Friday, 2 April 2010
The day we lost to Atticus, Orlando and Butters...
To round off the week, two friendlies against strong academy sides giving coaches the opportunity to use fresh players and rest some battered legs from earlier conflicts. Florida's IMG had previously won this tournament and were certain to be a tough test. Lewisham started promisingly and played some sharp football culminating with a goal from Shane Collins which he admits was intended as a cross, and a mysterious penalty that was given for an outrageous Omar Folkes dive and then never happened for reasons known only to the referee. It all seemed suspiciously easy, unfortunately the Lewisham team didn't react when IMG changed their line-up, bringing on some of their big guns in the middle and up front and the tide of play changed dramatically. After the disappointment of the tournament group and a week of hard football in the Dallas sun, the boys didn't have the stomach for this particular fight and IMG ran out comfortable 2-1 winners.
Group standings update - Lewisham bow out after Solar FC win final game
Despite extremely vocal support from the entire Lewisham squad, FC Juventus couldn't pull off the required result against the highly organised and efficient Solar SC side. FC Juventus looked promising in the opening ten or fifteen minutes, but once the opening breakaway goal went Solar's way and a Juventus defender had collected a straight red card, there was only ever going to be one winner. In the end, Solar ran out 4-0 winners against a tired and dispirited FC Juventus, and far more importantly edged Lewisham out of top spot in the group, and thereby out of the tournament. Solar's next opponents will be the Andromeda academy coached by our own former head coach Aaron Jacob. What a matchup that might have been had we gone through instead of Solar: Dan Thomas vs Aaron Jacob, and we could have dragged Aaron's predecessor, Alex Ingelthorpe, away from managing the Spurs squad here at the tournament to referee!
The boys are of course extremely disappointed, but they do have two tasty friendly fixtures to look forward to. The first will be against the highly rated IMG academy side from Florida (recent winners of this tournament), and the second a talented Utah State side on Saturday.
The boys are of course extremely disappointed, but they do have two tasty friendly fixtures to look forward to. The first will be against the highly rated IMG academy side from Florida (recent winners of this tournament), and the second a talented Utah State side on Saturday.
Video update
Warm up and action from the Leones match
Preparing for the Leones match
In action against FC Juventus
Thursday, 1 April 2010
Final group game and nothing less than a win will suffice
Lewisham 2- 0 Houston Leones
Lewisham started this game knowing that a two goal winning margin was vital if they were to have a chance to progress, and from there it would all come down to the final group game between Solar SC and FC Juventus. Dan Thomas shuffled his line-up for this make or break game, bringing in Manny at centre back for the injured Joe Stephenson, Fabio in at left back pushing Shane forward, and moving Louie to the central position up front with Ishmail now on the right of the familiar Lewisham 4-3-3.
It became apparent early on that Lewisham had the beating of Houston, with Omar Folkes on imperious form in the centre of the park and Lewisham dominating possession and shooting chances in the first half. The rest day made a massive difference to the player’s intensity compared to the lethargic performance in the second game against FC Juventus. Leones’s capable goalkeeper was tested on numerous occasions as his defence struggled to deal with the Lewisham attack. The inevitable breakthrough came shortly before half time with Omar whipping in a fierce cross that the keeper was unable to hold and Louie Theophanous quick to pounce on the opportunity to score.
In the second half, tempers were short as Leones resorted to late and petulant challenges, with Omar and Richard Morgan singled out for the worst of this treatment. Omar diffused the tensions with some highly comical peacemaking, and then went on to start the move that resulted in a penalty for Lewisham as he was chopped down driving into the Leones box. Louie’s penalty was saved superbly by the Leones keeper only for the referee to order it re-taken because Leones players had encroached, and at the second time of asking Louie had no problems slotting home.
Dan Thomas brought on fresh legs in the shape of Alfie and Marvin both of whom continued to pile the pressure on Leones in the search for a third goal. In the dying minutes a superb curling strike from Omar was brilliantly tipped onto the bar by the Leones keeper, and this proved to be Lewisham’s final attempt on goal. The match ended 2-0 to Lewisham, now everything depends on whether FC Juventus can beat or draw with Solar SC tomorrow
MoM: Omar Folkes
Lewisham started this game knowing that a two goal winning margin was vital if they were to have a chance to progress, and from there it would all come down to the final group game between Solar SC and FC Juventus. Dan Thomas shuffled his line-up for this make or break game, bringing in Manny at centre back for the injured Joe Stephenson, Fabio in at left back pushing Shane forward, and moving Louie to the central position up front with Ishmail now on the right of the familiar Lewisham 4-3-3.
It became apparent early on that Lewisham had the beating of Houston, with Omar Folkes on imperious form in the centre of the park and Lewisham dominating possession and shooting chances in the first half. The rest day made a massive difference to the player’s intensity compared to the lethargic performance in the second game against FC Juventus. Leones’s capable goalkeeper was tested on numerous occasions as his defence struggled to deal with the Lewisham attack. The inevitable breakthrough came shortly before half time with Omar whipping in a fierce cross that the keeper was unable to hold and Louie Theophanous quick to pounce on the opportunity to score.
In the second half, tempers were short as Leones resorted to late and petulant challenges, with Omar and Richard Morgan singled out for the worst of this treatment. Omar diffused the tensions with some highly comical peacemaking, and then went on to start the move that resulted in a penalty for Lewisham as he was chopped down driving into the Leones box. Louie’s penalty was saved superbly by the Leones keeper only for the referee to order it re-taken because Leones players had encroached, and at the second time of asking Louie had no problems slotting home.
Dan Thomas brought on fresh legs in the shape of Alfie and Marvin both of whom continued to pile the pressure on Leones in the search for a third goal. In the dying minutes a superb curling strike from Omar was brilliantly tipped onto the bar by the Leones keeper, and this proved to be Lewisham’s final attempt on goal. The match ended 2-0 to Lewisham, now everything depends on whether FC Juventus can beat or draw with Solar SC tomorrow
MoM: Omar Folkes
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