From the sidelines, I saw intense concentration, unselfish play, hustle, creative attacking, people running off the ball, a willingness to engage in tackles, and a defense that supported the attack. Yes, we gave up 4 goals; we will have to fix that with a little tune up of our communication. But I don’t want anyone to second guess the result. Bottom line: we overcame a 3-goal deficit and scored 4 goals in a single half against what was, at the time, the best team in the division. Even when we were down, we were cohesive and dangerous. Appreciate, for the moment, what we have accomplished as a team.
In the first half, we got in the hole quickly by one, then two goals. We had scouted ClareAndDons and learned their M.O. They use two talented strikers to dribble up the middle of the field and beat the defense one-on-one. Somehow though, we weren't able to capitalize on that knowledge. We had about 5-6 miscues in the game, and they managed to capitalize on four of them, each goal looking remarkably like the others. We closed the half without a score, but we had controlled the run of play and created at least five scoring opportunities that were busted up by their goalie.
In the second half, we resolved to keep the same 3-5-2 formation but push more people up. Before we could turn the tide, however, we gave up another goal. Then it started:
Goal #1 (55') - Carolyn's well-timed short cross to Nate, who's always in the
right place.
Goal #2 (60')- Incredible long run by Jon to send the defense into a
panic. His perfectly-weighted cross to Adrian's diving header was an
all-time highlight for the team.
Goal #3 (75')- Karma. We had been unlucky on about 10
shots. Chris collected a deflection and finished it.
Goal #4 (86') - Inevitable b/c our sustained attack. Ermy wisely took some time to
possess the ball in the box. When he made an aggressive move towards the
center of the box, he was deliberately tripped. A clear PK, which Mike finished with confidence.
My game ball goes to Bri, who gave us a truly special performance in midfield. It was the classic midfield role - bridging the defense and the attack and disrupting the other team's flow.
The season ain't over. We have two critical games in which we need positive results in order to finish first.
Notes: 4-4 tie versus ClareAndDons, 6/1/08, George Mason HS. Goals by Nate (Carolyn), Adrian (Jon), Chris (rebound), Mike on PK (earned by Ermy). GK: Liam.
Good words.
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