The Chicago KICS esports tournament has been a huge success! Not only has the Foundation had participants from countries across the globe (Guatemala, England, Spain and Switzerland, to name a few!) but they have also reached their goal of $3,500 which ensures that children from Chicago have access to resources allowing them to connect and engage with their friends throughout the pandemic.
The tournament has consisted of many intense, thrilling and exciting head-to-heads but none more-so than when Mike Wainz played Danny Hernandez in the quarter-finals. Read on for the match reports –
Wales against Spain was always going to be a tough contest. With the likes of Bale and Ramsey, Busquets and Thiago, it made for a star-studded match-up.
Wales (Mike Wainz) V Spain (Danny Hernandez): LEG 1
The game started at a fast pace, taking just 3 minutes for Gareth Bale to get on the scoresheet with a chip over the goalkeeper. 1-0 Wales. Eleven minutes in and Spain were caught on the counter-attack, resulting in Dan James crossing the ball to Moore who controlled the ball with his chest and volleyed it into the bottom left corner to extend his team’s lead. Just moments later, Spain were playing their trademark ‘Tiki Taka’ when Busquets’ shot was saved by Henessey in goal who conceded a corner. The ball was drilled out to Thiago on the edge of the penalty area who shot into the top right corner with sublime accuracy to narrow Wales’ lead. Despite Spain trailing behind by a goal, they dominated the rest of the half; an equaliser looking promising. It came in the 53rd minute when Rodrigo played the ball to Thiago who was through on goal. He slid the ball past the keeper to deservedly level the score. Minutes after, a scrappy clearance from the Welsh defence allowed Thiago to score his third goal of the game and put his team ahead. As the game progressed, end-to-end football made for an exciting watch but it wasn’t until the 70th minute-mark when Wales were able to capitalise on their chances. Bale, 1-on-1 with keeper, never looked like missing. 3-3. A match-winning save from Henessey in the 92nd minute kept the score at 3-3, making for a compelling re-match.
Spain (Danny Hernandez) V Wales (Mike Wainz) LEG 2
Similarly to the previous game, both teams started quickly, eager to get on the scoresheet. The first goal came in the fifteenth minute when Brooks was able to put the ball past the goalkeeper from a Ramsey pass. 1-0 Wales. Spain looked to respond just minutes later but Isco’s goal was disallowed for an offside. Soon after, Parejo weaved his way through the Welsh defence to pass it into the bottom right corner. 1-1. Continuing with their momentum, Ramos won the ball in the centre of the park and played it to Isco on the wing. In turn, he set up Parejo to score his second of the game and for Spain to take the lead. Straight after, Rodrigo picked the ball up on the halfway line and with a superb piece of skill, effortlessly danced around the oppositions players to fire the ball into the goal. 3-1 Spain. Wales looked to make a comeback when Carvajal lost the ball in a dangerous position near goal, with Bale scoring to make it 3-2. At the end of an action-packed first half, Spain sharply passed the ball around for Rodrigo to have a clear shot and extend their lead. 4-2 to Spain. After the break, Spain made the most of their possession with Asensio driving through on goal to make it 5-2. Surely that sealed the victory? However, Wales persevered, determined to narrow the lead. Bale, with his usual class, found the top corner with a sensational strike. Was a comeback on the cards? In the final 10 minutes, Bale crossed the ball to Vokes who slid it past a disbelieving keeper to make it 5-4. The pressure was mounting on gamer Danny Hernandez. Would he be able to hold on? With the final few kicks of the game, Lawrence replicated the previous goal by passing to Vokes on the six-yard line who fired the ball into the net to equalise. 5-5. What. A. Comeback.
Spain (Danny Hernandez) V Wales (Mike Wainz) LEG 3
Was this final contest going to be as dramatic as its predecessors?
Both teams were anxious to score first, leaving gaps in areas of the pitch as they tried to find a way to score. It took eight minutes for the first chance of the game: Moore won the ball from a scrappy piece of defending from Carvajal and was able to slot it into an empty net to give his team the lead. Minutes later, Asensio charged down the wing and crossed it to the previous MOTM, Thiago, who drilled the ball into the top corner. Despite an action-packed half, neither team was able to break the deadlock. After a goaless period, Spain managed to work the ball around to Rodrigo who scored to put his team ahead in the 58th minute. Wales began to gain more possession, resulting in a perfectly weighted pass by Moore to Lawrence who was able to find the back of the net. 2-2. As the game entered its closing stages, everything was to play for and tensions were running high. A blocked Thiago shot fell to Parejo who smashed the ball into the goal. 3-2 Spain. The whistle blew at the end of what was a truly thrilling contest which resulted in Spain winning 3-2.
This result means that Danny Hernandez progresses to the next round.
To find out more about who the Chicago KICS Foundation are and how they help to empower youth and engage their communtiy, click this link to read – Chicago KICS: Meet the Foundation using esports to empower youth and engage the community.
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