Bethesda Internationals

27 Dec. '06. On a cold (40's), windy morning in Winter Garden, FL, that started out with what could've been a distrastrous start to the Internationals' first participation in the top tournament in the country, fate would be ultimately kind and the Internationals played well in their first match, prevailing over the strong CASL Elite (NC) team, 2-0. Although the team left the hotel with plenty of time to make the 25 minute drive to Winter Garden from Kissimmee and arrive early enough to warm-up before the 8:30am kick off, most families who took the I4 route were immediately caught in a massive standstill traffic jam due to an accident which just occurred only minutes earlier. After going nowhere for 15-20 minutes and calling around between parents to discuss alternative options, Chuck, who was riding with Jorge and several players, jumped out of the stopped car, collected 8 players who were in nearby stopped cars, dashed across the highway in between cars with their bags in hand, climbed up the hill near an overpass and hiked a 1-2 miles back to the hotel to pick up Chuck's rental car and head to Winter Garden via an alternate route, arriving just 10 minutes before the delayed kickoff. Everyone recounted later that they felt like they were crossing the border into the US illegally. In the first half, the CASL Elite had the wind to their backs and the GK sent long punts deep into the Internationals' side and CASL penetrated deep a number of times, shooting 5 times on goal, creating 3 corner kick opportunities but would not finish while committing 4 fouls. The Internationals were held to just 2 shots on goal and no corner kicks which were unsuccessful while committing 6 fouls (including 1 offsides), and the half ended scoreless. The Internationals stepped up the intensity in the 2nd half with the wind at their backs, and the strong defense held the CASL Elite team to just 2 shots on goal and 3 corner kicks which went awry. CASL committed 6 fouls, including a hard foul by #3 which resulted in a YC being shown. The Internationals committed 3 fouls and would take 5 shots on goal and 1 corner kick, scoring on two opportunities. At about the 11 minute mark, after a foul by CASL, Skylar launched a free kick from about 25 yards out on the right into the goal mouth about 6 yards where Ebo possessed the ball, turned and fired in the 1st goal. After a collision between Skylar and a CASL player at about the 29 minute mark, the CASL player got up and stepped on Skylar's leg in front of the side official but no foul was called or card shown, and Skylar left the game in pain. Only 2 minutes later, Ebo received a pass on the left and dribbled down into the back right end line of CASL and flicked the ball forward into the goal mouth where Vitalis attempted to collect the ball but was pulled to the turf by a CASL player and a PK was awarded, which Vitalis confidently sent to the back of net for the Internationals' 2nd goal, and the match ended several minutes later, 2-nil, Internationals. 28 Dec. '06. On a warmer (60's) and less windy afternoon, the second match pitted the Internationals against the Dallas Texans 92 Red (TX-N), last year's Showcase winner, Region 3 Champ and USYSA National Finalist. The Texans were every bit of what would be expected from a team with such impressive credentials. The Internationals hung tough with the strong Dallas team before they would score at about the 27 minute mark. The Texans are very physical and counter attack superbly, moving their backs up to help control the mid-field and quickly distribute the ball upfield to streaking players moving into open space. The Texans would shoot 8 times on goal and setup 4 corner kick opportunities while committing 4 fouls (including 2 offsides). The Texans strong defense denied the Internationals from taking any shots on goal or corner kicks while they committed just 3 fouls. At about the 27 minute mark, Dallas sent a high arcing ball into the goal mouth close to the net. Joe came out to punch the ball out from harms way but it wasn't hit (squarely) and deflected backwards down near the goal line where an alert Dallas player tapped in the 1st goal. Just 2 mintues later, Dallas counter-attacked and a Texan player raced down the left line where he was ineffectively defended in the right back area. As he turned towards goal, he passed to his teammate who was unmarked at about 20 yards center where he easily scored on a 1v1 against Joe. At about the 34 minute mark, after a strong, long throw-in into the goal mouth from the right side line deep into the Internationals' side, a melee ensued to clear the ball out but a Texan player was able to put a head on the ball and notch the Texan's 3rd goal, and the half ended, 3-0, Dallas. In the second half, the Texans were held to 2 shots on goal which were unsuccessful, including a hard shot which Joe made a great save but Dallas was called offsides nonetheless. Dallas setup 7 corner kick situations but would not convert, and committed 7 fouls (including 2 offsides). Two YC's were awarded to #6 for USB and #7. Skylar also received a YC for USB with #6. The Internationals were able to break through to shoot twice on goal and create 2 corner kick opportunities, but all went awry/unsuccessful while committing 2 fouls (including 1 offsides), and the match ended, 3-nil, Texans. 29 Dec. '06. Under the lights on the superb Hess Sports Fields at Wide World of Sports with intermittment light to moderate rainshowers, the Internationals faced the little known team from SC, Columbia United FC Elite. The Elite gave the Dallas Texans a run for their money in the 1st round match, initially leading by 1-0, before finally succombing to the strong Texans team, 1-3. But, the Elite would rebound and edge CASL Elite in the 2nd round match, 1-0. The Internationals knew that they would be in for a dogfight with the SC team, and it would prove to be a very challenging but entertaining match indeed. The start was delayed due to the absence of a 2nd AR and players were kept waiting in lineup formation until the official arrived 15 minutes after the scheduled kick-off time of 6:30pm. The 1st half was intensely played by both teams who moved the ball well, attacking and counter-attacking back and forth. The Elite would take 3 shots on goal and setup 3 corner kick opportunities which were all unsuccessful while committing 4 fouls (including 1 handball) with 1 YC being shown to #5 for a hard foul. The Internationals changed their normal 4-5-1 configuration to a 4-3-3 with Gerald, Vitalis and Skylar up top to create more offensive opportunities, and managed 7 shots on goal with 1 corner kick but were unable to finish while committing 5 fouls (including 1 handball), and the half ended scoreless. The intensity would not let up in the second half and although the Elite managed 5 shots on goal and 2 corner kick opportunities -- and would score an equalizer goal -- while committing 3 fouls (including 1 handball) with a YC being shown to #7 for a hard foul, the Internationals controlled play for most of the second half. The Internationals would shoot 3 times on goal and create 1 corner kick opportunity while committing 6 fouls. At about the 21 minute mark, after a foul by #7 (on Skylar), Skylar launched a nice free kick from 18 yards out on the right which sailed into the goal mouth about 6 yards out where Vitalis timed his leap in the air to head the ball into the net past the surprised GK. However, late in the 2nd half at about the 34 minute mark, the Elite counter-attacked with a long ball sent upfield which sailed past the back 4 who were flat and pushed up too far flat while a streaking Elite player raced on past the defenders, collected the ball and fired a blast past Joe into the left corner of the net for the equalizer goal, and the match ended several minutes later, 1-1. 30 Dec. '06. Congratulations to the Bethesda Roadrunners who prevailed over Solar 92 (TX-N), 2-1, to win the Showcase Championship. The RR's also prevailed over the Dallas Texans 92 Red in the Semi-Final, 3-1.

17 Dec. '06. It was a pleasant, sunny, spring-like afternoon on a nice turf pitch at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, VA, where the Internationals were invited by the Arlington Legend to play a 2 x 40 minute halves scrimmage complete with a 3-man officials crew. The Legend were a rising NCSL/D1 team last fall and survived to remain in D1, but would not survive the Internationals offensive onslaught and strong defense today as the Internationals blanked the Legend, 7-0. Several key players were out with injuries, including Patrick M. due to continued rehab of a sore ankle, and Martin who was absent and nursing a recently pulled groin, and Vitalis who was overcome by a sudden severe headache following ODP session earlier in the morning. In just 2 minutes into the first half, Mati made a nice pass from the left side and towards upfield center to Gerald who collected the ball and then quickly turned to slam in the 1st goal from about 20 yds. out center. Only 3 minutes later, Marcus, playing on the right wing, pushed the ball up deep into the Legend's backfield near the touch line and sent a superb high service/shot into the box which sailed over the GK (who was guarding too closely to the near post) and into the far upper corner of the net for the second goal. The Internationals would shoot 6 times on goal but created no corner kicks while committing 5 fouls (including 4 offsides). The Interantionals strong D held the Legend to just 2 shots on goal and 1 corner kick which were unsuccessful, while committing 1 foul, and the half ended, 2-0, Internationals. The second half would only get better for the Internationals who were firing on all cylnders despite the players who were out/absent today, including Roque and Jamie (ODP). The Internationals controlled play in the second half, shooting 14 times on goal and would finish 5 times while committing 1 offsides foul. Goals were scored at the 4, 6, 13, 23 and 32 minute marks. Ebo, playing in CMF, sent a nice through pass to Skylar who was playing up top, and as the GK made a late rush to challenge the ball, Skylar lobbed it over the GK and into the net. Two minutes later, the GK stopped/dropped a shot and it rolled to the feet of Skylar who easily tapped in the goal. After a foul by the Legend, Skylar sent a free kick from about 20 yds. out on the left into to the box and as the GK came out late to collect the ball, Ben was able to tap in the goal. Marcus served a nice ball from the right about 25 yards out into the box where Jeff kicked the ball into the far post net. Ben sent a long lob upfield to Gerald who raced on a breakaway towards goal and fired a strong shot on goal but the GK made a nice stop. But Gerald would notch his 2nd goal a few minutes later on another breakaway, deftly juking the GK and tapping in the goal. The Legend were held to 2 shots on goal, one of which was a strong shot with about 1 minute left, but was handily stopped by Joe and 1 corner kick which were unsuccessful while committing 6 fouls (including 1 handball). And, after a foul by Mati on a 50-50 ball in the box, the Legend were awarded a PK with just seconds left but the ensuing kick sailed high over the net. Many thanks to the Legend for setting up the scrimmage on their nice turf field at Washington-Lee High School.

9 Dec. '06. The two Potomac SA sister teams scrimmaged on the new superb turf field at Georgetown Prep in preparation for the Disney Showcase in which both teams will participate in a couple of weeks. Many thanks to the Cougars 92 for arranging the scrimmage as they are training at GP on Saturdays through next Feb. 07. It was a sunny but chilly afternoon and the players-officiated scrimmage gave opportunity for coaches to focus on sharpening the players' and team's tactical play. In the first half, both teams were able to move the ball around well but the Internationals had the edge statiscally with 3 shots on goal and 1 corner kick, all of which were unsuccessful -- while committing no player-called fouls! Although the Cougars 92 center possessed and distributed the ball nicely, the Internationals strong D thwarted most of the attacks, challenging/clearing the ball away and allowing just 1 shot on goal which fortunately delfected off/away from the side post, and no corners -- while committing 3 player-called fouls (including 1 handball and 1 offsides), and the 30 minute half ended scoreless. The second half protracted into a 60 minute affair which saw the Internationals mount numerous attacks and counter attacks, shooting 11 times on goal but would only finish once, thanks to a couple of nice saves by the Cougars 92 GK, Stephen, and others which went wide of goal or were easily stopped by their GK. At about the 25 minute mark, after a player-called foul on the Cougars 92, Skylar sent a nice free kick from about 20 yards out on the right into the goal mouth and several International players timed their rush towards the goal. A melee ensued as the ball dropped to the turf where Nicholas was able to tap in the close goal. The Internationals committed 3 fouls while the Cougars committed 6 fouls (including 1 handball). The Internationals' defnese allowed just 3 shots on goal (one of which was another deflected ball off of the side post) and 2 corners by the Cougars 92. The equalizer goal would come at about the 53 minute mark off of a high arching corner kick by Chris M. which sailed downward into the goal mouth where Nat headed teh ball towards the goal but Joe made a diving stop and the ball rolled outward to the feet of Jeffrey R. who easily tapped in the tieing goal. Once again, many thanks to the Cougars 92 for arranging the scrimmage, and good luck at Disney!

3 Dec. '06. Out at the old Redskins Park in Herndon, VA, the Internationals once again faced off with its good friends from VA, the BRYC 91 Premier. The BRYC 91 Premier and the Internationals both were without their GK's due to ODP sessions, but the BRYC 91 Premier also had several others players absent for ODP and fielded just 11 players for the scrimmage. The Internationals looked sharp and moved the ball well. With Nick A. filling in as GK, the defense kept BRYC 91 Premier from firing any hard shots on goal, allowing just 2 shots and 2 corners which all went awry, and committed no fouls. The Internationals took 4 shots on goal and 2 corners, while committing 1 handball foul, and the 30 minute half ended scoreless. In the second half, just 2 minutes after kickoff, the Internationals pushed the ball downfield to the left corner and Ebo served a nice ball into the goal mouth about 3-4 yards out center where Skylar timed his leap to head strike in the first goal. BRYC 91 Premier occasionally were able to make some threatening runs on goal but could only manage 1 hard shot on goal which Ben, filling in as GK in the second half, made a beauty of a diving stop/save to deflect the ball out of harms way. BRYC 91 Premier also setup 2 corner kicks which were unsuccessfull and once again committed no fouls. The Internationals would strike again at the 17 minute mark off of a counter attack into the BRYC 91 Premier's right back at about 20 yards out where Jamie passed a nice ball to the feet of Gerald who quickly turned and fired in a left foot shot into the net. The Internationals would take 3 shots on goal with 1 corner kick but could finish just twice while committing 2 fouls (including 1 handball and 1 offsides), and the scrimmage ended, 2-nil, Internationals.

17 Nov. '06. The nation's top-rated tournament Showcase brackets have been set with with many of the top teams from around the country: Bracket 1 Dallas Texans 91 Red (TX-N) CASL Elite (NC) Potomac Internationals (MD) Columbia United FC Elite (SC) Bracket 2 Clearwater Chargers (FL) Colorado Storm Royal (CO) Roanoke Star Premier (VA) Concorde Fire Elite (GA) Bracket 3 YMS Xplosion (PA-E) Solar 92 (TX-N) BRYC 91 Premier (VA) Jackson Futbol 92 (MS) Bracket 4 Bethesda Roadrunners (MD) FC Delco (PA-E) Cobb FC Premier (GA) Andromeda Titans (TX-N) The Internationals are looking forward to an exciting and rewarding exeprience in this premier event which will be very challenging.