Swalings Intertops Cup: Week 1

Match Report from January 30, 2009

Friday 30th Jan was kick off for the Swalings Cup.

Swalings Soccer training session starts off with the players doing their warm up, drills and exercises, to better their football skills.

After training it’s Game On! The Teams have been chosen, the children now know who they are to do battle with and against for the remainder of the season.

16:59:55… 16:59:56… 16:59:57… 16:59:58… 16:59:59… 17:00:00. The whistle blows and Swalings Cup is under way.

Swalings Strikers vs. Swalings Titans

Swalings Strikers take the kick of with Sean Janosek and Jerry Aska getting the game started.

The first 5 minutes of the game is brilliant – passing and crunching tackles coming in from both teams to stop any real first shot on goal, 7 minutes into the game the ball is played through to Jonathan Coghlan who takes a big swing at the ball only for it to go inches past the ’Strikers’ post.  Unlucky for the ‘Titans’ not to go 1-0 up.  But that didn’t hold the ‘Strikers’ back from going straight up to the other end with Jerry Aska putting in a diving volley only for it to be put wide by Michael Josiah at the bottom right of the goal.  With minutes remaining of the 1st half Ethan Bento is set loose with a long throw by Michael Josiah, Ethan tearing down on goal with only the ‘Strikers’ keeper to beat, Ethan’s brother Alex Bento, lets lose a cannon of a shot straight at Alex. The ball bounces back towards Ethan who lets loose another shot, only to be denied again by Alex. Again the ball bounces back out to Ethan who is about to shoot, only to be denied by a last ditch tackle by Jaden Wuilliez.

Half time comes and the game is tied at 0-0.

2nd half is under way.  The game could swing either way with both teams giving it their all from the go.  Alex Bento who has swapped his gloves with Jaden Wuilliez in goal almost takes the lead for the ‘Strikers’ only to be denied by a fine leg save by Chris Khouly who has swapped with Michael Josiah.

With half of the 2nd half gone, Amer Hourani gets the ball on the far right, bringing the ball down under control, turns and lets loose with his left foot, GOAL! The ball is struck to hard for Jaden to react in time and of goes Amer, tearing it down the pitch in wild celebration.  With the minutes ticking away and nothing left to lose the ‘Strikers’ are running wild, with the ball pinging from one end of the pitch to the next.

The next chance comes through Destinee Doumith who passes down to Michael Josiah, Michael who cuts inside only to see his shot go over the bar. Jaden thanking his lucky stars that the ball went over his cross bar (and inches over his head).  The ball is then played short to Alex Bento who has been in battle with his brother Ethan throughout the whole game, clears the ball up field, and from out of no where you see Jairo Bailey, who hasn’t stopped being a nuisance for the ‘Titans’ defenders all game, charging down every ball they try to clear, tears it across the pitch onto Alex’s clearance only to see his shot go wide of the far post.

With seconds remaining, Jonathan Coghlan throws the ball into Destinee who controls the ball brilliantly, looks up and plays a defence splitting pass to Michael Josiah, Michael with what seems all the time in the world is about to let lose a shot when you see Jerry Aska throwing in a last second effort sliding tackle to knock the ball out.

The final whistle blows.  Swalings Titans win 1-0, but it was a great game of football with all the children giving their all for the entire 30 minutes.

Swalings Super Stars vs. Swalings Panthers.

With Panthers winning the toss, they choose for kick off with Matthew Massiah and Nadeem Doumith taking it.

What is to be an action packed game gets going almost immediately — only 4 minutes into the game a goal is scored. Sahyen Smith of the ‘Super Stars’ turns to see fellow team mate Bashire Joesph screaming for the ball in open space, collects it and fires in a close range shot to beat the ‘Panthers’ goalie.  First blood has been drawn in the Swalings Cup and it goes to the ‘Super Stars’.

The ‘Panthers’ however don’t let this take the wind out of their sails — with only a further 3 minutes gone Swalings Panthers pull a goal back.  A brilliant through ball from Justin Hadeed for the speedy Matthew Massiah to chase with only 3 touches, one to control one to knock on and another to rocket it high into the net of the of the Swalings Super Stars goal.  What a game this is turning out to be.

The ‘Panthers’ aren’t looking for a draw today though and press forward through Nadeem who is stopped in his tracks by a super tackle from Sahyen Smith.  GOAL!

The ball is thrown in by Sergei Chermeteff to be controlled on the knee of Bashire Joesph to then quickly turn and half Volley the ball across the ‘Panthers’ goal.  ‘Super Stars’ have taken the lead again to make it 2-1.

The ‘Panthers’ don’t give up though with seconds ticking on the clock Justin Hadeed winds up to strike only to be denied by a superb timed tackle of Nashon Matthews.

Half Time

Second half kicks off and the ‘Super Stars’ waste no time in wanting to extend their lead, with Justin Bento having the ball bounce to him from a tackle made by team mate Brandon Hadeed, fires of a quick shot only to be denied by a brilliant diving save from ‘Panthers’ goalie Richard Coghlan.

With about 8 minutes remaining the Panthers instead of going into defensive mode, have nothing to lose and give it their all.  ’Panthers’ charge down on the ‘Super stars’ goal to be denied again by a last minute tackle from the only girl on the pitch Tonaj Francis.  The ’Panthers’ still on the attack, turning up the pressure are denied again when Matthew Massiah shoots only to be blocked by the ‘Super Stars’ rock of a defender Sergei Chermeteff. However the ball rolls into the path of the advancing Nadeem Doumith who is about to pull the trigger only to be stopped in his tracks again by Sergei Chermeteff.

Minutes now remaining and Panthers give one last assault on the Super Stars goal, Matthew Massiah goes on a dazzling dribble fending of ‘Super stars’ defenders left right and centre, now one on one with the goalie pokes it to the left and… GOAL! The ‘Panthers’ have equalised with 2 minutes remaining on the clock.

However this doesn’t stop the Swalings Super Stars who take a quick kick off. The ‘Panthers’ who are still in joy over equalising don’t see the ball played through to Bashire Joseph, who lets off a curling shot form the left to be denied by the towering Toniy Charles who puts it over the crossbar.

The final whistle goes and the score finishes 2-2 which is a fair result as both teams went head to head in a smashing game.

Tune in next week for the results! Match commentary for the League Leaders Swalings Titans who take on The Swalings Panthers and The Swalings Super Stars go up against the Swalings Strikers.