By Ashley Winchester
After one week’s rest, Downtown Soccer League players took to the fields this weekend in the cool October weather.
Ipswich vs. Arsenal
Ipswich and Arsenal survived an early morning game Saturday as the six year-olds charged the fields despite gray skies and crisp fall air. Arsenal got off to a quick start, scoring on the first opportunity of the day and maintaining a strong offensive charge throughout the first half. Ipswich launched a spirited counter-attack in the second half, continually pressuring the Arsenal goalie who turned aside a firestorm of shots. Ipswich finally got on board with a breakaway goal in the last minutes of the game, but Arsenal quickly countered with an insurance goal on a loose ball in front of the net.
Tottenham vs. Crystal Palace
The white and orange uniformed seven-year olds streaked their way down the field in a great team effort by both Tottenham and Crystal Palace. Crystal’s Dashel Lieberman scored two goals, and Tottenham player Alex Scheman scored one with an assist from Jacob Rosenberg. Crystal Palace players are working on their positioning and passing.
Aston Villa vs. Manchester
Aston Villa faced Manchester on the middle field in a tough morning match. Manchester coach Mike Barbieri said his team is improving and practice is paying off, despite the day’s loss. Goalkeepers Michael Marino and Andrew Janzen held off several Aston Villa attacks, supported by good all-around play by Dean Scotti, Max Sperling, John Barbieri, Nicolette Catona, Michael Di Maria and Chynna Basso.
Leeds United vs. Derby
Leeds United played a strong game against Derby under the direction of guest coach Eddie Collins. Leeds’ goalie Tristan Myers relentlessly fended off several offensive rushes by Derby forwards. Marina Ouranitsas and Violet Beinart worked well as forwards, helping their team score four goals at the end as it began to rain.
Motherwell vs. Livingston
The clouds broke long enough for nine year-olds Livingston and Motherwell to finish their match under threatening skies Saturday afternoon. Motherwell’s Jake Miller chipped in two goals from the edge of the box with assists from Anna Schwab and Jake Shapiro, while Livingston scored on a deflection to make for a tight contest. Joseph Demarco and Caspar Henak created tough defense, turning away a number of attacks by Livingston. Bryan Boyd and Jessica McAlear of Motherwell worked well together in the middle of the field, supporting the team in their win.
Celtic vs. Dundee
Emmet Smith, Michael Herman and Avalon Jackson led the Dundee offense, taking multiple shots against the tough Celtic goalie. Defensive stoppers Bridget Doherty and Eli Lavett blocked several Celtic breakaways, but could not keep the Celtics off the board. Dundee keepers Trevor Dolan and Milo Ben-Amotz made more than ten saves, but Celtic’s tough defensive and aggressive offense ultimately won out. “The thing I love about my team is that no matter what the score, they never get down on themselves or the other team,” coach Dan Costa said.
Bordeaux vs. Le Mans
Although the team takes its name from a French soccer team, 11 year-old Bordeaux players borrowed from Argentina’s playbook Sunday in their morning match against Le Mans. Le Mans was up 1-0 at the half, when Bordeaux decided to change their strategy and use Le Mans’ strong offense against it in a strategy that employed more playing back to draw the opposing team forward for quick counter attacks. Bordeaux player Corey Greenblatt endured in goal, getting the ball out quickly to supporting halfbacks Nell Potter and Sam Gilberg. Right forward Marlon Geshlider raced up the sidelines and made assisting passes to Gilberg and Harry Cammer who were waiting in the middle. Gilberg scored two goals, and Cammer dribbled his way past Le Mans’ defense to take several shots on goal. Bordeaux made a strong comeback with the defensive help of players Danielle DiPersia, Francesca Taylor, Emilia Petrarca, Charles Chan, Christian Albrizio and Emma Frederick.
Metrostars vs. Crew
In the senior 12-13 division, the Metrostars had a 3-1 victory over the Crew Sunday evening, despite many missing players due to Yom Kippur. Metrostars coach Carl Friedberg said his team has been working hard in practices and scrimmages, and their passing game has shown a lot of improvement. The Metrostars are looking forward to a make-up game Wednesday evening under the lights.
Nice vs. Lyon
In the Major 11s division, Nice met Lyon for a close match on Sunday morning. Victor Smith, Ray Perez and Lila Low-Beinart led Lyon’s starting offensive during the first half as all three took shots on goal. Midfielders Alex Wedmore, Rashid Oord, Alex Lois, Andrew Chow, and Sasha De Graeve supported the offense and kept the pressure in both directions. The defensive stalwarts were Victoria Smith, Jukie Tsai, Matthew Hickey, and Maya Ilyashov.
In the second half, Victoria Smith, Sam Fishman, and Matthew Hickey drove hard on offensive, while Alex Wedmore, Lila Low-Beinart, Rashid Oord, and Victor Smith worked on defense. All the Lyon scoring occurred in the first half, with strong kicks by Jukie Tsai and Victor Smith. Nice scored in the second half after a strong concentrated attack.
Thanks to all of the coaches who contributed to this report. Coaches should e-mail game information to news@DowntownExpress.com before Monday afternoon.
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