After an entertaining Match Week One and Two, all eyes were turned to Match Week Three on Monday night (December 11) for Group C action. With the group having ManuBachoore, Verjang, Abumakkah, AntoniniGabriel and seanldw, we were in for drama in London.
The spotlight was on 2023 FIFAe World Cup winner ManuBachoore and Verjang, who were expected to top the group but ended up with contrasting fortunes. Group C produced some of the most exciting matches we have seen since the first week, with Abumakkah impressing many with his performance throughout the evening. Without further ado, let’s brief you on how things went down in London.
How Things Unfolded On Match Week Three
To begin with, each of the five players on Group C selected icon items only, unlike in the previous two weeks. This means that there were no Virgil van Dijk or Kylian Mbappé cards for the first time in the competition. Nevertheless, each of the participants spent their 9,000,000 coins wisely in assembling the squads.
The most selected items ahead of Monday night’s event were:
- Zambrotta (86) – four selections
- Cafu (91) – three selections
- Zanetti (90) – three selections
- Schmeichel (89) – three selections
- Ribery (88) – three selections
- Blanc (88) – three selections
Once everything was set, it was now time for action in London. Round 1 saw ManuBachoore and Verjang face each other in a fixture that would have been worthy of the FC Pro Final considering the potential of both players. The duo had previously met in the Group Stage of 2023 FIFAe World Cup, with each player winning a game.
Months later, there was little to separate them as their match ended 2-2. Both players made mistake in the first half but settled after the break and showed great performance. The match’s highlight was a brilliant trivela shot from ManuBachoore’s Juan Sebastian Veron, which put the Dutchman 2-1 up before Jairzinho levelled the scores for Verjang.
WHAT A GOAL! 🔥@ManuelBachoore fights back from a goal down to lead! #FCPro pic.twitter.com/J52Go9mIXY
— EA SPORTS FC Pro (@EASPORTSFCPro) December 11, 2023
In another Round 1 fixture, Bayer Esports player seanldw thrashed AntoniniGabriel 6-3. It was all square at the hour mark before seanldw pulled clear to secure what turned out to be his only victory of the night.
There was more drama in Round 2 as AntoniniGabriel and ManuBachoore scored seven goals between them. The Dutchman was 3-2 up at the break, but made a few mistakes that ended up paying for, with AntoniniGabriel scoring the winner in the 87th minute. Meanwhile, Abumakkah showed a defensive masterclass against seanldw to secure a 2-0 win in another Round 2 fixture.
Round 3 saw early pacesetters Verjang and Abumakkah face off, with the former securing a vital 2-1 win. Abumakkah could have easily won the match had it not been for superb goalkeeping showcased by Verjang’s Petr Cech. On the other hand, ManuBachoore failed to win again as he was held 2-2 by seanldw.
Round 4 saw the group leaders secure crucial wins to increase the gap between them and the rest on the standings. Abumakkah beat AntoniniGabriel 5-2, having gone three goals up in the first half. RBLZ Gaming sensation Verjang also went three goals up in the first half before seeing off seanldw 5-3 at full time.
With every player having secured at least three points except ManuBachoore, it was only vital that he win his final match against Abumakkah. However, that wasn’t going to be an easy feat to achieve, since his opponent had already proven to be a force to be reckoned with.
🔥 @ahmdmujahhd equalises and we've got a four-goal thriller on our hands! #FCPro pic.twitter.com/tq10Cfo9kn
— EA SPORTS FC Pro (@EASPORTSFCPro) December 11, 2023
ManuBachoore did well in this match, coming back from 5-3 to level things up heading towards the 80th minute. However, Abumakkah scored in the 87th minute to secure a famous 6-5 victory and dent ManuBachoore’s FC Pro Open hopes. The Dutchman’s chances of reaching the Finals hang by a thread.
In another Round 5 fixture, Verjang humiliated AntoniniGabriel 9-3. The RBLZ player was trailing 2-0 before he went on to record the biggest win in Match Week Three. Each of the players will return in January to play their remaining fixtures.
Group C Standings
Here’s how things look in Group C after all fixtures were played on Monday night in London.
Live Item Upgrades
The holders of Mohamed Simakan’s FC Pro Live item are all smiles, thanks to Verjang’s ten points which saw the item get two overall upgrades. Dele Alli, Kalidou Koulibaly and Angelo Ogbonna also got +1 upgrade thanks to victories by seanldw, Abumakkah and AntoniniGabriel.
FC Pro Open fans should tune in again next Monday for more thrilling action and drama when Match Week Four will be underway.
FC Pro Open Dates
The final phase of the FC Pro Open will be held over an 8-week schedule as presented below:
- Match Week 1 – 27th Nov, 2023
- Match Week 2 – 4th Dec, 2023
- Match Week 3 – 11th Dec, 2023
- Match Week 4 –18th Dec, 2023
- Match Week 5 – 8th Jan, 2024
- Match Week 6 –15th Jan, 2024
- Match Week 7 – 22nd Jan, 2024
- Match Week 8 – 29th Jan, 2024
- Final – 3rd Feb, 2024
Fans can tune in to EA Sports’ Twitch and YouTube channels and see their favourite pros compete for the FC Pro Open title.
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