Rayados - Cucuy FC 2:6 (1:2)
Thanks to Cary's decision to buy new shoes instead of new tires, this game was over before it began. We started with two men down and played against the wind so I guess it was a bit lucky that Cary's first two touches were both goals. The goals kind of woke up Rayados out of their contemplation ("WHO's Desk and Patios, gdammit?") who then pretty much controlled the rest of the first half. Cheered on by Ryan's support ("Use your FISTS!") CNate in goal had several great saves, including one heroic save after an irresponsible laser beam shot out of nowhere on or own goal by sweeper Brent. Unfortunately, the ref called an indirect on us, which Rayados buried in the back of our net. Ok, it was a good shot. For the rest of the first half, thanks to a hard working defense we kept them at 1:2 (Ryan: "That was the longest half ever!"). I was sort of tired too.
Second half, now with a full squad was a different story. Cary felt it was time for a hattrick so he scored his third after a really nice cross from Brent. With the wind in our back it was now our game, and after the 4:1, a long-distance shot about 25 yards out ("Sonntagsschuss!"), Rayados pretty much gave up. Or would have, if it wasn't for CNate, who very gentleman-like kept them in the game with another completely unfairly awarded penalty kick after a hand ball in the penalty box ("Hand ist wenn der Schiri pfeift.") Following the ref's frivolous and arbitrary display of power and the 4:2, we witnessed another episode of "The Cary Show," who more or less took the ball from the kick-off through the complete Rayados team, then passing it at last second to Steve for the 5:2. The last goal then was Cary again after a nice pass from Isaiah. Big thanks to Steve for helping out!
Goals: Cary (Ryan), Cary (Karol), Cary (Brent), Eddy, Steve (Cary), Cary (Isaiah)
Monday, April 28, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
New Game Strategy Pays Off Against SA Dynamo
Cucuy FC - SA Dynamo 4:2 (2:1)
Games against Dynamo have been close in the past so we prepared diligently for this one. At the pre-game conference at Cory's, Karol gave a presentation on line-up and strategy. Tactics were discussed, evaluated, scrapped, and re-evaluated until late into the night, followed by a briefing by Cory on fitness an health. To sum it up in CNate's words: "A Volkswagen is a nice car, but you wouldn't want to pull a boat with it."
All the preparation paid off when we started the game with two men down, in a standard 4-4 formation with CNate in goal. A little later, Rahul showed up and closed up some of the space up front. He was in the middle of attention when he almost scored the 1:0, just to see the ball snatched away from him by the keeper. With everybody turning around to get ready for the goal kick, the keeper dropped the ball in front of Karol who put it in the net Luca Toni style for the 1:0. Then Cary showed up, just in time to win a header in front of Dynamo's goal that Rahul buried with a sliding drop kick in the back of the net. Dynamo had a lot less possession and got otherwise frustrated by our defense with Ryan, Brent, Jason, and Birke. Their only major chance was a free-kick about 20 yards out: A very nice shot towards the CNate's upper left that he barely got his hands on with an awesome save, unfortunately straight to a Dynamo player who headed it in for the 2:1. We had a couple more chances, including a missile from Jason out of half field and a very nice volley by Cary that the keeper was able to save, to everybody's (including his own) surprise.
Second half we had wind and sun on our side, so it was pretty much a one way game. Have seen few games where we scored so few goals with so many chances. In any case, Cary marked the 3:1 about half way second half. Dan commented, "The first low shot in the half is a score. Should that tell us something?" Towards the end it started to show that we played without subs. One run by a Dynamo striker was able to get past our defense and keeper Rey, who got a hand on the shot but could not prevent it from rolling towards the goal. Ryan, the scoring instinct taking over, buried it in the back of our goal. The goal gave new energy to Dynamo, who may have tied the game if we hadn't scored the 4:2. Kind of fitting for the way the game went, it was a beautiful combination in mid field that sent Karol off running by himself on the Dynamo keeper. Karol shot it passed the keeper into the far corner, only to see it bounce against the post, then against the leg of a Dynamo defender, and from there into goal. Overall the win was well deserved and could have been much higher.
This was Dan's last game this season. He is now off to study soccer tactics in Europe.
Goals: Karol 1 , Rahul 1 (Cary), Cary 1 (Karol)
Games against Dynamo have been close in the past so we prepared diligently for this one. At the pre-game conference at Cory's, Karol gave a presentation on line-up and strategy. Tactics were discussed, evaluated, scrapped, and re-evaluated until late into the night, followed by a briefing by Cory on fitness an health. To sum it up in CNate's words: "A Volkswagen is a nice car, but you wouldn't want to pull a boat with it."
All the preparation paid off when we started the game with two men down, in a standard 4-4 formation with CNate in goal. A little later, Rahul showed up and closed up some of the space up front. He was in the middle of attention when he almost scored the 1:0, just to see the ball snatched away from him by the keeper. With everybody turning around to get ready for the goal kick, the keeper dropped the ball in front of Karol who put it in the net Luca Toni style for the 1:0. Then Cary showed up, just in time to win a header in front of Dynamo's goal that Rahul buried with a sliding drop kick in the back of the net. Dynamo had a lot less possession and got otherwise frustrated by our defense with Ryan, Brent, Jason, and Birke. Their only major chance was a free-kick about 20 yards out: A very nice shot towards the CNate's upper left that he barely got his hands on with an awesome save, unfortunately straight to a Dynamo player who headed it in for the 2:1. We had a couple more chances, including a missile from Jason out of half field and a very nice volley by Cary that the keeper was able to save, to everybody's (including his own) surprise.
Second half we had wind and sun on our side, so it was pretty much a one way game. Have seen few games where we scored so few goals with so many chances. In any case, Cary marked the 3:1 about half way second half. Dan commented, "The first low shot in the half is a score. Should that tell us something?" Towards the end it started to show that we played without subs. One run by a Dynamo striker was able to get past our defense and keeper Rey, who got a hand on the shot but could not prevent it from rolling towards the goal. Ryan, the scoring instinct taking over, buried it in the back of our goal. The goal gave new energy to Dynamo, who may have tied the game if we hadn't scored the 4:2. Kind of fitting for the way the game went, it was a beautiful combination in mid field that sent Karol off running by himself on the Dynamo keeper. Karol shot it passed the keeper into the far corner, only to see it bounce against the post, then against the leg of a Dynamo defender, and from there into goal. Overall the win was well deserved and could have been much higher.
This was Dan's last game this season. He is now off to study soccer tactics in Europe.
Goals: Karol 1 , Rahul 1 (Cary), Cary 1 (Karol)
Monday, April 7, 2008
Win over Traditionals is Third in a Row
Traditionals - Cucuy FC 0:4 (0:2)
Doesn't get much better than this. Perfect weather, a slightly wet field that let's you slide tackle for 20 yards, and a 4:0 win.
We started out very strong, pounding the Traditionals with shot after shot but no score. With the wind on our side in first half the Traditionals barely made it out of their half, CNate in goal had a very relaxed morning. After about 20 minutes, our pressure on goal was rewarded with a score after a long, bouncy cross from Steve that seem to miss friend and foe but found me sliding in at the far post. After that we had some more major chances, a major one by Isiah and a nice shot by Steve that bounced off the post. With about 10 minutes left, Brent got fouled about 24 yards out to the left of the Traditional's goal. Karol took the free-kick, a nice shot at half height into the right corner for the 0:2, which was also the halftime score. After the break, the Traditionals put up a lot of pressure and got pretty close to scoring. Chris and Jason had to clear the ball several times at last second. A counter attack then brought the 0:3 with Steve running into position on the left, taking up a pass from Karol and slipping the ball past the keeper. That goal pretty much sealed it for us. Brent put the icing on the cake with a nice curved shot from about 20 yards out into the right corner after a (deliberate) pass from Dan. Brent had another nice header after a perfect cross from Isiah that did not find its way into the goal. Raul, who took over for Cnate in goal in second half, saved our third shut-out with a great save after a free-kick.
Kind of felt bad for Scotty, who seemed to get hit by everyone on our team.
Goals: Eddy 1 (Steve), Karol 1, Steve 1 (Karol), Brent 1 (Dan)
Doesn't get much better than this. Perfect weather, a slightly wet field that let's you slide tackle for 20 yards, and a 4:0 win.
We started out very strong, pounding the Traditionals with shot after shot but no score. With the wind on our side in first half the Traditionals barely made it out of their half, CNate in goal had a very relaxed morning. After about 20 minutes, our pressure on goal was rewarded with a score after a long, bouncy cross from Steve that seem to miss friend and foe but found me sliding in at the far post. After that we had some more major chances, a major one by Isiah and a nice shot by Steve that bounced off the post. With about 10 minutes left, Brent got fouled about 24 yards out to the left of the Traditional's goal. Karol took the free-kick, a nice shot at half height into the right corner for the 0:2, which was also the halftime score. After the break, the Traditionals put up a lot of pressure and got pretty close to scoring. Chris and Jason had to clear the ball several times at last second. A counter attack then brought the 0:3 with Steve running into position on the left, taking up a pass from Karol and slipping the ball past the keeper. That goal pretty much sealed it for us. Brent put the icing on the cake with a nice curved shot from about 20 yards out into the right corner after a (deliberate) pass from Dan. Brent had another nice header after a perfect cross from Isiah that did not find its way into the goal. Raul, who took over for Cnate in goal in second half, saved our third shut-out with a great save after a free-kick.
Kind of felt bad for Scotty, who seemed to get hit by everyone on our team.
Goals: Eddy 1 (Steve), Karol 1, Steve 1 (Karol), Brent 1 (Dan)
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