Swalings Intertops Cup: Week 2

Match Report from February 6, 2009

Round 2 of the Swalings Intertops Cup

Swalings Titans Vs Swalings Panthers

What would start to be a slow first half would ignite into a fire cracker! The league leaders, Swalings Titans, went into this game 2 points clear of the Swalings Panthers, looking to extend their winning start to 2 out of 2 wins, and it didn’t take them long to get that lead.

After the Panthers having the best chances early on to go ahead, the ball went down to the far corner of the Panthers half for a Titan throw.  Then what would seem a bizarre event of 5 foul throws, three from the Titans and two from the Panthers, the Swalings Panthers threw it long to Jesse Frankel, who looked infield to Matthew Massiah, who had left the Titans defence in his wake, he continued to tear down on goal and made a delicate pass that seeked out Andre Amour who fired a snap shot at the Titans goal. Unfortunately the shot only managed to go down the throat of Michael Josiah.

Michael, always quick to get the ball rolling took one look up, and threw the ball to Jonathan Coghlan, who without controlling the ball, hooked it up field, to his fellow team mate and Swalings Intertops Cup debutant, Jacob Knoll.  Jacob took the ball down well at knee height, then having to spin on a six pence, let loose a ferocious half volley, that Steven Gerard would have been proud of, into the top right corner of the goal.  Richard Coghlan could do nothing but turn and collect the ball out of his net. Both teams were left stunned, Panthers for having such an amazing goal scored against them and the Titans for taking the lead, in what they thought would be a 3-0 slaughter to the Panthers.

The rest of the half ticked by with both teams struggling to keep possession long enough to do anything dangerous with. The whistle went with the Titans going into the second half with a 1-0 advantage.

The Swalings Panthers seemed to shake of the hangover of the 1st half and came out with all guns blazing.  Matthew Massiah decided enough was enough and collected the ball deep inside his own half, turned and saw Ethan Bento stampeding towards him, Matthew cool as a cucumber, tucks the ball back inside to go around Ethan, and goes of on a run, beating defenders along the way to place the ball in for Andre Amour who again was denied by Michael Josiah resulting in a Panthers corner. The Panthers who whip in a cross, the first shot by Kenford James is denied by the Titans goalie, Michael, but bounces back and both teams fight for the ball on the edge of the box, it rolls out to Jesse Frankel, who can only slash the ball wide.

Michael plays it out to Amer Hourani, Titans goal scorer from their last game, who plays his famous back heel to set Destinee Doumith on a run. Destinee is about to pass the ball but first performs a ballet type jump over some pasta that’s on the pitch which looks a like a lasagna, with the ball at her feet she looks up and plays in Tyler Neal, who miss controls it but manages to regain possession and lets of a shot straight at Justin Hadeed between the sticks.

With all of the Titans having charged forward for the attack, Nadeem Doumith was left up field by himself, Justin rolls the ball out to Tnoiy Charles, who doesn’t need a second invitation, gives a cross field kick up to Nadeem, Nadeem with only the goalie to beat turns and shoots into the goal. 1-1.

The Swalings Titans, if not feeling devastated from conceding a goal didn’t have to wait long till they would. The re-start is taken and Jacob Knoll tries to set Tyler Neal free down the middle but is denied by Jesse Frankel. The ball is played out to Matthew who with a quick one two with Tnoiy Charles, looks up and sends the ball through a sea of Titan players to Nadeem.  Nadeem keeps his cool to shoot first time just past the clutches of Michael Josiah.  The Panthers go ballistic running around and cheering.

However the Titans weren’t going to roll over and die, and the Panthers weren’t going to sit and defend, the game now turning into a more of a table tennis game, with the ball pinging from end to end, the keepers being kept busy, from close range shots to far range shots.  Michael Josiah, being the busier of the two has to stay on his toes, and does so by making a fine save denying young Richard Coghlan his first goal tipping his shot onto the cross bar back into his hands.  With seconds remaining, Michael passes left to Ethan Bento, who plays a long ball down to Amer Hourani.  Amer on the bounce looks up and hooks the ball towards the Panthers goal, the shot dipping in to the far right corner, is denied by the big flat palm of Justin Hadeed, if it had not been for that moment of brilliance the Game would surely have finished 2-2!

The final whistle goes, Panthers ecstatic with the win start celebrating knowing they are league leaders and the unfortunate Titans can do nothing but look forward to next week to get back into the title race!

Swalings Strikers vs. Swalings Superstars

This game didn’t take long to get into action, with the Strikers looking for their first points and the Superstars looking to get to the top of the table.

With only 60 seconds on the clock the Superstars are awarded a penalty for an infringement by the Strikers. Sergei Chermeteff steps up to the spot, only to be denied by Chris Khouly, who gets his full frame behind the ball.

The game goes on with both goalies being worked hard.  Brandon Hadeed, goalkeeping for the Superstars, kicks the ball up to Bashire Joseph, who is eager to take the lead for his team and the running of the Swalings Golden boot, turns and lets of a stinging shot, that Chris Khouly can only parry to take the venom out of it, Chris then has to scramble to dive on the ball before Tonaj Francis can have a shot.  Chris then gets up, kicks the ball through to Tony Hourani, who skilfully “salads” (nutmeg, puts the ball through the legs and run around to collect it) Justin Bento, then with what seems to be the speed of Usain Bolt, runs towards the Superstars goal and skillfully without pausing rifles the shot past Brandon Hadeed who is left rooted to the spot.

The Superstars take a quick kick off, with Justin Bento and Tonaj Francis who pass back to Sergei and onto Bashrie only to be denied by a solid tackle by the youngest player in the cup, Alex Bento, Alex who retained possession from the Souness like tackle passes up field for Jaiden Wulliez to collect cleanly and cross the ball to the unmarked Jerry Aska who is denied by a super save at the hands of Brandon Hadeed.

Half time comes and goes with both teams looking to win.

The restart is taken by Sean Janosek and Alex Bento, they pass the ball back to Jerry Aska who finds out the hard way that Brandon Hadeed is now an outfield player when Brandon wins the ball cleanly but the tackle is so strong that it sends Jerry into the middle of next week, the ref waves play on, Brandon playing to the whistle lays off to Sergei Cheremeteff whose shot is caught by Chris Khouly. Chris quickly gets the ball going again, by rolling it out to Sean Janosek, who works the ball forward to Tony Hourani who has done a looping run around the inside of him, but is stopped dead in his tracks by a last ditch tackle by Tonaj Francis, the tackle rolls out to her team mate, Jay Boswell, who has just made the step up from the U6’s. Jay, looks up only to find Jerry Aska steaming towards him.  The ball goes out from the tackle.

Jay quick to react throws the ball into Bashire Joseph, who turns skillfully only to be denied by Jerry Aska.  Jerry quickly ships the ball up field to Jaden Wuilliez who fires a quick shot at goal that needs the reactions of a cat from Superstars goalie Justin Bento to deny Jaden his first Swalings Cup goal.

Bashire, who has been marked so tightly by the Strikers, after hearing how dangerous he was in the 1st game, is denied by a superb save by Chris Khouly, then another save by him from Brandon Hadeed, and another by Tonaj Francis, and another shot by Jay Boswell being rejected by Chris Khouly, at this rate, Chris is going to get the nickname Safe hands, pulling saves off like this, he reminds me of the great England and Arsenal goalkeeper David “safe hands” Seaman.

With only 1 minute left on the clock Bashire breaks free from a loose ball on the left, he storms on the Strikers goal like a man possessed and manages to poke the ball towards the goal before Alex Bento can tackle him, the ball goal bound, is deflected by the outstretched foot of Chris Khouly onto the post, the ball takes a nasty bounce for ‘Safe Hands’ it bounces off the post and into the back of the goal. 1-1, the game is tied with 45 seconds left.

The Strikers take a quick kick off before the Superstars can get back into place quickly the ball is passed long to Tony Hourani who has made a darting run through the Superstars defence firing a shot at Justin Bento, who stays strong and brings the ball well into his chest. Quickly he rolls the ball out to Jay Boswell, who passes through the on charging Sean Janosek, to Tonaj Francis, Tonaj tries to pass the ball on but it is intercepted by Alex Bento who kicks the ball long up the pitch to the sound of the final whistle.

An exciting game finishes 1-1, some may see it as a lucky draw for the Superstars some might see it as the fitting way for the game to end.