Bethesda Internationals

8 July '08. When US Soccer instituted the Development Academy concept in the summer of 2007 which was intended to improve the quality of development and play of youth soccer across the country, and ultimately, the quality of play of its US National teams, Potomac SA immediately applied and was granted membership. As it was uncertain as to whether or not all of our strong players (mix of older '91 & younger '92 players and one '93 player) would be able to remain together if tryout on the U16 Academy team, and more importantly, since the club President, Arnold Tarzy, did not offer our outstanding coach, Pete Mehlert, the U16 Academy coaching position (on the basis that he was involved with coaching the rising U14 Real and rising U18 Cougars90), the Internationals players/families voted unanimously to stay intact as a strong, rising U16 club team and continue to play in the premier tournaments across the country with the main focus being exposure to college coaches for recruitment purposes. Potomac SA formed a new U16 Academy team from scratch along with formulation of the U17/U18 Academy team, and PSA did not place any restriction upon the Internationals to continue to play as a nationally top-ranked U16 club team. Both Potomac SA's U16 and U17/U18 Academy teams woefully under performed in the inaugural 2007-2008 seasonal year and no doubt did not meet the lofty expectations of Potomac SA and US Soccer officials. For the upcoming 2008-2009 seasonal year, Potomac SA has now mandated that all players from all PSA club/Academy teams must tryout and be identified for selection onto the U16 & U17/U18 Academy and U16-U18 club teams as appropriate with the caveat that those players on current Potomac SA club teams who do not tryout in essence will be required to affiliate with another team in another club as they will not have been identified at any tryout for placement on any particular Academy or club team(s). Once again, all Internationals players/families voted unanimously to stay intact as a strong, rising U17 club team and continue to play in the top tournaments, etc. Thus, per Arnold Tarzy the Potomac Internationals and players will no longer be affiliated with Potomac SA effective 1 Sep. 2008. Therefore, the Potomac Internationals/players will be seeking affiliation with a new club for the upcoming seasonal year 2008-2009 year and prior to its participation in several upcoming tournaments this November/December.  

6 Jul. '08. The Internationals were back out at the BB&T SoccerPark for another early-morning 8am match but this time against the U17/Charlotte United 90 Gold, a team which was recently formulated with players from several Charlotte area teams. The WX was mostly cloudy with patches of dew on the pitch on a mostly cloudy and less hot morning. Although the Charlotte team dropped its first two matches to Triangle United Gold and GFA 91 Crew by a combined score of 1-10, it managed to prevail over the Roanoke Star Eltie team yesterday afternoon, 3-1; thus, Inter would not take this team lightly. From the opening whistle to the end of the 1st half, Inter controlled play for much of the period. Inter created many scoring chances but was unable to finish a goal including a nice cross from Marcel about 25 yards out on the right to Nate who struck the ball hard but sailed wide/high over the cross bar, and a nice pass from Stephen to Vitalis about 20 yards on the left who dribbled 1v1 on the GK but lost it in the end to the GK. Also, Skylar launched a nice DK from about 25 yards on the right into the box where Ben timed his jump to hit a hard head strike on the ball but it sailed high over the cross bar. Another ball went into the box and after a fury of activity, Roque managed to kick the ball towards goal but it hit the Gold's right side of the net, however, he was called offsides anyway. Inter took 6 shots on goal all in all while committing 7 fouls (including 4 offsides and 1 handball). Inter's normally strong defensive back line held the U17 team to just 3 shots on goal and 1 corner kick which were all unsuccessful -- except one -- while committing 4 fouls (including 1 handball) -- and that except one came exactly at the 55th second of the 45th minute when a ball was switched from Inter's right side to open space on Inter's left, but after Philip's attempt to clear it away was unsuccessful, a U17 Gold player collected the ball before Seth could get to it and made an easy shot into the net past Seth, and the half ended with Inter down, 0-1. After a half-time discussion with Pete, players opened up the 2nd half with much more focus and intensity with two goals coming in the span of one minute and two more later in the half. The U17 team managed 4 shots on goal including a hard short from about 25 yards which sailed dangerously just over the cross bar and no corner kicks while committing 5 fouls. The Internationals managed 8 shots on goal and 1 corner kick while committing 3 fouls (including 1 handball and 2 offsides). At about the 10 minute mark, Skylar sent a nice cross into the box where Vitalis was in position to hit a hard head strike on the ball into the net for the equalizer goal. Just one minute later, Fabio sent a nice pass form the middle to Skylar on the right who attempted a through pass to Chris in the middle of the box around 10-12 yards out but as the GK came out to grab the ball, a U17 gold defender tried to clear the ball away but got under it and launched it straight upward and then fell back to the turf with a backward spin, bounced backward beyond the GK and into the net for an own goal. At about the 21st minute, Skylar sent another cross into the box to a streaking Vitalis who struck in the easy goal. Chris had a couple of shots which went wide but at the 27th minute he rcvd a ball in the middle, turned and fired a shot into the net past the GK. At the 38th minute, Matt rcvd a pass just behind the mid-center line from Philip, dribbled upfield in between defenders where he managed to find a crease inside the U17 Gold's box about 15 yds. out on their right side and sent a hard shot into the net past the GK, and the match ended, 5-1, Internationals. The second match in the hot afternoon pitted the Internationals against the Triangle United Gold team whom it first met in last year's Region E event and Inter prevailed in both preliminary and Final matches, 2-1. The United Gold team was recently crowned both NC State Cup and Region 3 Champs and would be going to the USYSA Nationals later this month. Triangle's phenom playmaker, #13/Mikey, was on the sidelines from an injury sustained in the 1st match yesterday. Inter needed to win this match to advance to the USCS National VII Cup since it had beaten GFA 91 Crew yesterday even if GFA 91 Crew would win its match versus Roanoke Star Elite which was playing at the same time. The match with Triangle was an evenly played contest in the first half for the most part with Triangle taking 3 shots on goal including a hard blast from 20 yds. out to Inter's right which Seth made a great diving save to his left, and another hard shot from the center which sailed high towards the upper 90 corner but Seth made a nice finger tip flick save causing the ball to sail just over the cross bar with a resultant corner kick which was unsuccessful. Another dangerous play ensued where a through ball found its way into open space in Inter's box about 10 yards out center but Seth made a good read to come out and grab the ball before a streaking Triangle player could get to it. Triangle committed 5 fouls (including a YC shown to #19 for a hard foul from behind on Fabio and 1 handball). The Internationals managed 3 shots on goal and 1 corner kick while committing just two fouls. At about the 20 minute mark, Ebo sent a nicw pass upfield to Skylar on the right who dribble supfield to Triangle's left corner and served a beauty low cross on the ground into the box where Chris ran onto the ball to easily tap in the go-ahead goal. The match was halted at the 34th minute by tournament officials due to visibile lightning nearby. About 35 minutes later it resumed and then ended shortly with inter on top, 1-0. In the 2nd half, Inter seemed to tire with Triangle forcing more of the action, playing much more aggressively and mostly in Inter's half attacking and counter-attacking, and pressuring the ball very tightly defensivley. Inter played very physical, committing 8 fouls (including a YC shown to Jamie for a hard foul and 4 offsides & 2 high kicks). Triangle's strong defense today held Inter to just 3 shots on goal including a shot by Brian near 18 yads out on the left who turned and fired a left-footed shot which went high over the cross bar. The Triangle team would also shoot 3 times on goal and setup 6 corners (all unsuccessful). Alas, at the 22 minute mark, after a ball was launched into Inter's box, a furious attempt to clear it away could not be realized before a Triangle player was able to find the ball and tap in the equalizer goal, and the match ended in a hard-fought draw, 1-1. Menawhile, the GFA 91 Crew easily prevailed over the Roanoke Star Elite, 4-0, and on points (9 versus Inter's 7) earned the berth to the USCS National Cup VII in VA Beach later this month. Congratulations GFA 91 Crew, another top non-academy team in the local Metropolitan Washington, DC area besides Inter and Freestate Elite.

 

6 July '08. The Internationals were back out at BB&T Soccer Park for an early-morning 8AM match vs. its old friends from VA, GFA 91 Crew (formerly MATT 91 Crew),who battled one another tighly in close matches in many seasons in previous NCSL play. The pitch was slick and fast with early morning dew and the Internationals were much more focused today playing with focus and determination at the opening whistle. It was a very entertaining match from start to finish. In the first half, both teams moved the ball well up and down the field creating several scoring opportunities. The GFA 91 Crew would take 4 shots on goal including a hard turn and fire blast from KC from about 18-20 yards out left which Seth reacted lightning quick to read and stop/catch the shot at about the 33 minute mark. The Crew setup 3 corner kick situations which were all unsuccessful while committing 7 fouls. The Internationals launched 4 shots on goal including a nice free kick by Roque and header attempt by Nicholas which sailed high, and 4 corner kick opportunites which were all unsuccessful. However, late in the half at about the 41st minute, Skylar crossed a ball from near the right corner into the box where a scrum of acivity ensued with Nicholas touching the ball and Brian finding the handle to turn and kick in the goal-ahead and ultimately game-winning goal. Inter committed 7 fouls including 5 offsides, and the half ended, 1-0 Inter.

In the 2nd half, Inter's strong defense held GFA from creating any threatening scoring opportunities with no shots or corners taken. The Crew committed 6 fouls including a YC on #7 for a hard foul in the back/head of Jamie, and a YC shown to #22 for a hard foul from behind on Skylar while dribbling upfield. Inter committed 8 fouls including a YC on Nate for a hard foul on a GFA player from behind and an another 5 offsides. The Crew's defense held Inter to just 3 shots on goal which were all unsuccessful including a nice through pass from Chris to Vitalis (onsides) who dribbled towards the GK 1v1 and fired a hard shot which was caught by the GK, another attempt after a nice run upfield by Nate made a good pass to Vitalis on 20 yards on the left but his shot went high over the cross-bar. The Crew continued its attack/counter-attacking in Inter's side of the field but could not break through the back line to setup any clear shots and the match ended, 1-0 Internationals.

In the other game, the U17 Charlotte United 90 Gold surprisingly upended the Roanoke Star Elite, 3-1, after dropping the first two matches yesterday. The other match this afternoon between Triangle United Gold and the Star Elite ended in a scoreless tie. In tomorrow's action, GFA 91 Crew faces Triangle United Gold in an early-morning 8AM match, while Inter takes on the U17 Charlotte United 90 Gold. Then, Inter and Triangle United Gold will play their 4th round-robin match against each other later at 1:45pm, and GFA 91 Crew will play the U17 Roanoke Star Elite in a rematch of VA State Cup in the Fall 2007 which GFA 91 Crew prevailed over the Start Elite, 1-0, in OT.

 

 

 

4 July '08. At the new BB&T Soccer Park outside of Winston-Salem on a hot, mid-80's holiday morning, Inter faced its friends from southwest VA, Roanoke Star Elite, whom it last played in the VCCL in early Dec. '07, dropping a slugfest contest, 4-6. Four U16 teams, Inter, Star,Triangle United Gold and GFA 91 Crew, were all placed in the U17 division with one other U17 team, Charlotte United 90 Gold. The winner of Region E will advance to the USCS National Cup VII as a U16 team unless Charlotte advances, then it would be placed in the U17 division. Inter looked sluggish and unfocused in most of the 1st half while the Star controlled the better part of the play. The Star's strong defense held Inter to just 3 shots on goal which included a nice cross from Skylar into the box where Vitalis fired but the quick shot sailed high over the cross bar. Also, another opportunity fizzled off of a nice pass from Nate to newcomer Chris on the left about 12-15 yards out but Chris' hard left-footed blast sailed wide left. Inter also had (1) corner kick opportunity but it too was unsuccessful. Inter committed (9) fouls including 1 handball and a YC shown to Vitalis for a cleats up tackle and a YC shown to Fabio for a hard foul from behind. Inter's normally strong defense held the Star to just (3) shots on goal in the first 30 minutes and (1) corner kick which were unsuccessful while committing (11) fouls (including 1 handball and 1 offsides), but after Ben N. stopped a dangerous through pass outside the 18 yard line on the right but was unable to maintain possession, a Star player possessed the ball, and dished it off to his teammate on the right who then switched it to a wide open unmarked player on the left who easily struck the winning goal at the 36 minute mark on the far post before Seth could recover from the other post. In the second half, Inter played with more intensity & focus and did not commit any fouls. Inter's defense held the Star to (3) shots on goal which were unsuccessful while committing (6) fouls including 1 offsides. Inter had a couple more chances to notch the equalizer after Chris dribbled upfield into the left corner and worked hard to maintain possession of the ball under defensive pressure and crossed a good ball from the corner into the box where Skylar timed his leap to head strike the ball but it went over the cross bar. Chris took a free kick late in the half but it went wide right, and the match ended, 1-0, Star.

In other action, Triangle United Gold defeated the U17 Charlotte United Gold, 5-0, and, later in the afternoon, GFA 91 Crew defeated the U17 Charlotte team, 5-1.

 

 

27 Jun. '08.  The US Club Soccer Region E brackets have been set today with the Internationals placed in the U17 Super division along with its friends from last year's event, Triangle United Gold (NC), NC State Champ 2008 & Region III Champ 2008, and ouor friends from CASL and VCCL, Roanoke Star Elite (VA) as well as our good friends from Virginia, GFA 91 Crew, VA State Champ, and the U17/Charlotte United 90 Gold (NC).   It will be a very competitive event with these always strong and tough teams.  Hoping for mild weather unlike last summer's scorching temps in the upper 80's/low-90's.