Not so Mean Machine

We lost our "home opener" on Sunday morning 3-1, and boy was it pathetic. I'll be the first to admit that I had a very weak performance and wasn't able to get involved in the attack much until very late in the second half. We didn't even get to play this one on our home field since they still haven't replaced the 6-foot high youth goals with regulation ones as of yet. We played a "home match" in the same town, but instead over on Homa FC's field.

I started at left midfield, which is definitely not my natural side of the middle, and quickly realized that a two week layoff was not good for my lungs. We made it to halftime 0-0 and neither team had too many chances in the first half. In the second half the middle of our defense/midfield fell apart, allowing the same player to break through for three goals before we knew what hit us.

After being off the field for the third goal, I returned to the field in my natural right midfield position and began to get a little more involved in the attack. Unfortunately by then it was too late. We finally broke through in the final 5 minutes and got a goal back, but ultimately it was not our day. I'll be missing this week's game since I'll be in Marco Island, Florida, but I'll be back in two weeks and hopefully this time I'll be able to keep my fitness up.

Fortunately, after officiating a wild match in the Glenview League, I managed to play a decent match in my CoRec game with The Globe Pub. I started in the center-attacking midfield slot and put alot of pressure on their midfield to mark me early on. I had chances, but the field was so shoddy I couldn't get a decent hit on net and we went in to half tied at 0-0.

About halfway through the second half our captain, Wayne (one of the Brits,) scored off my corner kick. It was actually a pretty poorly struck ball on my part, but I felt with the crappy dirt and rocks around the goal that a low driven ball might be better than a traditional high, bending ball into the box. I was right. The ball bounced straight through their defense and Wayne was there to knock it down and into the back of the net.

Later, I managed to crack through for my second (really third) goal in the past two weeks with the Globe on a pure hustle play. Their keeper muffed a save and the ball was pushed wide of the post less than a yard from the end line. I got there first and quickly turned and fired a shot back across the goal line. The ball hit the back of a defender that was still in front of the goal and went up into the back of the net. We held on for a 2-0 win and remain in first place in the league at 4-0-1.

I'll try for a professional sports report by the end of the week, but if not I'll have some time during my vacation to relax and write some more then. Until then, enjoy the weather and have a beer for me.