Recent Events

It Was The Best Of Times, 

It Was The Worst Of Times...

Some bullets and links on the events in the soccer world the last couple days, both locally and abroad.  Interesting, frustrating, exciting...good sports drama, all.

• Falcao.  Columbia's greatest export.
• Springboks win Friday, show some class in front of goal.  The 5 goals scored by the Springboks were all excellent team goals.  Individual skill, passing and movement off the ball featured pleasantly in the girls' efforts to score, and while the opponent wasn't exactly the Japanese national team, they were not without some talent.  This coach was pleased to see a real bounce in the step of all the Springboks...they played lively soccer with a very positive approach.  
• The Quick Boys had it a bit differently...a massive, lopsided win...which as most of the boys know, I'm not prone to encourage. (some may recall the comments at the end of this post from the Labor Day Weekend tournament.)  But, given that the boys are playing up an age group (and aren't even the top team in our age group in our own club) and played to modest results in division II outside this fall, our opponent ought to have acquitted themselves better, simply by virtue of being a little older/bigger/etc.  The match left me fuming on the sideline as I watched Quick Boys playing as though there was no opponent, or at least as though they were playing shorthanded.  I wish I could say it was due to our excellent play...but in truth, the goals came from an utter lack of defensive awareness or pressure from the Westmont players.  At that age group (recall that U13 is the broadly used first season of 11 v. 11 soccer) there is no excuse for a team to get on a field and fail to pressure the ball carrier, leave first defenders uncovered, or not mark and contest service in the penalty area.  The LMSC players were asked to only attempt on goal from a cross and a header, but several times found themselves unchallenged deep in the opponent's half while on the ball...it's unreasonable to tell them not to shoot in that case.  Jed had a goal from such a situation, and I couldn't see what else he could have done, save play it back to Henry (GK)...part of me thinks I should have told the boys to do so; the other part of me was so ticked that coaches would let a group get to that age in such defensive disorder, I simply can't be bothered.
• Ingram doesn't have to get his head shaved.
• Man City and Man U had a crazy game Sunday...The arrest list is getting longer by the hour...
• All hail Messi...some more.  He's 25, for heaven's sake.
• Clint Dempsey beat US teammate Tim Howard for the opener, but Everton won late in a remarkable finish.  Good either way for American fans.
• Congrats to Indiana on winning the men's division I NCAA tournament...but credit to fellow finalists Georgetown for knocking off Maryland in the semis in one of the craziest matches in playoff history.  Yet another reason to watch and support college soccer!
• UNC Women took the title this year as well (21 and counting)...there's parity in women's soccer these days, but perhaps not #1-#323 but at least #2-#323!