FOOTBALL IN NARSAQ

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Manchester United Asuut!

[Come on Manchester United]

Icebergs can be seen from the gravel pitch in Narsaq in South Greenland, where Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid and other Champion League bigwigs each year contend for the Narsaq League Trophy.
Text: Rasmus Thirup Beck, Photo: Pelle Rink, greenland today March 2011
An iceberg drifts slowly past, far out on the horizon while the whistle is blown to start the final between Manchester United and Liverpool. 14 men aged between 15 and 50 immediately set about battling for the trophy that stands on a table on the sideline and waits for the winner.
Man. United vs Liverpool
For the first fifteen minutes, the two teams battle doggedly for the midfield. This final is much more controlled than the semi-final between Chelsea and Inter. That ended with a 6-5 victory to Chelsea. The spectators must wait twenty minutes for a goal – that happens after a messy Manchester attack where a forward emerges and heads the ball in.
Favorites
Manchester United, which is the favorite to win the trophy because of the many local players, makes the best impression with matching jerseys.
Despite eager cheers like »Manchester United Asuut!«, blasts from vuvuzela horns and toots from cars in which some of the spectators are watching the match, they have great trouble scoring the decisive goal. It takes a huge drop by Liverpool’s goalie just before half time to make it 2-0.
Narsaq League
The man behind Narsaq League, Josef Petersen explains that this is the tournament’s third year and  next year it will include two neighboring towns from South Greenland, Qaqortoq and Nanortalik. The plan is to hold tournaments in each town and the best two from each place will meet at last to play for the total victory.
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Strengthen Solidarity
»The whole point of this is to strengthen solidarity among the towns – and to have fun of course«, explains Josef Petersen. He is also involved in other ways of turning the negative development in Narsaq, where unemployment brings social problems.
Three times Lampard
Narsaq League is for seven-man teams and every match is 2×30 minutes. The players try to wear jerseys from the clubs they represent. Not everyone has been able to afford the expensive merchandise. For example, there are only two genuine jerseys on the Real Madrid team and on the Chelsea team there are no fewer than three players with the name »Lampard« printed on the back.
Fight to the last minute
The second half of the final is livelier and both sides generate good chances. Liverpool scores to 2-1 but their hope are definitely dashed when Manchester United’s top scorer, Qapak Berthelsen, elegantly scores his ninth goal of the tournament. A teammate score to 4-1 and cheers break out. Liverpool’s late consolation goal bringing the score to 4-2 can’t spoil their elation.
Football in Greenland
There are plenty of football clubs in Greenland and football is the country’s most popular sport. But the many players have limited access to practice their sport. There is not a single football pitch with grass and unlike most other countries, there are no actual Greenland League, with a season where teams visit each to play. In addition, the distances and logistic challenges are too great.
Greenlandic Championships
Instead Greenland’s Football Association holds championships in Greenland each year for Men’s Senior, Women’s Senior, Men’s Junior, Women’s Junior and Children. In 2010, the championship for Men’s Senior was held over six days in Nuuk in August and the winners were B-67 from Nuuk. There is also an indoor championship in the winter.
One step closer to FIFA
For 12 years Greenland has wanted to join FIFA and although the organization has stopped taking on new members, the dialogue is good. FIFA’s president Sepp Blatter, visited the country and opened Greenland’s first artificial turf football pitch in Qaqortoq and here he declared that membership would certainly come one day.

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