Football on Lesbos

_{I would like to acknowledge Ernest Thayer for his poem} Casey at the Bat for its inspiration, and key words and phrases from the first, and last two, stanzas.
_{Note: Mytilene is the capital of Lesbos, a Greek island and governmental administrative group, whose citizens are called Lesbians. Aiolikos is the football team based in Mytilene. Rodos, or Rhodes, is the opponent in this match.}

The outlook wasn't brilliant for
Mytilene's squad that day,
Aiolikos then trailed by one,
Scant seconds left to play.

A red card had knocked Pappas out
So they were down to ten,
The cloudy skies were moving in,
The gloom spread to the men.

A Greek Association match
To top the football run
Between the standings leaders when
The match had just begun.

And now its end appeared to loom
Before the Lesbos team
When Coach Andreou called time out,
His forehead spewing steam.

"They're pressing, guys, they think they have
Us underneath their thumb,
If we can force play to the side,
We'll win within the scrum.

Then we'll unleash the well known Les-
bian counter attack.
I know we'll have another chance
To get ourselves on track.

A sharper pass along the right
From Vlahos for a start ...
You keep your passes crisp, boys, and
The crowd will do their part.

Amid the uproar, we will get
Diakos to run through.
I think we'll get a shot on goal,
Perhaps we can get two."

The team returned out to the pitch
Inspired to give their all,
Each man, infused with vigor now,
Desired to get the ball.

When Rodos played it to their left
Young Vlahos jumped and broke
The hearts of all opposing fans
Who thought him just a joke.

He stole the ball and sent a pass
Right through their team's defence.
Diakos got it on the fly;
The match got more intense.

He dribbled smoothly all the way
Past many of his foes,
Controlling the entire game
With those amazing toes.

He closed upon the keeper, and
It looked like a sure bet
He'd tie the score with one strong kick
Into the guarded net.

But just when it looked bleakest for
The Rodos football team,
Their oldest backline player crushed
The Lesbos' players' dream.

He managed to deflect the kick.
It sailed just inches wide,
Another opportunity
Was lost to get things tied.

Four seconds now, one corner kick
Was all that there was left,
Aiolikos must score at once
Or leave the pitch bereft.

The ball was kicked, it curved around
Right to Mytilene's star,
Diakos did elude defend-
ers leaping from afar.

He managed to direct the ball
With one flick of his head,
It soared beyond the keeper's hands,
Inspiring hope, or dread.

Oh, somewhere there is laughter,
Where men like boys do play,
And somewhere there are Lesbians
Quite happy they are gay,

And somewhere some Mytilene fans
Raise glasses to their host,
But not to celebrate this match ...
Diakos hit the post.

A ballad submitted for the 2009 Survivor Poetry contest.