Bethesda Internationals

22 Jul. '07. Once again, the Internationals made the long 45 minute drive from Winston-Salem to Bryan Park near Greensboro for another early 8AM match on a bright sunny morning, this time against its friends from Yardley, PA, YMS Xplosion. The Internationals have come to know the strong YMS Xplosion team from previous contests at the Jefferson Cup 2006 where the Internationals prevailed in group play, and the YMS Columbus Day 2006 where the Internationals tied YMS in group play but then lost in the Final, as well as losing to YMS in group play at the CASL Shootout 2006. The superb fields at Bryan Park were covered with heavy morning dew and made for a slippery & fast playing surface. In the first half, the Internationals created a number of scoring chances shooting five times on goal and setup one corner kick while commiting seven fouls (including 2 offsides and 1 handball, and a YC shown to Matt for a hard slide tackle foul on the slippery turf). At the 5 minute mark, Skylar served a ball upfield to Vitalis on the left about 18 yards out and Vitalis dribbled a few yard towards goal 1v1 on the GK and fired a hard shot which sailed wide of goal. Several minutes later, at about the nine minute mark, Nick A. served another ball upfield to Vitalis on the left about 20 yards out and this tiime Vitalis fired a hard shot which found its way into the net and the Internationals were up, 1-0, on the Xplosion. Although the Internationals contained YMS from penetrating deep into the Internationals' goal area and held them to just two shots on goal, one of which sailed wide, the Xplosion managed to finish the equalizer goal at the (13) minute mark after Ben was unable to head clear a ball away and a YMS player collected the ball around 30 yards out mid-center, turned and fired a hard, high blast which sailed over Seth's outstretched hands into the upper left corner of the net. In the second half, both teams picked up the intensity of play trying to notch the go ahead goal. At about the seven minute mark, after a foul by the Internationals, YMS launched a well-placed free kick which sailed high into the upper left corner of the net as Stefan jumped up to punch the ball away but it luckily went over the crossbar. The Xplosion would take four shots on goal and setup two corner kick opportunities but could not finish while committing seven fouls. The Internationals would also shoot four times and create two corner kick opportunities while committing seven fouls (including 3 offsides and 1 high kick). At about the 20 minute mark, Nat rcvd a pass in the middle near 20 yards out, turned and fired a blast but the GK perfectly placed himself in position to stop the shot. With about 1 minute left, Nat rcvd a pass around 20 yards out to the left, turned and zipped a hard shot through defenders towards goal but it went just wide of the far post, and the match ended, 1-1.