[DataKing]

Season 2 – FOFC Cup Round 1 – Second Leg

Screamin’ Seamen vs. Hamas Mad Bombers

Date: January 22, 2003
Venue: The Docks (Chicago, IL)
Attendance: 1,010 (17,350)
Weather: Cloudy

After our 1-1 draw in the first leg of our FOFC Cup matchup, we returned home to host astralhaze’s Hamas Mad Bombers.

The plan was to concentrate on defense and ball possession, and hold the Bombers scoreless, a task more easily said than done. But given the rules for the FOFC Cup, even a scoreless draw would mean that we would advance to the second round.

Formation: 5-4-1

Starters

Keeper: #13 Cornelius Jernigan

Right Wingback: #24 Christian Kvam
Central Defender: #21 Zarpas Lerma
Central Defender: #17 Luis Javier Prada
Central Defender: #20 Keith Stubbs
Left Wingback: #23 William Brown

Right Winger: #16 Otis Johnson
Inner Midfielder: #12 Brooks Brannon
Inner Midfielder: #19 Jerry Smith
Left Winger: #8 Max Dodge

Forward: #9 Ruben Stewart

Team Captain: #16 Otis Johnson
Set Pieces: #12 Brooks Brannon

Substitutes
-Keeper: #1 Darryl Read
-Defender: #5 Arlen Lucas
-Inner Midfielder: #7 Lucian Tere
-Forward: #15 Forrest Tobias
-Winger: #10 Olav Mauffret

There were no significant changes to our lineup this week, as we had no injuries or suspensions to compensate for. The good news was that Ruben Stewart and Max Dodge appeared to be slowly coming out of their slumps. We hoped that a good performance today would give them a boost and get them back into competitive form.

Match Report

After a fine move down the middle William Brown nearly gave the home side one up in the 21st minute. The finishing shot went just wide, though. Screamin' made a bid to take the lead as a ball coming in from the right hand side left Max Dodge completely alone with keeper Alejandro Bayo, who made a spectacular block. Heliodoro Alonso of Bombers received a yellow card in the 38:th minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour. 0 - 0 was the half-time score. Screamin' held the ball, with a clear 61 percent possession rate.

Max Dodge was dominating his wing and kept sending fine balls into the enemy box - Ruben Stewart managed to kick one of them into 1 - 0 in the 48:th minute. 49 minutes into the game Screamin' were awarded a penalty that Brooks Brannon turned into 2 - 0 without a problem. Heliodoro Alonso of Bombers got sent off for kicking the ball after the whistle, a completely uncalled for move, earning him his second yellow card of the game. Luis Javier Prada really should have scored when he was chosen by fate to confront a wide open goal after a corner, but he lost his nerve. Screamin', bringing the final ball possession rate to 77 percent, dominated the battle.

Final Score: Screamin’ Seamen 2, Hamas Mad Bombers 0

Goals
Stewart – 1(assisted by Dodge)
Brannon – 1

Cards
None

Player Ratings

Jernigan: **1/2

Kvam: **
Lerma: *1/2
Prada: **
Stubbs: *1/2
Brown: **

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

Stewart: *1/2

Team Ratings

Screamin’ Seamen
-Midfield: Poor (3)
-Right Defense: Excellent (8)
-Central Defense: Solid (7)
-Left Defense: Solid (7)
-Right Attack: Poor (3)
-Central Attack: Wretched (2)
-Left Attack: Poor (3)

Hamas Mad Bombers
-Midfield: Wretched (2)
-Right Defense: Solid (7)
-Central Defense: Solid (7)
-Left Defense: Inadequate (5)
-Right Attack: Weak (4)
-Central Attack: Weak (4)
-Left Attack: Weak (4)

Comments

With a two goal lead for us and with the Bombers having one of their strikers thrown off the pitch in the second half, it was all over but the screaming. Brown and Prada missed opportunities to make it a lop-sided game, but a win is a win and I will definitely take it. Especially heartening is the long-overdue good play of Max Dodge and Ruben Stewart. This gives me hope for our performance in round two of the cup.

Speaking of which, we get a rare opportunity at revenge. The Cedar Pond Horned Toads were the team to knock us out of the cup last season, and we get the opportunity for some payback. While it will be tempting to throw a bunch of starters at the Toads, I have to remind myself that we are in the midst of a hotly contested series battle, and winning that has to be our top priority.

Up Next: Training results come out on Friday, and hopefully the Hattrick gods will smile kindly upon us once again. Stay tuned!