It was a football kind of day. Cold, wet, on and off rain, perfect for the couch and some football on TV. However, for the boys of SSFAC, it was a perfect day to play some futbol on the turf, as they downed a tough Rovers FC 2-1 to earn their 3rd victory in a row. As a steady light rain fell, South City struck for an early goal when Antony Reyes' perfectly placed throw in found Ryan Wiegmann wide open for a score putting SSF up 1-0 at the 5 minute mark. SSF continued to apply pressure and maintained complete control of the midfield as Blair Smith, Bobby Quinlan, Leandro Monteiro & Andrew Pantano worked the ball together while also denying Rovers any forward momentum. There were several opportunities to get the 2nd goal, but the Rovers keeper came up big to turn away chances at net. The SSF defense was again strong in front of goalkeeper Abner Ramos. Scott Ellis and Ever Alvarez were solid up the middle, and Ian Preikschat along with Jim Burke were dominant on the wings. Ellis kept pushing his line mates up and his presence in the middle of the pitch closed down all of the Rovers passing lanes and gained possession for SSF. When Ramos was called upon to make an important save or clearance of a cross, he again was equal to the task. As time was running out and the rain started coming down hard, Reyes created another chance for SSF with his efforts. Going up to head a loose ball inside the area, he was taken down thus creating a penalty kick for South City. Leandro Monteiro stepped up to the spot and easily converted to give the team a 2-0 lead with the full time whistle just moments away. Rovers were able to get a goal in stoppage time to make the final score 2-1. Fabio Marques, Wiegmann, and Jonathan Wong applied heavy pressure in the later stages of the match which prevented Rovers from starting any meaningful attempt to counter attack. Captain Bobby Quinlan acknowledges that the teams positive attitude throughout the whole game was the difference. "No matter the circumstances, we were positive with each other, and continued to play hard. No matter the weather, missed chances, errant passes, or missed challenges, the whole team was there to stiffle the Rovers momentum. We are becoming a team and not just individuals." He added that the defensive improvement has made an impact. "Over the last couple of games we have not given up many chances & even fewer goals. This can be attirbuted to Ramos' confidence, Ellis & Alvarez's leadership & the additions of Preikschat and Harry Andreades. Even when we need to make changes in the back, everyone steps up and contributes. Our ability to be a quick strike team has been our best attribute, we have youth & speed and we have begun to use it to our advantage." Even though there has been improvement in the overall game, Quinlan feels the team can work on a few things to get even better. "We can improve our calmness and ball movement under pressure. At times we are able to keep possession, but we have also struggled to string passes together when teams pressure us high & together. Better shape & spacing will help remedy this and we have made great strides in the past couple of weeks." The team now takes the week off to celebrate the Thanksgiving Holiday, but they know big games are on the horizon after the break, most importantly a battle with rival Club Sport Maritimo on December 4th. "The main focus for us to remain on top is to keep playing for each other, no matter how dire the circumstances become," stated Quinlan. "We have proven we can score quick & often, keeping us in almost any game we play. The difference from the beginning of the season and now is the chemistry we have developed by playing together, integrating the new players & the returning players. The most satisfying thing is how well we are playing as a team, and how much fun the team seems to be having. It is always nice to win and be in first, but as adults we choose to play soccer because it is fun and we love it. This team understands that and plays for the purity of the game." With that kind of mindset throughout the club, things can only get better & better in the days ahead.
It was a football kind of day. Cold, wet, on and off rain, perfect for the couch and some football on TV. However, for the boys of SSFAC, it was a perfect day to play some futbol on the turf, as they downed a tough Rovers FC 2-1 to earn their 3rd victory in a row. As a steady light rain fell, South City struck for an early goal when Antony Reyes' perfectly placed throw in found Ryan Wiegmann wide open for a score putting SSF up 1-0 at the 5 minute mark. SSF continued to apply pressure and maintained complete control of the midfield as Blair Smith, Bobby Quinlan, Leandro Monteiro & Andrew Pantano worked the ball together while also denying Rovers any forward momentum. There were several opportunities to get the 2nd goal, but the Rovers keeper came up big to turn away chances at net. The SSF defense was again strong in front of goalkeeper Abner Ramos. Scott Ellis and Ever Alvarez were solid up the middle, and Ian Preikschat along with Jim Burke were dominant on the wings. Ellis kept pushing his line mates up and his presence in the middle of the pitch closed down all of the Rovers passing lanes and gained possession for SSF. When Ramos was called upon to make an important save or clearance of a cross, he again was equal to the task. As time was running out and the rain started coming down hard, Reyes created another chance for SSF with his efforts. Going up to head a loose ball inside the area, he was taken down thus creating a penalty kick for South City. Leandro Monteiro stepped up to the spot and easily converted to give the team a 2-0 lead with the full time whistle just moments away. Rovers were able to get a goal in stoppage time to make the final score 2-1. Fabio Marques, Wiegmann, and Jonathan Wong applied heavy pressure in the later stages of the match which prevented Rovers from starting any meaningful attempt to counter attack. Captain Bobby Quinlan acknowledges that the teams positive attitude throughout the whole game was the difference. "No matter the circumstances, we were positive with each other, and continued to play hard. No matter the weather, missed chances, errant passes, or missed challenges, the whole team was there to stiffle the Rovers momentum. We are becoming a team and not just individuals." He added that the defensive improvement has made an impact. "Over the last couple of games we have not given up many chances & even fewer goals. This can be attirbuted to Ramos' confidence, Ellis & Alvarez's leadership & the additions of Preikschat and Harry Andreades. Even when we need to make changes in the back, everyone steps up and contributes. Our ability to be a quick strike team has been our best attribute, we have youth & speed and we have begun to use it to our advantage." Even though there has been improvement in the overall game, Quinlan feels the team can work on a few things to get even better. "We can improve our calmness and ball movement under pressure. At times we are able to keep possession, but we have also struggled to string passes together when teams pressure us high & together. Better shape & spacing will help remedy this and we have made great strides in the past couple of weeks." The team now takes the week off to celebrate the Thanksgiving Holiday, but they know big games are on the horizon after the break, most importantly a battle with rival Club Sport Maritimo on December 4th. "The main focus for us to remain on top is to keep playing for each other, no matter how dire the circumstances become," stated Quinlan. "We have proven we can score quick & often, keeping us in almost any game we play. The difference from the beginning of the season and now is the chemistry we have developed by playing together, integrating the new players & the returning players. The most satisfying thing is how well we are playing as a team, and how much fun the team seems to be having. It is always nice to win and be in first, but as adults we choose to play soccer because it is fun and we love it. This team understands that and plays for the purity of the game." With that kind of mindset throughout the club, things can only get better & better in the days ahead.