Monday, September 19, 2011

Red Wins Back-to-Back Games, Outscoring Opponents 10-1

It was a perfect fall weekend with crisp, cool air, lower temperatures, and cloudy skies diffusing the sun as Xtreme played the first of two double-header weekends.

First up, a Loudoun team that had struggled last season but turned in decent tournament performances through the 2010-11 season, added some quality players to their roster, and comes from a strong club program.

Red simply outplayed the visitors in every aspect of the game. Faster, and with more proficient passing, pressuring, and tackling, Red dominated the game from start to finish.

Through the summer, Xtreme had been working on pressuring the Active Zone and using pinpoint passing to create numerical advantages, and hence better opportunities.

It could not have been better demonstrated than at 7 minutes when Red loaded the forward zone with players. Taxman and Hollywood threaded passes through the defense, going all the way from the right side of the box to the left, where Space Ghost was waiting to tap in the first goal of the game, and once again Xtreme's first goal of the season.

Just three minutes later, Hollywood would again be pressuring the Loudoun keeper and lay a ball back beautifully for the Professor who was steamrolling her way into the zone. The keeper didn't have a chance and it was 2-0.

At 20 minutes Carson would fake a shot and with great precision, play a ball to space, just ahead of the Taxman, who would bury her first of the season into the back of the net.

The Red defenders and midfielders worked hard to keep the team on the attack, switching sides of the field quicker than the Loudoun defense could react, and transitioning from defense to offense with lightning speed.

One such play as the half was winding down resulted in the fourth goal of the game. Big Foot would stand up a Loudoun attacker and quickly send the ball over the midfield. Before Loudoun's attackers and mids could transition back to defense, Dani had received the ball and pushed it across to a surging Happy Feet. She would take on, and beat, her defender and send a brilliant cross to Hollywood who, under double coverage, slid the ball backwards to Sunshine who was charging in. She'd blast the ball home at 31 minutes.

The second half would see more scoring from two new Xtreme members. Eli would take a booming corner at 47 minutes that found Lindsey in just the right spot in the box – she'd notch her first of her travel career.

Three minutes later, as Loudoun was trying to get out of their end one of their players committed a hand ball in the center. The referee was moving the whistle to his mouth, but The Hammer picked up the oddly bouncing ball and fed Eli, who would fire in the team's sixth and final goal of the game.

It was a game in which Red was able to put into play the many things they've been practicing and show off their skills. Every single Red player made a contribution, and every single player tallied some statistic.

The team notched 121 passes and was awarded 8 corner kicks while surrendering none.

Fourteen players recorded 48 shots – 65% of them on target – while Red's keepers faced no shots on goal. Six different Xtreme players scored goals and eight players recorded assists, with Hollywood earning three.

"The Red team exhibited improved positioning," said Coach Lance. "Red made the field small when the other team had the ball, and they made it wide when they had the ball."

FPYC Visits

The second game of the double-header pitted Xtreme against a team new to WAGS, the FPYC Dynamite. Dynamite had actually worked out with the Flying Monkeys and Xtreme this summer during scrimmages. In fact, FPYC Coach Jim had even spent time in goal for Xtreme during one of the scrimmages when we found ourselves short numbers.

Xtreme got off to a slow start, lulled into playing a slower style that Dynamite were more comfortable with playing. However, the ball rarely got out of the visitors' end and Red continued to probe the defense.

"Here they come again!" shouted an FPYC fan, over and over again as he watched in horror as Red shirts swarmed past him, enveloping and devouring his midfielders.

At 22 minutes, with a goal keeper already slightly shell-shocked and badly out of position, the Taxman was able to break the scoreless tie.

But just 5 minutes later, Dynamite would answer on a long ball to their fastest player, Toni. She'd take on the Red defense, and with her long, loping strides she'd get just far enough behind the defense to take on the Red keeper by herself. She settled the ball very well, and took a well-placed shot that would beat the keeper to the far post – it was the first shot a Red keeper had faced in more than 100 minutes of soccer.

In the second half, the visitors switched to the Italian Catennacio ("door bolt") System. They put nine players behind the ball, tightly packing the penalty box, likely in hopes of preventing more Red goals, while creating opportunities for another fast break goal that is a specialty of Toni's.

But Red made their own second half adjustment, playing faster, keeping the ball for longer stretches, and switching sides quickly and efficiently. They'd also attack down the flanks instead of trying to attack that densely packed middle.

It would pay off. At 41 minutes, Carson would take a long throw in to Sunshine who would slide a ball to Sharky attacking on the right side. She settled the bouncing ball with her head, and then hammered in her first goal of the season.

Ten minutes later, Sunshine would do her impersonation of Eli or Big Foot, striking in a long-range bomb that cleared the outstretched keeper's arms.

And two minutes later, Big Foot would put a ball into space for the Taxman who, with a goal already this game, fed her generous, three-assist teammate, Hollywood, with her own teed up ball. Hollywood would not shoot high or wide – she drilled the back of the net to make the game 4-1, putting it out of reach for the visitor.

Red turned in a strong performance, with 99 passes, eight corner kicks, and again surrendering none. However, Red will need to work on playing their game at their speed – not that of their opponents. They'll also need to show greater patience in their attack, maintaining possession and switching sides as opposed to forcing bad shots or passes. Another thing Coach Lance would like to see is a spread out team that keeps balls on the carpet, as opposed to sending high bouncing balls that are difficult to control and give opponents more time to react.

All told, a great soccer weekend for Xtreme, and while confidence is rightly high, make no mistake, the tougher part of the Xtreme schedule is ahead. Another double-header is on for next week with two seasoned opponents – PWSI and McLean. Red will be ready.

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