[DataKing]

Season 2 – Week 4 – Friendly Match

Screamin’ Seamen vs. Galesburg Avengers

Date: January 1, 2003
Venue: The Docks (Chicago, IL)
Attendance: 583 (17,350) (Friendly matches don’t draw much in the way of crowds)
Weather: Rain

We looked to start the new year off right, with a friendly match against Coffee Warlord’s Galesburg Avengers. The Avengers were a new team, but we figured they would be playing their starters against our backups, and the 5-4-1 formation we typically play in friendly matches is far from competitive. We also had a couple of new acquisitions that would be playing as Seamen for the first time. Given all of this, we really had no idea what to expect from the matchup.

New to the team were a pair of 18 year old defenders. First was #24 Christian Kvam. Christian is Finnish, and came over to the U.S. from Oddballs for the price of $18,000. He is 6’3” and excels and defending against headers on cross passes and corner kicks. He is rated as a passable (6) winger and inadequate (5) defender.

Our second addition was #21 Zarpas Lerma, an 18 year old Spaniard. Zarpas came to SSFC from Smiths F.C. in Spain for $6,000. Zarpas is 6’2” and is also good at defending against headers. He is rated as an inadequate (5) winger and inadequate (5) defender.

Formation: 5-4-1

Starters

Keeper: #13 Fredric McKinley

Right Wingback: #24 Christian Kvam
Central Defender: #22 Bill Rubin
Central Defender: #17 Luis Javier Prada
Central Defender: #21 Zarpas Lerma
Left Wingback: #23 William Brown

Right Winger: #16 Otis Johnson
Inner Midfielder: #8 Max Dodge
Inner Midfielder: #12 Brooks Brannon
Left Winger: #14 Jeffrey Nolan

Forward: #9 Ruben Stewart

Team Captain: #14 Jeffrey Nolan
Set Pieces: #14 Jeffrey Nolan

Substitutes
-Keeper: #1 Darryl Read
-Defender: #5 Arlen Lucas
-Inner Midfielder: #20 Felix Pedersen
-Forward: #15 Forrest Tobias
-Winger: #10 Olav Mauffret

Some positions had been re-arranged, given the presence of our new acquisitions, and some of these players knew that they may very well be playing their last game as a member of SSFC. The two new additions meant that two other players had to go.

Match Report

The referee showed Screamin's Bill Rubin the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. One of many good passes from Wiley Otero at the wing was recieved and skillfully taken care of by Paul Street, scoring for Galesburg to 0 - 1. 34 minutes into the game Max Dodge was really close to evening the score out with a dangerous long range shot, but the ball went just wide of the bar. Screamin's Luis Javier Prada got himself booked after a foul. Ruben Stewart made a superb strike at the goal in the 39:th minute with a long shot coming in from straight in front of the goal, but one of the visitors defenders got a foot in and warded it off to a corner. In the games 41st minute Galesburg´s Paul Street fell dramatically just outside the penalty area.The referee, however booked Paul Street for taking a dive. Screamin' seemed to suffer a certain amount of confusion about the organization of the team. Martin Schrader could have put his team up another one in the 44:th minute, after a rush down the left, but his closing shot hit the post. After 45 minutes Galesburg´s Daryl Mosley contracted a slight foot injury, but could finish the game. 0 - 1 was the half-time score. Screamin' held the ball, with a clear 59 percent possession rate.

The Screamin' players spent the half-time break getting a rerun of the teams tactical organization. Due to some great work on the right wing Screamin':s Zarpas Lerma was able to even the score in the 53rd minute to 1 - 1. Jesse Matson of Galesburg received a yellow card in the 54:th minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour. Luis Javier Prada gave his Screamin' the lead with 2 - 1, as he successfully challenged both the guests central defenders, then placed the ball unreachably at the goaltenders right post. Screamin' seemed to suffer a certain amount of confusion about the organization of the team. 81 minutes into the game William Brown had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury. In came Arlen Lucas. Screamin', bringing the final ball possession rate to 57 percent, dominated the battle.

Final Score: Screamin’ Seamen 2, Galesburg Avengers 1

Goals
Lerma – 1
Prada – 1

Cards
Rubin (yellow)
Prada (yellow)

Player Ratings

McKinley: *

Kvam: **
Rubin: *1/2
Prada: *1/2
Lerma: *1/2
Brown: ** (injured)
-Lucas: *** (replaced injured William Brown)

Johnson: **
Dodge: *1/2
Brannon: **
Nolan: *1/2

Stewart: *

Team Ratings

Screamin’ Seamen
-Midfield: Weak (4)
-Right Defense: Weak (4)
-Central Defense: Inadequate (5)
-Left Defense: Solid (7)
-Right Attack: Weak (4)
-Central Attack: Wretched (2)
-Left Attack: Poor (3)

Galesburg Avengers
-Midfield: Poor (3)
-Right Defense: Passable (6)
-Central Defense: Inadequate (5)
-Left Defense: Weak (4)
-Right Attack: Passable (6)
-Central Attack: Inadequate (5)
-Left Attack: Passable (6)

Comments

I have to say that I was quite pleased with the outcome of this one. We’ve been trying to find a way to generate some midfield possession and scoring chances, and were finally able to do it. The two second-half goals and the fact that the Avengers had no good scoring chances in the second half were good signs. The newcomers, Lerma and Kvam, both played well. Kvam took care of business on his wing, and Lerma gave us the game-tying goal.

The bad news is that William Brown’s injury is not a minor one. He is expected to miss the next two weeks. We hope to have him back a little sooner, but can’t count on it.

Up Next: More personnel changes, as the Seamen announce a trade with a team from Division Two. Stay tuned!