August 3, 2006

 

The guests of honor to date at this exclusive showcase were two independent scouts from Switzerland, looking to enhance the European game with some American flavor. One game they were quite intrigued by was a tournament opening match between West Kendall the New York Rough Riders.

    

West Kendall 2 New York Rough Riders 1
The opening whistle gave way to the Rough Riders Diego Mayanga who drew two defenders before spinning away and pulling the markers with him. Nothing came of the play and it was soon forgotten. Little more than a masterful segway of the skills these young men will put on display for the next four days.

 

As expected, the teams both walked on to the pitch defensibly, most noticeably the Rough Riders who allowed West Kendall to control the pace of the game, a quirky up-tempo barrage of lightning touches, heel passes, and combination play.

 

New York’s tactics of holding strong in the back and counter attacking, nearly paid dividends as they sprang a forward in alone with the West Kendall keeper Diego Restrepo.  West Kendall defender, Arthur Prescott make an ill-advised but spectacular slide tackle from behind with the forward bearing down on the six yard box. Right out of the textbook, Prescott’s tackle from behind found a solid piece of the ball and nothing else. His touched allowed Restrepo to merely pick up a rolling ball rather than pick it out of his own net.

 

The early defensive struggle passed – along with the record breaking New Hampshire heat wave, under a thick blanket of cloud cover. The match became a midfield battle of intricate passing versus fortified defenses. The ball rarely slowed and was never without a precise, cutting purpose.

 

West Kendall, wearing their skill on their sleeves, nearly broke through late in the first half when Shawn Chin sent a low, near post cross into a dangerous Pablo Martino who, without much effort side volleyed a rocket on net. The redirection was saved by a gut reaction from New York Rough Rider Keeper Sean Lynch, preserving the 0-0 halftime score line.

 

“The first half played very well,” said Independent Scout Favre Loec. “The technique of these two teams is just ok. But the foot skills of some of the individual players are very impressive.”

 

The second half started quickly with a West Kendal counter attack fed by a one-two combination through the middle. The ball was sent out wide on a right flank break before being settled by Omar Rivero who found Martino at the back post giving the Rough Rider keeper little chance at a save.

 

West Kendall’s one goal lead seemed to bring the Rough Riders out of their shell and the Mid Atlantic side switched gears to an attacking style of soccer almost instantly.

 

West Kendall weathered the storm and found success on the counter attack as they went up 2-0 on a goal finished off by Rivero.

 

Reluctant to give up their first loss of the season, the Rough Riders made a game of it in the 86th minute when Juan Peralta beat an offsides trap by inches and was left alone with time to slide a pass to the side of a helpless Restrepo.

 

Seconds later New York nearly tied the match on another through ball only to put the ball high and wide on a shot just inside the 18.

 

The match ended soon after a storm of chances for the Rough Riders, who had several chances to draw even with a seemingly exhausted West Kendall side.

 

“The counter attack seemed to work for us today,” said West Kendall Midfielder Garry Lewis. “We weren’t 100%. The second half was shaky but we got out with a win and we’ll look to improve tomorrow.”