[DataKing]

Season 2 – Cup Match #2

Democrats vs. Screamin’ Seamen

Date: December 18, 2002
Venue: Freaks Arena (Washington D.C.)
Attendance: 4,870 (7,000)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

Our draw in the second round of the U.S.A. Cup looked to be a relatively easy one. Democrats was a team from America’s Division Five, and played a standard 4-4-2 formation. This meant that, with a 3-5-2 formation, we should be able to dominate the midfield and therefore get the majority of the scoring chances. Because of this, we elected to play most of our second team, still confident that we could advance.

Formation: 3-5-2

Starters

Keeper: #13 Fredric McKinley

Right Wingback: #23 William Brown
Central Defender: #17 Luis Javier Prada
Left Wingback: #5 Arlen Lucas

Right Winger: #8 Max Dodge
Inner Midfielder: #25 Paul Peralta
Inner Midfielder: #20 Felix Pedersen
Inner Midfielder: #18 Herbert Nelson
Left Winger: #14 Jeffrey Nolan

Forward: #15 Forrest Tobias
Forward: #12 Brooks Brannon

Three starters were used to supplement the talent level for the match; wingback Arlen Lucas, winger Max Dodge, and forward Forrest Tobias.

Match Report

After a fine move down the middle Daniel Mcgrath nearly gave the home side one up in the 17:th minute. The finishing shot went just wide, though. Screamin' took the lead in the games 24:th minute with 0 - 1 after some elegant plays down the middle. Jeffrey Nolan was the scorer. Screamin'´s Brooks Brannon received a play slashing through the home side´s defense in the 24:th minute, chipping it past the keeper scoring 0 - 2. The home crowd was not pleased with that one. Mi Li-Ken challenged the visitors full backs eagerly, producing a good chance in the 29:th minute as he went for a through ball combination. But as so many times before, the guest´s defensive efforts got the best of it as a defenders The referee showed Screamin's Brooks Brannon the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. 37 minutes into the game Mi Li-Ken had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury. In came Thomas Felix. After 38 minutes a combination in the middle resulted in a through ball for Brooks Brannon who increased Screamin'´s lead to 0 - 3. The teams went for a half-time break at 0 - 3. Screamin', bringing the final ball possession rate to 70 percent, dominated the battle.

Jeffrey Nolan could have added one to the visitors lead if his free kick had gone just a little lower. In the 67:th minute the visitors put themselves ahead 0 - 4 as William Brown finished off an attack from the left with a spectacular scissors kick. In the game's 87:th minute Demo´s Marco King limped slightly after a late challenge, but he was able to continue. Screamin' held the ball, with a clear 92 percent possession rate.

Final Score: Screamin’ Seamen 4, Democrats 0

Goals
Brannon – 2 (1,2)
Nolan – 1 (1)
Brown – 1 (1)

Cards
Brannon (yellow)

Player Ratings

McKinley: *1/2

Brown: **1/2
Prada: *1/2
Lucas: **1/2

Dodge: *1/2
Peralta: *1/2
Pedersen: *1/2
Nelson: *1/2
Nolan: *1/2

Tobias: **1/2
Brannon: *1/2

Team Match MVP: #5 Arlen Lucas

Team Ratings

Screamin’ Seamen
-Midfield: Poor (3)
-Right Defense: Passable (6)
-Central Defense: Passable (6)
-Left Defense: Passable (6)
-Right Attack: Inadequate (5)
-Central Attack: Inadequate (5)
-Left Attack: Weak (4)

Democrats
-Midfield: Wretched (2)
-Right Defense: Inadequate (5)
-Central Defense: Inadequate (5)
-Left Defense: Weak (4)
-Right Attack: Inadequate (5)
-Central Attack: Inadequate (5)
-Left Attack: Weak (4)

Comments

We were pleasantly surprised with results from this match. While we fully expected a victory and a trip to the third round, we did not expect a 4-nil shutout by our second team. Brooks Brannon was particularly busy with two goals and a yellow card. And William Brown’s scissor kick goal was a thing of beauty, let me tell you!

Up Next: We return to league play, with a tough match-up on the road against Neon Genesis Evangelion. This one was exciting. Stay tuned!