube video.

PS. The second semifinal between Alkis and me is banned from this thread.

GAME 1: Klaus Lo - Gianni T (5 - 4), WC 2005 Cologne, Semi Final 1st leg

My first thought is Klaus Loites performance in Cologne 2005, wich was my first wcup experience. I had this guy in my group and he basically blew everyone away with rather large numbers. Added should be that he did look very relaxed, more or less laying on the chair instead of sitting on it, and as Jorn mentioned before, he did take a sip of coffe after every goal he scored

Well, as many of us, i went to my first wcup with a slight hope that i might go very far, maybe even win it If my hope did not completly did vanish after 0-7 vs Alkis in my first friendly, then my hope defenitely went to ashes when seing this guy in action. For sure Klaus Loite is the ko2-player that made the greates inpact on me.

There is only two (or possible three) recorded games with Klaus from Cologne. I chose the first one where he take a narrow win vs Gianni.



- Oh dear, that 4-5 goal Gianni scored 3 seconds from full time was actually decisive

GAME 2: Alkis P - Gianluca T (1 - 10), WC 2005 Cologne, Semi Final 1st leg

I guess I could think of many games, even when limiting myself to the recorded ones.

Excluding games I participated in, towards which I'm less objective, I think that the most interesting game I've witnessed was the 1-10 in Cologne... actually any game played by Gianluca in Cologne, but let's say this for its historic importance (and entertainment value as well ). These games proved that while I was "playing" KO2, Gianluca was studying and teaching at the same time.

GAME 3: Steve C - Robert S (3 - 3), UK Championships 2008

Excellent idea for a thread, Dagh. Hope to add other matches over time but the first one that sprung to my mind was....

UK Champions 2008, 4/5/2008
Steve C 3 - 3 Robert S
Unbelievably dramatic finale. The UK title change hands three times during this match. Camberman was first to put one hand on the trophy until Robert fought back to stake his claim, only for Camberman to equalise with seconds remaining, and for the Championship to go to Jon G on goal difference!!! Amazing.

http://www.ko-gathering.com/forum/viewt ... 12&t=14739

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 7732&hl=en

A historical perspective

As Dagh suggested, I didn't limit my choices to 10 or to recorded games. I concentrated on pinnacle matches that signified the beginning or the end of an era.

World Cup I, 3/11/2001
Michael Q - Gianluca T 0-6
Four matches were started simultaneously, but this was the one where the very first goal of the KOA was scored.

World Cup I, 4/11/2001
Nazim C - Mark P 4-2
Mark P - Nazim C 7-4
This quarter final was the first result overthrow and the first matchup that kept an audience glued to their seats.

1st UK Champs, 23/03/2002
Bill V - Rikki F 5-1
The very first UK Champs and this game was not enough for Bill to win the tournament as the two best players on the island at the time finished on equal points and Rikki won it on goal difference.

World Cup II, 3/11/2002
Nikos A - Yakos T 3-1
Yakos T - Nikos A 0-4
In the beginning the Silver Cup round was called "Playouts" and it started out as something I thought of to keep disqualified players occupied during the second day of the world cup. Nikos won the first final of what is now considered as a very important part of the WC weekend.

World Cup II, 3/11/2002
Alkis P - Rikki F 6-4
Rikki F - Alkis P 6-3
A final full of animosity and hatred, I hope that we'll never have anything like it again.

Helland, 26/01/2003
George K - Martin J 8-8
Back when these kind of scores were practically unheard of, this game between the late George and Martin Jeffrey remains the biggest KOA draw ever.

World Cup III, 9/11/2003
Christian D - Rodolfo M 6-4
Rodolfo M - Christian D 5-3 (5-4 a.e.t.)
This Playouts semi-final had the first overtime in the KOA.

World Cup III, 9/11/2003
Martin J - Gianluca T 2-3
Gianluca T - Martin J 3-3
This remains the closest world cup final we've ever seen, with Martin's shot hitting the post a few seconds before the final whistle.

World Cup V, 13/11/2005
Alkis P - Gianluca T 1-10
A crowd of more than 60 people was waiting for the long overdue battle between what they considered at the time to be the two greatest players of the KOA. Instead they witnessed... well, that.

World Cup V, 13/11/2005
Klaus Lo - Gianni T 5-4
Gianni T - Klaus Lo 6-5 (9-6 a.e.t.)
The closest Klaus ever got to attending a world cup final, this was the first of many semi-final victories for Gianni.

World Cup VI, 29/10/2006
Marco D - Alkis P 5-5
Alkis P - Marco D 2-2 (4-4 a.e.t., 4-5 p.k.)
The only world cup quarter final that was decided on penalty kicks, and my first quarter final elimination.

World Cup VI, 29/10/2006
Gianni T - Spyros P 7-5
Spyros P - Gianni T 6-4 (8-5 a.e.t.)
Nobody dared bet a penny in favor of Spyros before the Rickmansworth semi final, and yet he managed to prevail and then win the title.

World Cup VII, 11/11/2007
Gianni T - Gianluca T 4-3
Huge landmark, the Rome semi final was Gianluca's first loss after 4 years and 98 undefeated matches.

1st Greek Champs, 8/12/2007
Panayotis P - Spyros P 9-12
This is the biggest KOA score out of the relatively close matches.

World Cup VIII, 9/11/2008
Spyros P - Alkis P 6-3
Alkis P - Spyros P 6-3 (8-4 a.e.t.)
Spyros out of the semis after two consecutive world cup titles, and me back in them after 3 barren years.

World Cup VIII, 9/11/2008
Dagh N - Gianni T 6-4
Gianni T - Dagh N 8-2
Possibly the greatest level of Kick Off we've ever witnessed, and Gianni's first world cup title.

London Marathon, 7/03/2009
Gianni T - Dagh N 4-7
Dagh beats Gianni and wins a title against him for the first time.

World Cup X, 24/10/2010
Dagh N - Gianni T 8-5
Gianni T - Dagh N 1-9
First world cup title for a country other than Greece or Italy since 2002.

[hogstrom]

- Great idea, Dagh!

My first thought is Klaus Loites performance in Cologne 2005, wich was my first wcup experience. I had this guy in my group and he basically blew everyone away with rather large numbers. Added should be that he did look very relaxed, more or less laying on the chair instead of sitting on it, and as Jorn mentioned before, he did take a sip of coffe after every goal he scored

Well, as many of us, i went to my first wcup with a slight hope that i might go very far, maybe even win it If my hope did not completly did vanish after 0-7 vs Alkis in my first friendly, then my hope defenitely went to ashes when seing this guy in action. For sure Klaus Loite is the ko2-player that made the greates inpact on me.

There is only two (or possible three) recorded games with Klaus from Cologne. I chose the first one where he take a narrow win vs Gianni.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTeFCdHfZWQ

- Oh dear, that 4-5 goal Gianni scored 3 seconds from full time was actually decisive

[hogstrom]

It´s a shame not all games in the past is recorded. My 6-6 vs James Beard in Rickmansworth is one game i would have liked to see again.

[Freshmaker]

Added should be that he did look very relaxed, more or less laying on the chair instead of sitting on it...

Not strange at all. He was so hung over he was still piss-drunk.
His best moment the entire saturday was when I talked him into going downstairs to the reception to get a beer. He had two, and brought a third with him to the game-room. After that he sat up a bit more.

[Abyss]

Hmm... that's an interesting subject.

I guess I could think of many games, even when limiting myself to the recorded ones.

Excluding games I participated in, towards which I'm less objective, I think that the most interesting game I've witnessed was the 1-10 in Cologne... actually any game played by Gianluca in Cologne, but let's say this for its historic importance (and entertainment value as well ). These games proved that while I was "playing" KO2, Gianluca was studying and teaching at the same time.

[hogstrom]

That is a better pick that mine really. Strange result and thus interesting game.

[alkis21]

As Dagh suggested, I didn't limit my choices to 10 or to recorded games. I concentrated on pinnacle matches that signified the beginning or the end of an era.

World Cup I, 3/11/2001
Michael Q - Gianluca T 0-6
Four matches were started simultaneously, but this was the one where the very first goal of the KOA was scored.

World Cup I, 4/11/2001
Nazim C - Mark P 4-2
Mark P - Nazim C 7-4
This quarter final was the first result overthrow and the first matchup that kept an audience glued to their seats.

1st UK Champs, 23/03/2002
Bill V - Rikki F 5-1
The very first UK Champs and this game was not enough for Bill to win the tournament as the two best players on the island at the time finished on equal points and Rikki won it on goal difference.

World Cup II, 3/11/2002
Nikos A - Yakos T 3-1
Yakos T - Nikos A 0-4
In the beginning the Silver Cup round was called "Playouts" and it started out as something I thought of to keep disqualified players occupied during the second day of the world cup. Nikos won the first final of what is now considered as a very important part of the WC weekend.

World Cup II, 3/11/2002
Alkis P - Rikki F 6-4
Rikki F - Alkis P 6-3
A final full of animosity and hatred, I hope that we'll never have anything like it again.

Helland, 26/01/2003
George K - Martin J 8-8
Back when these kind of scores were practically unheard of, this game between the late George and Martin Jeffrey remains the biggest KOA draw ever.

World Cup III, 9/11/2003
Christian D - Rodolfo M 6-4
Rodolfo M - Christian D 5-3 (5-4 a.e.t.)
This Playouts semi-final had the first overtime in the KOA.

World Cup III, 9/11/2003
Martin J - Gianluca T 2-3
Gianluca T - Martin J 3-3
This remains the closest world cup final we've ever seen, with Martin's shot hitting the post a few seconds before the final whistle.

World Cup V, 13/11/2005
Alkis P - Gianluca T 1-10
A crowd of more than 60 people was waiting for the long overdue battle between what they considered at the time to be the two greatest players of the KOA. Instead they witnessed... well, that.

World Cup V, 13/11/2005
Klaus Lo - Gianni T 5-4
Gianni T - Klaus Lo 6-5 (9-6 a.e.t.)
The closest Klaus ever got to attending a world cup final, this was the first of many semi-final victories for Gianni.

World Cup VI, 29/10/2006
Marco D - Alkis P 5-5
Alkis P - Marco D 2-2 (4-4 a.e.t., 4-5 p.k.)
The only world cup quarter final that was decided on penalty kicks, and my first quarter final elimination.

World Cup VI, 29/10/2006
Gianni T - Spyros P 7-5
Spyros P - Gianni T 6-4 (8-5 a.e.t.)
Nobody dared bet a penny in favor of Spyros before the Rickmansworth semi final, and yet he managed to prevail and then win the title.

World Cup VII, 11/11/2007
Gianni T - Gianluca T 4-3
Huge landmark, the Rome semi final was Gianluca's first loss after 4 years and 98 undefeated matches.

1st Greek Champs, 8/12/2007
Panayotis P - Spyros P 9-12
This is the biggest KOA score out of the relatively close matches.

World Cup VIII, 9/11/2008
Spyros P - Alkis P 6-3
Alkis P - Spyros P 6-3 (8-4 a.e.t.)
Spyros out of the semis after two consecutive world cup titles, and me back in them after 3 barren years.

World Cup VIII, 9/11/2008
Dagh N - Gianni T 6-4
Gianni T - Dagh N 8-2
Possibly the greatest level of Kick Off we've ever witnessed, and Gianni's first world cup title.

London Marathon, 7/03/2009
Gianni T - Dagh N 4-7
Dagh beats Gianni and wins a title against him for the first time.

World Cup X, 24/10/2010
Dagh N - Gianni T 8-5
Gianni T - Dagh N 1-9
First world cup title for a country other than Greece or Italy since 2002.

[Steve1977]

Superb idea for a thread - nice one Dagh

[dnielsen]

Alkis, thanks for the historical overview, I added it to the post.

If you want me to embed videos for the games, let me know, but I am thinking it might be better to await further descriptions of the various games!?

[gdh82]

Excellent idea for a thread, Dagh. Hope to add other matches over time but the first one that sprung to my mind was....

UK Championships 2008, 4/5/2008
Steve C 3 - 3 Robert S
Unbelievably dramatic finale. The UK title change hands three times during this match. Camberman was first to put one hand on the trophy until Robert fought back to stake his claim, only for Camberman to equalise with seconds remaining, and for the Championship to go to Jon G on goal difference!!! Amazing.

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=14739

[Steve Camber]

Nice one Garry, I should have thought of that match! The unforgettable game with 3 winners, or more accurately two losers and one winner

[durban]

Groningen 2003
Round 2 : Mark W 7 - 2 Mark P (Mr Dig)


And not forgetting the immortal....


Cologne 2005
Round 1 : Mark W 3 - 2 Alkis P

and even more immortal

Cologne 2005 .... 10 minutes later
Round 1 : Jorn F 4 - 3 Mark W

[Freshmaker]

And not forgetting the immortal....


Cologne 2005
Round 1 : Mark W 3 - 2 Alkis P

and even more immortal

Cologne 2005 .... 10 minutes later
Round 1 : Jorn F 4 - 3 Mark W

Glad you came with this one yourselves Mr Williams.