[DataKing]

Season 3 – U.S.A. Cup – Round 1

Connecticut Samurai vs. Screamin’ Seamen

Date: April 2nd, 2003
Venue: Connecticut Arena (Hartford, CT)
Attendance: 4,911 (7,000)
Weather: Overcast

We start off the new season full of hope and promise today. Our first test should be an easy one, as we face a team from the U.S.A.’s recently-added Division VI. This match won’t be much of a test of us, but will be a nice way to get our players into match-fitness, as well as a way to earn an easy ‘W.’

Formation: 3-5-2

Starters

Keeper: #1 Cornelius “Corny” Jernigan

Right Wingback: #22 Tyler Willard
Central Defender: #2 Chuck Scales
Left Wingback: #5 Arlen Lucas

Right Winger: #9 Valentin Rubio
Inner Midfielder: #4 Pete “The Old Goat” Tomlin
Inner Midfielder: #6 Charlie Bautista
Inner Midfielder: #8 Niklas Ivarsson
Left Winger: #3 Ben McMahon

Forward: #11 Johannes Henriksson
Forward: #15 Forrest “Gump” Tobias

Team Captain: #11 Johannes Henriksson
Set Pieces: #11 Johannes Henriksson

Substitutes
-Keeper: #13 Darryl Read
-Defender: #17 Mattias Leier
-Midfielder: #7 Lucian Tere
-Forward: #14 Jesper Gravesen
-Winger: #10 Olav Mauffret

We’re playing our starting line-up today. It’s hardly fair, and should not prove to be much of a contest, but will give our starters a chance to get into match-fitness before we take on Ramblers in the season-opener on Sunday.

We will be keeping a specially close eye on both Niklas Ivarsson and Valentin Rubio, as both are making their competitive-match debuts for us today. We will find out soon whether or not the combined $227,000 we spent to get them will be worth it or not.

Match Report

PRE-GAME

4911 spectators had come to Connecticut Arena this cloudy day. Connecticut had chosen a strategic 4-4-2 formation. Lineup: Stone - Simmons, Koehler, Wise, Vega - Tipton, Quick, Huntley, Wing-Koo - Erwin, Manning.

Screamin' started off with a 3-5-2 lineup. Lineup: Jernigan - Willard, Scales, Lucas - Rubio, Ivarsson, Bautista, Tomlin, Mcmahon - Henriksson, Tobias.

FIRST HALF

As Arlen Lucas had, completely unprovoked, swept the legs out from under an opponent in front of a linesman, the referee gave the Screamin' player a red card without batting an eye.

Screamin' took the lead after 18 minutes with 0 - 1. Johannes Henriksson placed the ball out of reach for the home sides keeper after a fine move, coming in from the left.

The visitors Forrest Tobias took advantage of an error due to a misunderstanding between the home side´s goalie and full backs in the 27:th minute. 0 - 2 for Screamin'.

In the 34:th minute the visitors put themselves ahead 0 - 3 as Ben Mcmahon finished off an attack from the left with a spectacular scissors kick.

The teams went for a half-time break at 0 - 3. Screamin', bringing the final ball possession rate to 90 percent, dominated the battle.

SECOND HALF

In the 59:th minute the visitors put themselves ahead 0 - 4 as Johannes Henriksson finished off an attack from the left with a spectacular scissors kick.

After 61 minutes a combination in the middle resulted in a through ball for Johannes Henriksson who increased Screamin'´s lead to 0 - 5. By then Johannes Henriksson was a three time scorer - a hat trick!

The structure of the game started to change as Screamin' decided to pull back and meet their opponents in the defensive zone.

Connecticuts August Vega got himself booked after a foul.

Due to a severely mistimed tackle,Chuck Scales spent some on the grass writhing in agony before he could get up and continue the game.

After 79 minutes of game time Johannes Henriksson received an excellent opportunity to add to the visitors lead, clipping a volley hooked in from the right, but Kenneth Stone was in the right place, tipping the ball to a corner.

Charlie Bautista received some harsh words from his coach after he acted foolishly, probably out of lack of experience, in the 80:th minute and almost caused an opponent to score.

Screamin' came close to extending their lead as Forrest Tobias delivered a long range shot from the right but the angle was to sharp, and the shot hit the side of the goal.

Screamin' held the ball, with a clear 98 percent possession rate.

POST-GAME

The most dominating Connecticut player was without a doubt Howard Manning. Odell Quick was a disappointment, however.

Screamin'´s best player was Niklas Ivarsson. Ben Mcmahon was a disappointment, however.

The match ends 0 - 5.

Final Score: Screamin’ Seamen 5, Connecticut Samurai 0

Goals
Henriksson – 3 (1,2,3)
Tobias – 1 (1)
McMahon – 1 (1)

Cards
Lucas (red)

Player Ratings

Jernigan: ***

Willard: **~
Scales: ***
Lucas: ??? (ejected)

Rubio: ***
Tomlin: **~
Bautista: **~
Ivarsson: ***~
McMahon: **

Henriksson: **~
Tobias: **

Team Ratings

Screamin’ Seamen
-Midfield: Weak (4)
-Right Defense: Formidable (9)
-Central Defense: Solid (7)
-Left Defense: Inadequate (5)
-Right Attack: Solid (7)
-Central Attack: Passable (6)
-Left Attack: Inadequate (5)
-DKI/NSI: 47/51

Connecticut Samurai
-Midfield: Disastrous (1)
-Right Defense: Inadequate (5)
-Central Defense: Inadequate (5)
-Left Defense: Weak (4)
-Right Attack: Poor (3)
-Central Attack: Poor (3)
-Left Attack: Poor (3)
-DKI/NSI: 25/26

Comments

This was hardly a top-notch performance from our starters, and missing Arlen Lucas for almost the entire match hurt our ratings considerably, but it still proved to be an easy win.

First, the positives: Team captain Johannes Henriksson earned his third career hattrick. “Gump” Tobias found the twine, and even Ben McMahon (commonly referred to by the team as “the man who never scores") got in on the fun, tallying his second career goal. Valentin Rubio and especially Niklas Ivarsson performed well in their debuts, and our money appears to have been well-spent. We were also quite relieved to find that Chuck Scales’ injury was little more than a stinger, and he should be good-to-go on Sunday.

Now for the bad news. We got exactly what we did not need from Arlen Lucas; a red card. Arlen is our single best defender, and now he is ineligible for Sunday’s match against defending series champion Ramblers. This is his third suspension in as many seasons. He needs to learn how to keep his composure.

Other News

Two more teams have joined the army of Screamin’ Seamen faithful. We would like to welcome the following teams to the SSFC Supporter Club:

Else United (Owner: rexallsc, Seeded #1 in series V.251)
Fort Wayne Wanderers (Owner: DennisMoore, Seeded #3 in series V.236)

Welcome, fellow Hattrickers, and thank you very much for your support.

Up Next: The current state of the team this weekend. After that, we visit the Ramblers on Sunday, in what is sure to be a bit of a grudge-match. Stay tuned!