Bethesda Internationals

29-30 Jul. '06. Although the Inter Bethesda team recently moved to Potomac SA, it competed at the Surf Cup wearing the BSC navy blue and white as the Surf Cup officials were unable to change the name on the scoreboard & schedule due to the lateness of the club change 2 weeks before the event. Nonetheless, the first outing in a tournament as the Potomac Internationals in spirit proved to be a challenging experience for the players as it faced some outstanding teams from Region IV in the (3) Preliminary and (1) Quarter-Final matches which were played on the superb fields at the San Diego Polo Club in Del Mar, CA. In the first match on Sat., 7/29, on a mostly overcast day with on/off ocean mist and temps in the upper 70's/low 80's, the Internationals faced the tough Washington State Champs, Eastside 91 Red. In the first half, the Internationals held the tough Washington team to just 1 shot on goal and no corner kicks. The Eastside 91 played hard, fouling 7 times with a YC shown to #17 for a hard foul. 'Inter' managed 5 shots on goal and 4 corner kicks but could only finish once while committing just 1 foul. At about the 7' mark, Skylar launched a perfectly placed corner kick into the middle of the goal mouth at about 6 yards. A flurry of activity ensued and the ball deflected outward to the right about 20 yards to Roque's feet, and he reacted quickly to strike a hard, low ball on the ground through everyone into the goal mouth where Vitalis heel-flicked the ball into the net past the GK for 'Inter's' only game-winning goal. In the second half, the Eastside 91 stepped up their offensive attack, shooting 5 times on goal but all sailed high or wide with no corner kick opportunities, and they committed 5 fouls (including 1 offsides). The Eastside 91 pressured 'Inter' effectively, allowing just 2 shots on goal which went awry, and 1 unsuccessful corner kick. 'Inter' committed 6 fouls (including 2 offsides), and the match ended, 1-0, in favor of the Internationals. In the second match later in the afternoon, the sun occasionally peeked through the overcast sky and the ocean mist abated when the Internationals faced the Hawaii State Champs, Honolulu Bulls 92, a very talented, quick and pesky team. The first half was played quite evenly, with the Bulls shooting 3 times on goal (including 1 free kick) and two corner kicks, which all went wide and unsuccessful. The Bulls created just 3 fouls while 'Inter' committed 4 fouls (including 1 handball). The Bulls strong defense limited 'Inter' to just 1 shot on goal and 2 corner kick opportunites which were all unsuccessful, and the half ended scoreless. In the second half, the Bulls broke through 'Inter's' back line and took a hard shot high on goal and Joe made a great save to deflect the ball over the goal, and the Bulls could not finish on the ensuing corner kick. The Bulls committed 4 fouls while Inter committed just one foul. 'Inter' managed only 2 shots on goal and 2 corner kicks but could only finish one attempt. At about the 5' mark, Marcus cleared a ball up to Roque on the left who then switched it to Skylar on the right who then sent the ball upfield to Vitalis at about the 30 yard mark, where 'V' juked a defender to find open space and fired a hard laser shot into the left corner of the net past the surprised GK. Both teams played strong defensively and the match ended, 1-0, in favor of 'Inter'. In the 3rd preliminary match on Sunday, the overcast skies continued and 'Inter' faced last year's Surf Cup winner, FC Barcelona. A local San Diego native indicated that this team had two National Pool players up top -- which would be quite evident as the match evolved, and although FC Barcelona had not been highly ranked nationally via NSR or finished in the top four of the Cal South State Cup, 'Inter' was unable to keep up with this very quick, skillful, passing team who schooled 'Inter' in almost every way. Not since the Clearwater Chargers in the Final of the Jefferson Cup 2006 did Inter face such a vastly superior team. In the 1st half, FC Barcelona mounted numerous attacks/counter-attacks, with its mid-fielders and strikers easily moving the ball around, weaving in between and eluding defenders, making good crisp passes and shooting 9 times on goal with 1 corner kick opportunity, while committing just 2 fouls. Goals would come at the 10' and 25' marks. Joe made another great save at the 14' mark, followed by another superb, finger-tip save to deflect the ball up and over the cross bar at the 24' mark. FC Barcelona's strong defense held 'Inter' to zero shots on goal and two unsuccessful corner kicks while committing 5 fouls. Much of the same scenario continued in the 2nd half, with FC Barcelona shooting 7 times on goal with 1 corner kick opportunity while committing 6 fouls (including 1 offsides). FC Barcelona would score on nice combination passing/shooting at the 7' mark and 17' marks. On a free kick at the 22' mark, no whistle was blown to start the play and after much movement around the ball, FC Barcelona kicked a well-placed ball that sailed over everyone and bent into the upper corner of the right side of the net for the 3rd goal of the half. 'Inter' was held to just one shot on goal at the 22' mark as Tomiwa managed to break through FC Barcelona's back defenders on a ball sent upfield but they quickly closed to hamper his shot which went awry. 'Inter' committed 5 fouls while FC Barcelona committed 6 fouls (including 1 offsides), and the match ended, 5-0, FC Barcelona. 'Inter' finished 2nd in group play and would advance to play the Quarter-Final match later in the partly sunny afternoon against the highly ranked Celtic Hoops via NSR (5th Nationally & 2nd in Region IV). It was one of those 'out of the frying pan and into the fire' ordeals after playing the strong FC Barcelona team. But,'Inter' would play with fierce determination and a strong sense of purpose, contending well against this quick, strong and talented team. The Hoops would commit 9 fouls (including 2 offsides) and a YC was shown to #11 for a hard foul. The Hoops managed 4 shots on goal and 3 corner kick opportunites which were all unsuccessful -- but give credit to Joe for another two great saves. 'Inter' was held to just a single shot on goal at the 30' minute by (?) which went wide, while committing 5 fouls (including 1 offsides). The intensity would not let down in the 2nd half, with both teams aggressively attacking and tackling the ball. The Hoops would shoot 5 times on goal with 1 corner kick opportunity, and commit 8 fouls (including 2 handballs) and a YC shown to #8 for a hard foul on Skylar. The Hoops held 'Inter' to just a single shot on goal, and 1 unsuccessful corner kick opportunity while committing 5 fouls. At about the 2' mark, Tomiwa received a nice pass upfield and broke through the defenders and shot on goal from about the 18 yard mark as the GK came off the line and made a good save to catch the ball. With about 5 minutes left in the 35 minute Quarter-Final match, the Hoops were finally able to score with a counter-attack off of a long ball that was sent high up in the air towards the left side. As it came down to about the 6 yard mark, 'Inter' collected the ball and quickly kicked it straight out on the ground but it was intercepted by a Hoops player around 10-12 yards out who immediately collected the ball and fired a hard shot into the right side of the net past Joe, and the match ended, 1-0, in favor of the Celtic Hoops. The Hoops would go on to win the Semi-Final match against the Chicago Wind Nationals, 2-0, while the Celtic Harps would defeat FC Barcelona, 1-0, in the Semi-Final. Both Celtic teams would face up in the Final, with the Harps prevailing over the Hoops, 1-0, and crowned Champions of Surf Cup 2006.