Xtreme Falls to Bitter Rival McLean

Taking the pitch for their fourth game in nine days and second in just over 24 hours, Red was a depleted team. With two starters out due to injury, another player not dressing for the game, and several banged up regulars, Xtreme called on guests First Aid and Maria to help fill the gaps. And they would.

The game against McLean got off to a decent start with Xtreme opening with a six pass sequence that ended in a quality shot. But McLean is a disciplined and well-coached team and they immediately countered. The teams traded scoring chances until the 5^th minute when Carson received the ball in the midfield and sent the ball ahead to Space Ghost. She laid a ball into space for the Taxman who settled the ball, took on the keeper, and scored.

McLean's fans were shocked. They were also unfamiliar with the offsides rule and protested loudly, rudely, and incorrectly when their team was called on it. They apparently failed to notice the multiple offsides calls Red received, or perhaps they assumed we earned all of those, while they were victims of an AR who didn't understand the game.

The first half saw the teams trade chances, pressure each other well, and maintain possession with passes that were targeted and not rused. Red logged 55 passes in the first half.

But with only 14 players to McLean's 17, fatigue began to set in. At 29 minutes, a McLean striker was able to get behind the defense on two missed Red tackles and tie the game with an acute angle shot to the near side when the keeper was reading "cross."

As the day wore on it got hotter and muggier, and by the time the second half got under way the Red girls were dripping with sweat. They were physically and mentally exhausted and with McLean playing technically well and very quickly and physically, Red began to lose concentration.

McLean dominated the midfield in the second half and the exhausted Red team began to play a long ball game that led to several offsides calls and a few decent scoring chances – but no goals. (They logged only 36 passes in the second half.) McLean also switched from defense to attack and switched fields faster and more proficiently than other opponents we've faced this year, which knocked Red back on their heels slightly.

While we never like to blame officiating for losses, the officiating in this game was inconsistent at best. Several non-calls of apparently flagrant fouls seemed to lead to McLean goals and losses of Red possession. For example, at 53 minutes a McLean attacker clearly fouled the Red central defender and sent the ball towards the Red goal. The Red defense, perhaps expecting a whistle were slow to jump, and the Red keeper also hesitated in challenging the surging McLean striker. It put Red off balance just enough to give the advantage to the striker, who made the chance count and scored the go-ahead goal.

But as we all know, Red doesn't give up, doesn't quit. And they surged ahead. With just ten minutes to play, Red began throwing everything at the McLean defense, penetrating the box and taking several shots. One exciting breakaway had the Taxman one-on-one with the keeper out of the goal. Taxman shot hard and the keeper saved it equally hard. The rebound hit Taxman squarely and bounced over the keeper towards the goal. Red surged forward to finish it off, but a McLean player got there first and was able to clear it.

Red stayed on attack and the nervous McLean team began fouling – one of the players earning a well-deserved yellow card – but not earning Red a PK when Taxman was pulled down in the box.

Then with time running down, McLean was pressuring a Red midfielder and clearly fouled her, sending her to the carpet yet again. The AR signaled foul and the referee, shockingly, waved him off claiming…advantage? But it had been Red's ball, stolen as a result of a foul. Anyway, McLean took the shot which the Red keeper saved, but under time pressure, stunned at the non-call, and mentally exhausted, the ensuing punt was misplayed. McLean came up with the ball and quickly lobbed a shot over the sprawling keeper to put the game out of reach, 3-1 at 68 minutes.

The game was further marred by unsportsmanlike conduct on behalf of the home team, which was noted and registered with the league. Red will rest up and host McLean on October 30 and hopefully even the score.

Despite the loss, Red still remains atop the division with 9 points and hopes to add to that total when they host Arlington Forza White on Saturday.