Developers World Championship: Match Report - Romania v Argentina (Group B)

ROMANIA Skies of Glory (Revo Solutions)

VS ARGENTINA Truco (Odasoft)

Lionel Andrés Messi: indisputably the world’s finest footballer. Some may question his retro / ridiculous (delete as appropriate) mullet, but there’s no denying that with ball at left foot, he can claim no peer.

Unfortunately for little Leo and his Argentine brethren, their iPhone app representatives hadn’t delivered such mouthwatering performances here at the iPhone Game Developers World Championships.

In fact, with two defeats on the bounce, the Blue and White striped army would need the kind of divine intervention that was probably beyond even their most revered deity, Diego Maradona, if they were to progress.

Playing what could be its final hand at this year’s competition then, the Argentinian management dealt Truco this evening. Popular all over the Latin American continent, this particular version from Odasoft had its own distinctive flavour.

Swooping into the iStadium to combat Truco was Skies of Glory, the WWII follow-up to Revo Solutions’ highly-regarded and, more importantly, 4-0 victors over Estonia, F.A.S.T.

Romania itself was well positioned in Group B with its fate in its own hands, yet only aeronautical victory today would definitely ensure qualification to the knockout stages.

Chocks away. Tally-ho. Toodle pip.

Kick Off: 7.30pm, 22nd June

The critical view: Completing the hat trick of appearances for Revo Solutions here at the World Championship, Skies of Glory was a real privilege to watch in action, its tight accelerometer controls effortlessly sweeping the ball from wing to wing.

More accustomed to Pacific and European skirmishes, the freemium flyer had acclimatised brilliantly to the British air and opened the scoring through a soaring backpost header.

Only Truco’s tactical and strategic acumen prevented a further, embarrasing breakthrough, although most of their own attacks were snuffed out in midfield where the Argentinian’s multiplayer mode was ably matched by Skies of Glory’s central Bluetooth p2p pairing.

In injury time, the Romanians’ deathmatch combat managed to attract eight pumped-up players from both sides over wi-fi and 3G, forcing substitutes to step in hurriedly to separate the warring factions.

Bloodied and bruised from this overly physical encounter, the central Europeans had one last trick up its sleeve for the 40-card toting Truco...

A dazzling display of sky-writing rendered Skies of Glory – Gold Award for all to see, including Odasoft's central defence who were oblivious to an attacker swooping in to apply the finish to a looping cross.

Half time: Romania 2 – 0 Argentina The Fans’ 45: Barring the aforementioned Maradona miracle, Romania's progress to the Last 16 was now almost assured. Its superior goal difference to Estonia in Group B afforded it some extra leg-room on board in the second period.

In truth, Truco's three skill levels and acute AI had never really been able to get into its stride this evening, and couldn't rely on swarthes of support from Buenos Aires to recover the situation, either. Indeed, even the fans who were in attendance spent much of the match lamenting the absence of Fly Kiwi Fly from the squad.

Skies of Glory, however, had proven itself more than just good in the air, a late third from the penalty spot destroying any last vestiges of hope for the South Americans and also shooting down the Estonians in the process. Romania were joining South Korea in the last 16.

Full time: Romania 3 – 0 Argentina Latest Group Tables - Fixtures & Voting - Squads

Confused? Click here to go to the iPhone Game Developers World Championship info page.

MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSORS: The iPhone Game Developers World Championship 2010 is brought to you by Pocket Gamer in association with FlickKick Football> check it out!