State Cup Semifinal vs Northern Lights

Our semifinal State Cup game against the wild card winner, Northern Lights.

I came into the game a little nervous.  We were playing well.  Very well.  But I had no idea what to expect from NL.  I had seen them play a few minutes against Wayzata, then another few minutes against Wings earlier in the tournament, but didn't get much from the games.  They had some athletic girls but were no match for us technically.  However, a less technical team could find a way to bunker in and make scoring difficult for us.  0-0 into PKs and anything could happen.  

Sunny but Chill May morning in Coon Rapids.  I arrived early so that I could grab the side of the touchline that had small bleachers.  For us shorter guys on a field with a big crown, I preferred to be elevated during the game if I could.  Hannah was there early as well, so we left the cars to practice her PKs.  Hannh, right footed, preferred to strike the ball with the inside of her foot to her right.  She wasn't able to get a lot of power behind the shot though.  Not that that is needed, but when nerves hit at crunch time, I prefer that the girls step up and strike the ball with some pace. 

So we worked to change her PK shot to her left, and she proceeded to hit 5 or 6 in a row to the lower left corner.  With really good pace.  Nice.  Hopefully we wouldn't need it.

My challenge to the girls pre-game was for them to get themselves warm-up well to try and get an early lead.  For teams like NL who are somewhat intimidated by a team like ours, an early goal would be a huge advantage for us.  How do I know they are intimidated by us?  Because I know their coaches were calling around asking others how they could possibly beat us :)   

We came out in our 3-5-2 formation that had seen us play some of our best soccer over the last 4 games.

We got on the score sheet 12 minutes in as Millie (LF) beat two defenders at the top of the penalty box to the left of goal, and fired a low, left foot shot far post.  Good start.

We had chance after chance to find our second.  Our wide mids were finding a ton of space weak side (when the ball was on the other side of the field) but we struggled to finish off long diagonals and crosses.  We finally capitalized in the 30th when Blondie (LD) hit a long diagonal from about 40 out that bounced behind the NL defenders and Nash (RM) finished on the volley at the far post.

A few minutes later, Soph (LM) served a ball in that Millie (LF) did a good job of fighting for in the box, to the left of goal near the endline.  She pulled the ball back to Jill (RF) who took her chance well for our third.

3-0 at half.  We were playing OK.  Just OK.  Nothing brilliant, nothing flashy, but nothing bad either.

No changes at halftime, just encouragement to the girls to take some pride in their play, clean up our touches a bit, and look to make better decisions when in possession. 

2 minutes into the half, we half cleared a ball to a NL player about 30 yards out from goal.  She took a touch and hit a high, looping shot that sailed over Zazu and dropped under the crossbar, hitting the far post side netting.  I could feel the slight momentum shift now as the NL team started to believe that they were in this.  I could hear their coaches cheering and yelling out to their players that they now had the wind behind them and to keep shooting, as if that was the difference in the first half. 

It took some time for the girls to settle in again after that goal.  We lost a bit of composure on the ball and the game got ugly for a spell.  However, 10 minutes later we regained our 3 goal cushion.  Getch (Att Mid) received a pass near midfield, in front of our bench at the left side of the field.  She cut inside and began dribbling to the center of the field, looking to spring Bidi (RM) with a diagonal.  She cocked her leg back to hit the long ball, but a NL forward stuck her leg between the descending foot and the ball, and Getch kicked the ball and the leg at the same time.  The girls went down and the ball squirted to Ripper (Def Mid) a few yards away.  Ripper took a touch and played a through ball to Millie.  Millie raced onto the ball past the NL lights defenders to goal, and I saw the AR's flag on the far side of the field go up.  That's not offside I screamed - in my head.  I began to shake my head but the whistle never came.  I snuck a peek at Millie as she finished her breakaway at the near post, glanced to the lineman with her flag still raised, and then looked at the ref, who was heading back to midfield to look after the injured NL player who was still down.  We might have just caught a break, I thought.  It wasn't offside in the first place, and I'm not just saying that.  I was right there and I know the rule.  But that hasn't stopped refs from blowing the call in the past (I use "blowing" here as a double entendre).

The AP eventually put her flag down (put her flag down!), and the game went on.  I would eventually  overhear the AR talking to the ref after the game as we were walking off the field.  "Bangu's 4th goal was offside.  I had my flag up but you didn't see me.  I would have made a bigger deal about it if the goal had mattered more."  Hmm.  Mattered more, huh?  I always tell my players that a 2 goal lead is the most dangerous lead in soccer.  The next goal is always huge.  If the team that is behind gets it to make it a 1 goal game, it sets up the rest of the game as a tough contest.  If the leading team get the next goal to go up by 3, that team makes things a bit easier for themselves from then on.  It was 3-1 at this point of our game. 

10 minutes later, we effectively put the game away with another goal off a cross, this time from Nash (RM) into the box for Bidi (LM) to finish with her second touch.  

At the 28th minute, Millie (now at Att Mid), beat two players up the right flank and cut into goal.  She spotted a wide open Gratz (LF) at the top of the 6 yard box, and Gratz 1-touched the ball home. 

2 minutes later we tallied our final stike of the game, as Millie (Att Mid) once again (instrumental in 5 of our 6 goals on the day) was on the mark finishing a long ball over the top.

7-1 and rolling on into the final on Wednesday.

* * * * *

Our U14 White team pulled out a come-from-behind victory, beating Wayzata 2-1 in double overtime.  Our U12s upset the Tonka United 13s in PKs to win their semifinal, setting up the all Bangu U13 and U14 finals on Wednesday.   

State Cup Game #3 vs NSSA

Tough week.  Lots of games, travel, and ODP.  The girls gutted out good performances on Saturday in Madison, but I must admit, I was worried about our State Cup game vs NSSA.  Tired legs, tired minds, one fluke goal resulting in a packed in defense and our run to Regionals might end today.

 

I had asked the 94 and 95 girls to forego ODP tryouts this morning, knowing the importance of the game tonight.  This was about putting personal goals aside for the good of the team.  Some of the parents were a little put out that their daughters missed the first day of ODP tryotus yesterday, and were now being told to skip today by their coach.  But I had spoken to ODP officials already and they were open to setting aside a make up date on May 18 for all those girls missing, know the MRL and State Cup conflicts we were facing.  I'm not checking up on people, trusting that parents trust my judgement here regarding our team needs.  I'm sure I'll hear if anyone attended on their own, but I think everyone saw the need for rest. 

At least it was finally a beautiful spring day in Coon Rapids.  

Prior to the game, we sat that girls down to talk to them about the offside trap that NSSA liked to pull on free kicks near midfield.  We’d likely only have one chance to break it, so we discussed the duties of the forwards at the defensive line (to run back to the ball to stay onside or to drop to one knee if they knew they were caught offside in order to not be involved in the play).  We also talked about the delayed run from deeper midfield players and the service of free kicks.  I also talked to the refs prior to the game to make sure they were aware of what we would be doing in order to avoid a hasty offside flag and whistle when players were clearly in offside positions but not attempting to track down through passes.  Overkill?  Maybe, but we would use every possible advantage given.  

We came out in our 3-5-2, and it was a dismal performance.  It was just one of those games with absolutely no energy on our part.  We were not sharp to the ball or in the great majority of our decision making.  

To NSSA’s credit, they played us tough.  They have improved their team since we saw them last fall, and their tenacity caused us problems and disrupted our mediocre flow.  

We created chances, hitting two posts in the first half, one off a fantastic save from the NSSA GK.  NSSA didn’t really threaten Tori in our goal at all, but I still wasn’t comfortable.  Was this going to be one of those games that would see us get close a number of times, only to never get on the scoreboard, then give up a weak goal (or a good goal) late?  

The pressure was getting to me.  I could feel it, and though I know it wasn’t helping, I could hear it in my tone with the girls.  They were giving everything they had on the field, I guess my expectations were too high, forgetting at times what the girls had gone through this week.  I’ve got to keep reminding myself that this isn’t about me as sometimes I’m guilty of forgetting about this.  

Halftime came with the score still deadlocked at 0-0.  

We talked with the girls about continuing to look to change the point of attack across the field, looking to attack the flanks (where the space was), winning corner kicks or getting crosses off, and making the most of our chances when they next came.  We needed a goal.  The longer the game stayed 0-0, the more tense we’d become, knowing that a NSSA goal could end our tournament.  I firmly believe we are 3 goals better than every other team at our age group here in MN.  Some might see this as arrogant, but I believe in our girls’ abilities and the abilities of the coaching staff.  The sky is still blue in my world, at least today.  

Too focused on winning?  Most of the time, no.  In State Cup for a team like this, absolutely.  

We pressed the attack more in the second half, though everything still seemed to be played underwater.  

Halfway through the second half, we took the lead.  Or I guess I should say we SHOULD have taken the lead.  

We won a corner kick to the left of the NSSA goal as we faced it.  Blondie (RM) stepped up to take it.  The wind was blowing across the field into Blondie’s face, but slightly at our backs, towards the NSSA goal.  Blondie is right footed and hit an in-swinger that saw the ball rotate right to left towards the goal.  Got the picture?  Good.  Then someone please explain to me the physics of this situation as the ball was served, bent in, caught the NSSA GK a bit by surprise as she was moving to her left, then back to her right as the ball swerved in towards goal, hit her hands, trickled into the net, AND WAS THEN CALLED OUT OF BOUNDS BY THE AR STANDING NEXT TO BLONDIE.  What?!?!?  It’s just not possible for a ball to have the bend Blondie imparted onto it bend first out of bounds, then back in bounds to then bend back in towards the goal.  

I was stunned at the call.  Cook and I were both yelling out to the center ref to explain how that call was made, he finally had enough and came over to shut us up, telling us he’d discuss it after the game.  After the game?!?!?  What good would that do us?

Cook’s turn to play bad cop with the refs as I turned to the girls to instruct them that they never should talk to the refs, that’s for the coaches to take care of.  Sometimes when I get on the girls a bit, Cook gets to play good cop by taking the girls off to the side to explain things in more detail.  One of the benefits of having two people involved.  

The ref wasn’t going to change his call, nor take time to even discuss it a minute longer, so the game continued with a goal kick.  Unbelievable.  

Within 10 minutes, we finally had our needed breakthrough.  Another coach’s dream as Ripper (Att Mid) found herself under pressure about 25 yards out from goal.  She turned out of trouble to play back the way she was now facing to Korky, formly known as KK, (Holding Mid).  Korky played a first time lofted ball forward, over the stepping up NSSA defensive line, that Millie (LF) ran onto.  After two bounces and from about 12 yards out to the left of goal, Millie hit a powerful half volley past the fingertips of the NSSA GK.  Phew.  

I was still flustered by the AR’s no-goal call, as well as by by own team performance frustrations, and by my further frustration at my frustrations.  I needed to slap my butt, like I tell my girls to do after mistakes, and trigger the “leave it behind” thoughts.  Time to dwell on all this later, time to now focus on the present.  It was tough.  

Within a few minutes, NSSA responded with their best chance of the game.  The ball got played long down our left flank.  The NSSA forward got to the ball first and delivered an early cross to the far post.  NSSA’s left mid got in behind our retreating right mid, took a touch, then thankfully proceeded to kick the ball over the net from about 6 or 7 yards out.  

That was fortunate.  

“Mark!”  They have 3 forwards!”, came the call from Becs at Center Def.  “I know!” I lied, quickly shaken out of my self-contemplation.  When had that happened?!?!  Wow, I must really be off tonight, mentally exhausted like I’m sure the girls were.

We made an adjustment to drop a mid back, into a 4-4-2, but then proceeded to put the game away on another good goal.

Soph (LM) won a good header off an NSSA goal kick.  The ball bounced to Ripper (CM) about 25 yards from goal, just to the left of the “D”.  She won her 50/50 battle and the ball fell to Blondie (RF).  Ripper made an overlapping run towards the middle of the field and Blondie played her a good ball into the space in front of her.  Ripper took a good first touch and hit a high shot into the upper right corner of the goal.  Phew, again.  

3-0-0 in group play, 10 goals for, 0 against.  We’re not playing as well as I would like, that’s for sure.  However, we’re finding ways to get results when needed, a trademark of championship teams. 

State Cup Game #2 vs Eagan

Eagan has lost their first game to NSSA 4-1 on Tuesday, so I knew they'd be looking to come out hard against us.  I know a lot of the girls on this team from my Footskills camps 3 or 4 years ago, and a number of the Eagan players had guested with us at one point or another over the last few years. 

Again, like the EP team, the Eagan girls did their best.   

It took us a while to settle into the game, but we played well.  We got our first 22 minutes in as Soph (LM in relatively new 3-5-2) at midfield, sent a volley over the top of the Eagan backline for Jilly (RF) to run onto and lob over the onrushing Eagan GK's head. 

That took some of the pressure off, like most first goals do, and we put the game away in the next five minutes with two great goals.

The first, at the 25 minute mark, was a thing of beauty.  Ripper (Holding Mid) won the ball about 10 yards from midfield in our half and found Bidi racing up the right flank with a great through pass that split Eagan's center back and left defender.  Bidi got to the ball, took a few touches, the fired a low, hard cross back from the endline into the box.  Nash (LM) worked hard with a nearly 50 yard weakside (away from the ball) run to make it into the box and I could see her concentrate hard to keep her first time shot low.  She did, hitting the ball back where it came from (towards her far post, Bidi's near post).  The Eagan GK, moving to her right, was forced into an unbelievable save, diving back to her left.  I was amazed she even got a hand to it but it would have been nearly impossible for her to hang on to it.  She parried the ball and Millie (who had also followed the play up the field) was in the right place at the right time to finish the rebound.  A lot of little things came together to make this one of our best goals to date this year.  A coach's dream. 

Three minutes later we got our third, this time with Bidi (RM) playing the ball over the top to Blondie (RF) who was making a diagonal run to the right corner.  Blondie fought off her marking defender and crossed a low ball to Macky (RF) who finished first time.  

Not much to say at halftime, just praising the girls' effort and performance.  Second half saw us rotate some girls into different positions, creating more chances, but only finishing on a Ripper PF after Nash was taken down in the box.  Looked like a soft PK call, I probably would not have called it, but on the flip side I would have called one earlier in the game for a worse take down.  

Another decent performance.  MRL this weekend in Madison, then our final group game vs NSSA (who just tied EP 1-1) to decide our group.  I hope our legs hold out.   

State Cup Game #1 vs Eden Prairie

Due to our fantabulous spring weather thus far, our first scheduled State Cup game vs NSSA, initially set to be played on Sunday, Apr 27, was postponed until Sunday, May 4.  That was a huge disappointment, to have a State Cup reschedule slotted on top of the Minnesota Thunder home opener. 

Regardless, rain and cold and field cancellations by city parks and rec boards saw us have a grand total of zero training sessions in the 9 days leading up to Tuesday's State Cup match up against Eden Prairie.  Well, the girls will either be REALLY rusty or they'll come out on fire.  I was hoping for the latter obviously, but got the former. 

Prior to the game, I gave the girls three goals.  1) Set the tone early, 2) Take care of the ball, and 3) Prove you're the best.  

Set the Tone Early
Communicate, intimidate, fight for the ball, make tough tackles, pressure at pace, press the attack.  I know we are the heavy favorites this year.  All our work last year guarantees us of one thing only - we'll get the best our opponent's have as it will be easy for them to get up for the game, knowing the quality of opponent they face.  We can use this to our advantage by coming out strong.  The more our opponents see our team as the normal giddy 13 and 14 year old girls we are, the more they think they can play with us.  On the other hand, if the other team continues to see us as the big, bag, regional champs, we'll have an advantage. 

Take Care of the Ball
Though we didn't have a field training session since our MRL weekend in Appleton, we did get the girls together for a video session.  We analyzed our Vegas game vs the Utah Avalanche Premier, a game that we were disappointed to drop to a team that we all knew we were better than. 

I asked the girls to watch themsleves (not a tough task) and track their touches - completed passes vs missed passes, and give aways on the dribble or due to a poor touch on the ball.  The results were eye-opening for them. 

Of the 16 girls there, only two had more positive passes than giveaways (poor passes or poor touches).  In total, we gave the ball away over 120 times during the 70 minute game, completing less than 80 passes.  That's not very good.  The data doesn't lie though, and the girls needed to see it like this so things sunk in better.  

If the other team doesn't have the ball, they can't hurt us.  We also want to keep better possession as we rest WITH THE BALL (on the attack), not when we don't have the ball and are defending.  No wonder we didn't look very fit or athletic.  We were always chasing the ball after our giveaways.  

Prove You're the Best
I have absolutely no doubt that we have the most skilled and competitive group at our age in Minnesota.  Paper facts mean nothing though if there is no result at the end of the day in this competition.  I want the girls to come into each game and walk the walk, so to speak.  If we're having an "off" day, they have to dig deep to get the result.  It won't be pretty all the time, but championship teams find ways to win when they need to.

* * * * * 

We started in a 4-5-1 formation, hoping to use our wide play strength to cause EP defenders trouble.  To EP's credit, or to their demise, they didn't come out in a defensive shell.  However, though the EP girls seemed to give it all they had, they were simply not at our technical/tactical level.  They did cause some trouble with their two fast forwards and managed to catch us on a counter attack and hit the post very early on, but Tori (GK) was not tested the rest of the game.

We had a gap behind our mids and in front of our defenders that EP forwards were able to exploit, receive the ball under little to no pressure, turn, and run at our defenders.  As our weakness became clear, we pushed Gratz (CD) up to a more defensive mid role, effectively shifting to a 3-6-1, then pushed a mid up top taking us to a 3-5-2.  Tough for the girls to shift in the middle of the half, but they're learning how to adjust as we've looked to make formation changes in the run of play more often as of late.  In part as we look for good systems for the group of girls we have this year, and in part to the varying strengths and weaknesses of the opponents we've faced thus far in 2008.

I was still looking forward to halftime to sort it out better.   

We got on the scoreboard in the 14th minute as our attacking pressure led to a series of corner kicks.  Blondie (RF) served in a great ball that Becs (CD) got her head to to finish. 

The half ended like that, though EP was under severe pressure for most of it.  

At half, Cook and I took some time to explain the dynamics of the 3-5-2 formation we suddenly found oursleves in.  We also talked about settling into our strength, which is working the ball across the field, attacking the flanks, and getting on the end of accurate services. 

11 minutes into the second half we doubled our lead, again of a fantastic corner kick service from Blondi, this time with Bidi (RM) heading the ball home.  

At the 20th minute, we put the game away with a great cross from Bidi (RM) that found Getch (LF) in the box for the finish.  

Our 4th came with 5 minutes left as Becs (CD) took a quick free kick from just side our half.  Her 40 yard long ball found Ripper (RF) who flicked the ball first-time forward to Blondi (LF) who was making the diagonal second run in behind.  Blondie took a couple touches at speed then fired a low, far-post shot past the diving EP GK.  

4-0 in a decent performance.  

Up next, Eagan on Thursday.