O-30 HANG ON

POST THRILLING VICTORY

Another nail-biter & yet more gray hair. These kinds of games aren't healthy.....for spectators! The games versus the Cobras are always pretty predictable: low scoring & physical. In the last four matches versus the Cobras, SSL has posted two wins & two ties. The wins were by a single goal & the ties were 2-2 & 3-3. Tight defense & two teams that don't particularly care for each other. This match was no different.

The match was tight, end to end, vocal  & physical from the outset. Tempers were frayed at the center-off & it deteriorated from there. In spite of the pushing, shoving & name-calling, SSL, on the strength of a great run & finish from Guillermo Cortez, took an early 1-0 lead. That lead was short lived.

The Cobras continued to defend & counter, which is the indoor model they use, & struck paydirt on a very good shot from the right side, just outside the box. But on the ensueing center-off, SSL pushed forward quickly & as a result of some good ball movement, found Edin Coralic streaking down the middle where he finished a one-timer, giving back the lead, 2-1 to SSL. However, this game was far, far from over.

At the interval, the score remained 2-1 in favor of SSL. SSL continued to press the attack, moving the ball smartly out of the back, creating multiple scoring opportunities, but unfortunately, missing on two or three point blank chances. However, they continued to move the ball, continually creating chances, & keeping the Cobras on their heels. On one of these chances, a quick thinking Bernard Anic upped the score to 3-1. As a result of the SSL pressure, Anic received the ball from the left corner. As he moved toward the top of the box to take the shot, he was fouled. Thinking quickly, he put the ball down & let go with a bomb that bent from right to left & into the bottom right hand corner of the goal before the defenders could even react. Just like that SSL took a two goal lead. It appeared they hand the game in hand. They didn't!

Say what you will about the Cobras, there is no quit in that team. They continued to play, continued to attack & as a result of their persistancy, collected their second goal. Not to worry. SSL still had a one goal lead at 3-2 & time was short. Shortly after the Cobra goal, a significant play took place. At the time it didn't seem extremely important, however, as it turned out, it was.

Tony Meadows carried the ball out of the back & into the offensive end. After some ball movement, Meadows received the ball back. As he was taking the shot, again there was foul. Just as Anic did earlier, Meadows placed the ball, & again like Anic before him, quickly took the shot & again, bent the ball beautifully into the bottom right hand corner of the goal for a comfortable 4-2 lead. The SSL side was breathing easier. It was short-lived.

With just 3 minutes left on the clock, the Cobras, on a bit of a quirky play out of a scramble just to the left of the goal, was able to sneak a ball past the keeper, closing the SSL lead to 4-3. The final moments of the game were hectic. There were two, two minute penalties charged to the Cobras as well as a red card & ultimately, three of the Cobra players were sent off. As I said, it was a nail-biter. SSL was able to hang on, withstanding a final pressure-packed minute to lock up a 4-3 win & retain thier hold on first place.

But the defense was the game. On three different occasions, keeper David Shelton made saves on point-blank break-aways. Will Suk, called on to play defense in the absence of regulars Mike Hogan (injured) & Ivan Bodul (work), turned in a spectacular evening, defending as well as often contributing to the offense, Additionally, the solid defensive work of Sladan Kurtovic, Casey Walsh & Tony Meadows, limited the Cobras to few shots while at the same time, creating beautiful thru-balls for the forwards & mid-fielders.

All in all, a more than satisfactory performance against a very good opponent. However, it was not without its thrills, & chills. By virtue of the win, SSL strengthened its hold on first place by 3 points over second place SoCo Utd with two to play.

From this point, the SSL destiny is in thier own hands. Next Thursday @ 8:50 of field #2, they'll face a familiar foe, PLS Zoom, whom they defeated 7-4 in game #1 this session, but who have played much better of late. Following that match, they'll face the following week, also for the 2nd time this session, the always dangerous Freaky Shakra on field #3 @ 7:00 pm. In their last match a couple weeks back, SSL prevailed in a very difficult test, 6-4. So, win the next two, they're in. Lose, well, see you next session. Hope to see you Thursday. Thanks for reading.

 

	SOCCER ST. LOUIS STATS O-30
	NAME		GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS
	JAYSON ADELSBERGER		4	6	0	12
	DAVID HIPPERSON		4	4	3	11
	GUILLERMO CORTEZ		5	3	2	8
	IVAN BODUL		3	3	0	6
	BERNARD ANIC		5	2	1	5
	RONNIE ROWDEN		5	1	1	3
	JOHNNY PENS		5	1	1	3
	EDIN CORALIC		5	1	1	3
	DAVID SHELTON		5	0	2	2
	TONY MEADOWS		5	1	0	2
	CASEY WALSH		5	0	1	1
	WILL SUK		3	0	1	1
	MIKE HOGAN		2	0	0	0
	SLADAN KURTOVIC		3	0	0	0

Schedule

Date			Location
Thu 8/13 8:00 PM	W 7-4	Zoom Motors	Concord, Field 2
Thu 8/20 10:00 PM	W 3-2	at Sinclair & Rush	Concord, Field 1
Thu 8/27 10:15 PM	L 2-5	at Soco Utd (BLUE)	Concord, Field 3
Thu 9/3 11:20 PM	W 6-4	Freaky Shakra(WHITE/BLUE)	Concord, Field 2
Thu 9/10 7:50 PM	W 4-3	CD Cobras(BLUE)	Concord, Field 1
Thu 9/17 8:50 PM	50 minutes	at Zoom Motors	Concord, Field 2
Thu 9/24 7:00 PM	50 minutes	at Freaky Shakra(WHITE/BLUE)	Concord, Field 3