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Washington International Soccer League
June 25, 2011
Tigers Oust Unbeaten Barra Brava
British Tigers 3 vs 2 Barra Brava
After a mediocre season, the British Tigers faced an unbeaten Barra Brava and looked to avenge another regular season loss after knocking Magnet out of the cup, 5-3 the previous Saturday. Tigers had been 2-0 in the regular season against Barra Brava before throwing away their lead and losing 3-2.
The game started with each team threatening and narrowly missing opportunities to take the lead, with Thomas making a great save to his left for the Tigers. Tigers then began to settle and take control of the centre of the park with Young and Edgar dictating the play. Bownas and Pruden were also able to create space in the final third and delivered some dangerous crosses. Chavez looked lively from the start and showed some great movement to get in behind the Barra Brava defence, smashing a left foot shot off the post on one occasion. Tigers took a deserved lead in the 20th minute after pressure from Chavez earned the Tigers a throw-in about 20 yards from goal. Foss delivered a long throw into the box, and again Chavez was able to apply enough pressure to to make it difficult for the keeper, who could only watch as the ball glanced off his fingers and into the net. Tigers looked to take a 1-0 lead into the 2nd half, but Barra Brava were able to tie the game in the 42nd minute after the Tigers turned the ball over.
The gaffer, Bownas made a couple of changes at the half bringing on Newkirk and Jenkins, who both had an immediate impact. He was also going to give Chavez a rest to start the 2nd half, but was glad he didn't when Chavez gave the Tigers the lead in the 50th minute after firing a left foot shot into the bottom right corner. Chavez continued his man of the match performance with an assist to Atkinson in the 60th minute, as he beat a couple of guys down the left before cutting it back for Atkinson to slot home from 12 yards. Barra Brava looked to respond with their pacy front-line, but the Tigers were in total control with the back four of Martin, Rohrs, Gokturk, and Foss more than up for the task against their accomplished opponents. Barra Brava did make it 3-2 in the 75th minute when the assistant referee failed to call what looked to be a very obvious off-side. There were immediate thoughts of the regular season game in which the Tigers gave up a 2 goal lead, but that wasn't going to happen today.
MoM: Chavez HON: Rohrs
20' Og (Foss) 50' Chavez (Atkinson) 60' Atkinson (Chavez)
BT2 4-1 Donkies F.C. 05/21/2011 GMU RAC Field
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BT2 lined up with a strong squad to take on Donkies at GMU in perfect conditions for football.
BT2 had almost all of the possession in the first half and made very good use of this possession to create a host of chances. However, on this day, the gods had conspired to prevent BT2 from scoring.
At half-time, the frustration of those missed chances was evident but after a good team talk, BT2 went out in the second half with renewed determination to put a finish to this game.
This determination finally paid off after Mollozi finished a great free kick from Wasley on the right. Kreidie must be given some credit here also for a great effort to wrong-foot the defense when challenging for the ball. The BT2 relief was evident and they continued to press for more goals. The second arrived after Priego made a great challenge at left-back and Barrera-Oro did some great work upfront to jink past 4 defenders and finish with his left.
Donkies got back into the game briefly after a mix up in the BT2 defense gifted them a life-line goal.
BT2 hit back quickly after some great work by Poulsen led to a Parkinson goal. BT2 left the best for last when Whittington picked up a ball from Preigo after again winning a great challenge. Whittington controlled with a touch and then cracked a shot for all of 30 yards that flew past the keeper before he even realised it. Goal of the season candidate I'm sure.
After that, BT2 played out the remaining minutes to the final whistle. The result was well deserved and highlighted the BT2 team determination after a frustrating first half that lead to a much more controlled second half and 4 goals.
Starting Lineup
===============
Thomas
Jones Creedon Wasley Priego
Barrera-Oro Mollozi Parkinson Kreidie
Poulsen Velasquez
Subs
====
Leong
Clark
Whittington
Scorer (Assist)
===============
Mollozi (Wasley)
Barrera-Oro (Priego)
Parkinson (Poulsen)
Whittington (Priego)
Yellow Cards
============
Red Cards
=========
none
MVP: Priego
HonMent: Wasley
May 14, 2011
Tigers II Win Again
BT2 vs. Kian F.C. 5/14/2011 Bishop McNamara H.S.
================================================
BT2 lined up to play Kian FC after good win the previous week. It was important to keep the winning momentum going in the run-in to the end of the regular season.
BT2 started comfortably with good possession and some promising attacks. Ryan and Mollozi in the middle of the park started brightly and were dictating the possession.
After 15 minutes of BT2 possession, a corner by Velasquez was expertly delivered for Helfen to finish with a great header after the keeper got a touch. This eased the BT2 nerves and then they set about continuing to press with further attacks to extend the BT2 advantage.
The BT2 somewhat make-shift back 4 was marshaled by the imperious Gordon in his new role as centre-half. Velasquez and Kreidie were playing with their usual effort and skill that was always looking dangerous from wide positions. Helfen and Poulsen up front were causing the Kian back 4 a lot of trouble and it looked like a formality before they would extend the scoring. Barrera-Oro had a gilt-edged chance soon after coming on but the final touch evaded him.
From a seemingly innocuous attack, Kian FC were a little fortunate to get a penalty near half time. Despite Youmans getting a touch on it, Kian equalized. This seemed to make BT2 a little nervy but captain Helfen bluntly pointed out to the BT2 defense that everything needs to be defended correctly and the effort should be stepped up. This definitely re-focused the BT2 defense.
At half-time, Gordon drove home the point that BT2 were beginning to panic for no reason and that BT2 should calm down and start playing with a little more composure that they are completely capable of. Ryan emphasized that our passing needed to be quicker and crisper as this would make it easier for us as the game wore on.
The second half began with BT2 again having the majority of possession and chances on goal but a score was difficult to come by. Kredie was having alot of success down the right-hand side during the second half and delivered some quality crosses that were scrambled away by Kian FC.
However, after 25 minutes Velasquez picked up a great long ball from Gordon, controlled it, beat the centre-half and slotted home the second for BT2.
At this point, Kian decided to go with the traditional 5-1-4 formation and decided that all-out attack was the only option. Gordon masterfully lead the BT2 back 4 to repel all attacks. BT2 got a nice slice of good luck when the Kian FC forward spurned a wide-open net. This wake-up call for BT2 was heeded and they continued to defend comfortably until the final whistle.
A good win for BT2 will give them more confidence in the closing stages of the season and continue to push to win the division.
Starting Lineup
================
Youman
Jones Creedon Gordon Leong
Kreidie Ryan Mollozi Velasquez
Poulsen Helfen
Subs
====
Priego
Barrera-Oro
Final Score
============
British Tigers 2 2-1 Kian F.C.
Scorer (Assist)
===============
Helfen (Velasquez)
Velasquez (Gordon)
Yellow Cards
================
Velasquez
Red Cards
=========
none
MVP: Gordon
HonMent: Kreidie
April 23, 2011
Tigers Earn Hard Fought 3 Points
British Tigers 1 vs. 0 Tuff Juice
After losing the last 2 games, Tigers were desperate for 3 points. Tuff Juice proved difficult opponents, fiercely contesting every ball and staying well organized. While Tigers enjoyed the majority of possession they were unable to find a way through until the 70th minute when Chavez picked up the ball on the edge of the box and drilled a low shot into the bottom left corner, smashing off the inside of the post and into the net. Tigers had a few half chances but were unable to increase their lead.
April 23, 2011
10 Men Tigers II Fall to Eagles
Tigers II 2 vs. 1 Washington SportsFriends
After a series of good results and improving performances, it was disappointing that BT2 showed up with only 10 players and no regular goalie for the game against Screaming Eagles on Saturday. However, the BT2 attitude was to just get on with it and play. Creedon volunteered to go in goals to start the game which dictated the defensive approach of "keep the ball away from the goalie".
From the off, Screaming Eagles had the majority of the possession but it took them 20 minutes to get the first score. In short order, BT2 were 3-0 down due mainly to the Screaming Eagle numerical advantage. Britten made a BT2 formation change to try to get more possession and after changing to 3 at the back and 5 in the midfield, BT2 got into the game and Screaming Eagles were made to work harder to retain possession. BT2 had some good chances in the first half which was encouraging and showed that the formation change was producing good results.
In the second half, BT2 came out more determined and continued to cause Screaming Eagles more problems. After Screaming Eagles got a fourth from a good shot from distance over the less-than-towering Creedon, he was replaced by Brewer in goal.
Poulsen was starting to cause more and more trouble to the Screaming Eagles defense with Velasquez, Helfen and Whittington doing tremendous work in the middle of the park. Clark, Britten and Creedon in defense were doing well to slow down the Screaming Eagles attack and with Priego and Kreidie trying to start an attack at any opportunity, BT2 were still taking the game to Screaming Eagles.
In the middle of the second half, Velasquez picked up the ball in the middle of the park and spotted a great run from Poulsen. He put him through with a great ball over the top and Poulsen made no mistake with the finish to make it 4-1. BT2 now had regained some confidence and started to have more and more possession. Another great ball from Priego sent Velasquez towards goal but the Screaming Eagles defender seemed to inexplicably panic and shove him over for a BT2 penalty which Velasquez converted easily to make it 4-2.
BT2 had some other great chances with Whittington having a shot cleared off the line and Poulsen coming very close with a great volley. BT2 now sensed that there was a possibility that a result could be had in this game and continued to attack and create chances. However, the Screaming Eagles numerical advantage and 5 subs made it a very difficult task. Brewer in the BT2 goal did everything and anything to keep repeated Screaming Eagles chances out but eventually they got a fifth with the last kick of the game top put a much prettier score line on the result than it actually was.
Overall, BT2 showed a great amount of team unity to play this game against good opposition and come out of the game after scoring 2 good goals with only 10 players for 90 minutes. BT2 were disappointed with the result but the way that BT2 played as a team was very impressive and should provide a very good platform for the team for the remainder of the season.
Starting Lineup
===============
Creedon
Clark Whittington Britten Priego
Kriedie Velasquez Helfen Brewer
Poulsen
Result
======
BT2 2-5 Screaming Eagles
Scorers (Assist)
================
Poulsen (Velasquez)
Velaquez (Priego)
Yellow/Red Cards
================
none/none
MVP: Velasquez
Hon Mention: Helfen
April 16, 2011
Wobblers Earn First Win Since March 2009.
British Tigers 0 vs. 2 Wobblers FCBritish Tigers looked to continue their unbeaten start to the league and bounce back from an early Super Copa exit. Wobblers hadn't beaten the Tigers in over 2 years and were determined to end the Tigers streak on a very windy day at Bishop McNamara. Tigers elected to defend against the wind in the 1st half, and despite being put under tremendous pressure for most of the half, Tigers created the 2 best chances with Bownas having his shot cleared off the line and Edgar driving a shot narrowly wide.
With the wind at their backs in the 2nd half, Tigers looked to apply some more pressure on the Wobblers goal, but despite battling hard in the 1st half it was a lackluster 2nd half for the Tigers. Wobblers showed more determination and got the break through goal after only 5 minutes. Wobblers made it 2-0 in the 70th minute from a 20 yard strike after they had picked off a clearance from the Tigers. It wasn't to be Tigers day as Edgar watched his shot cannon off the bar in the last few minutes to keep them off the score sheet.
MoM: Dave Atkinson
April 9, 2011
Tigers II Continue Good Start to the Season
Tigers II 2 vs. 1 Washington SportsFriendsBT2 turned up on Saturday with a strong squad to continue their good start to the season. From the start, it seemed that WSF settled into their game quicker than BT2 and they pressured BT2 all across the field. WSF had the majority of the possession for the opening 30 minutes but didn’t really threaten the BT2 goal. Youman in sticks for BT2 capably handled anything that came his way. After a WSF attack was cleared, they cleverly chipped the ball back into the box where the WSF midfielder coolly finished making it 1-0. There was a suspicion of offside but it was marginal and WSF got the benefit of the doubt here. In true WISL refereeing fashion, this benefit was then presented back to BT2 10 minutes later when WSF had a legitimate goal called back for offside. This let-off proved to be crucial for BT2 heading into half time.
After half-time, BT2 settled much quicker and started to win the possession battle in midfield. Parkinson and Madlin were now starting to dictate and BT2 were beginning to assert themselves and mount continued attacks. Madlin then made an inspired tactical change by sending Britten up front to present a much stronger challenge to the WSF defense with Helfen dropping into midfield to further harass WSF. This game-changing move returned almost immediate success when a free kick from the right from Leong was flapped at by the WSF goalie and Britten was on-hand with a clinical finish to equalize for BT2. With renewed confidence, BT2 continued to push for a winner. Again Britten was involved when he received the ball on the left and managed to beat the fullback and send a measured left-footed cross into the edge of the 6-yard area where Parkinson was on-hand to finish with a strong header. This put BT2 2-1 up with only minutes to play. WSF came out strong but the BT2 back 4 were resolute until the final whistle.
Overall, a good performance by the whole BT2 squad and the result, including some very good luck for BT2, was deserved based on the second half performance.
Result
=====
BT2 2-1 Washington SportsFriends
Lineup
=====
Youman
Leong Tronovitch Britten Creedon
Clark Parkinson Velasquez Kriedie
Helfen Barrera-Oro
Subs
====
Madlin
Priego
Jones
Scorers (Assist)
=============
Britten (Leong)
Parkinson (Britten)
Yellow Cards
==========
Kriedie
Red Cards
========
None
MVP: Britten
HonMent: Helfen
March 26, 2011
Tigers II Defeat IHR Riverdawgs
Tigers II 1 vs. 0 IHR Riverdawgs
It was a chilly, late-day start as British Tigers II kicked off their Spring 2011 campaign. The addition of some new faces to the squad is becoming a common theme for BT2. This may have contributed early as the Tigers struggled to find their form in the first 20 minutes. The back line of Wright, Britten, Wilson, and Leong, however, held strong and picked up the slack for the rest of the team as Riverdawgs enjoyed the lion's share of possession.
Priego and Lee, new additions for BT2, joined Parkinson and Zechini in midfield. The group, along with forwards Poulsen and Helfen worked hard to close down the Riverdawgs, but struggled to maintain possession after winning the ball. Few chances were created by either side in a somewhat sloppy start as a very direct style of play resulted in too many errant passes and missed opportunities.
The additions of Kreidie and Wasley to the midfield seemed to turn the tide as T2 started to gain possession and dictate the pace of play. Some nice passing through the midfield opened up Poulsen wide on the right who raced down the line and served a pinpoint cross that Kreidie calmly headed past the exposed keeper. 2 minutes later, Tigers almost doubled their lead as; again, Riverdawgs were exposed on their left. Wasley lofted in a cross to the top of the 18-yard box that was met by a Helfen header that beat the keeper, but could not beat the woodwork.
Riverdawgs also rattled a post in the 1st half after a T2 giveaway. Biss's sprawling dive, while not enough to stop the initial effort left him in a fortunate position to grab the rebound and the half ended with the Tigers up 1-0.
The second half started as the first half had ended with T2 threatening and coming close to a second on several chances. Kreidie was unlucky to not get a double in his BT2 debut and rattled the crossbar from 20 yards. As the half wore on, Riverdawgs gained in confidence and started pushing hard for an equalizer. BT2, again, found themselves struggling to hold onto the ball at times, and withstood several withering minutes of constant attack from the Riverdawgs who simply could not get through Britten and Wilson.
Wasley and Lee settled the midfield again as BT2 dropped into a 4-5-1 to preserve the lead and put together an impressive run of possession with Wright, Wilson, and Britten to kill off the match.
Not the prettiest of performances from BT2, but a workman-like effort across the board and a result that was well deserved.
MoM – Britten Hon - Wilson