Bethesda Internationals

14 May '06. On Mother's Day at the SoccerPlex, Inter once again faced its friends from the Green Machine, MSC United, after having just played them in the State Cup Semi-Final match last Saturday, and prevailing, 2-1. The skies were overcast/cloudy with moderate rain showers earlier but abated almost as the whistle blew, although the precipitation returned on/off during the game. Inter controlled the 1st half, denying MSC from taking any shots on goal, although they did manage 2 corner kick opportunites which were unsuccessful, and committed just 3 fouls (including 1 handball). Inter was able to shoot 4 times on goal, including a succession of 2 quick shots up close on the left which went wide and high over the crossbar. MSC was much more aggressive in the 2nd half, committing 6 fouls (including 1 offsides), and created two shots on goal but could not finish. Inter committed 4 fouls and could only manage a single shot on goal and 1 corner kick, but could not finish. Both teams did manage to put the ball in the net but on each occasion, the STAR called offsides and the goals were negated. After a foul by MSC, #22 was shown a Red Card for abusive language, and the match ended later in a scoreless tie, 0-0.

9 May '06. On another splendid, bright and sunny late afternoon/early evening out at the MD SoccerPlex on a nice pitch, Inter played its good friends from Potomac SA, the Cougars '92. Nicky was not feeling well with a sore throat and sat out, while Nat started out on top with Ebo in goal and Philip in CMF along with Jamie. Inter's stingy defense held the Cougars to just 1 shot on goal and no corners with 7 fouls committed. Inter managed 4 shots on goal with a nice head attempt by Nat that missed around the 20 minute mark. And, Tomiwa sent a good service into the box to Glenn who missed a header attempt around the 30 minute mark. No corners were created and Inter committed 5 fouls (including 1 hand and 2 offsides), and the half ended scoreless. The Cougars intensified its physical play in the 2nd half, committing 7 fouls (including 2 hand balls), and 1 Yellow Card was shown to #8 for a hard foul. The Cougars were held to just 1 shot on goal but did manage 1 unsuccessful corner kick around the 30 minute mark. Inter committed 7 fouls (including 1 hand and 1 offsides) and took 5 shots on goal with 2 unsuccessful corner kicks at the 17 and 22 minute marks. The Cougars' GK grabbed the ball off of the latter CK and made a great, long boot upfield behind Inter's defenders who could not get back quick enough from the CK positions, and it was a foot race with Jamie and Roque to chase down the speedy Cougar player, and after a flurry of dangerous activity in front of Inter's goal mouth, Jamie was able to clear the ball out of harm's way. After a foul by the Cougars at about the 33 minute mark, Skylar launched a perfect direct kick from about 25 yards on the right into the goal mouth about 6 yards out where Ben jumped up to attempt to head the ball into the net at the same time as the Cougars' GK went to grab the ball but it deflected out and over to Mati who headed in the fortuitous, game-winning goal. Inter was able to hold off the Cougars for the next 4 minutes with what appeared to be 2 minutes of overage time for a previous Cougar injury. Inter was fortunate to come away with a win in today's match as players did not seem to be in their best game form/sync and did not hustle to ball as quickly as the Cougars. And, the Cougars should be commended for their valiant effort in playing well in this tight match down to the wire.

7 May '06. On another bright and sunny, splendid day on a nice pitch out at the MD SoccerPlex, Inter faced another pesky MSC team, the MSC Predators, new arrival and undefeated in D1 this spring season. Nat was absent today, and Ben started as GK. The Predators have several fast and skillful players who were able to pentrate deep into Inter's back line on occasion, but Inter quickly closed and challenged/won the ball to clear away from harm's way. However, the Predators did manage 3 good shots on goal with a couple hitting the cross bar/side post that could've went in, and Ben stopping another. The Predators created 1 unsuccessful corner kick opportunity and committed 6 fouls, while Inter took 8 shots on goal with a flurry of shots being taken close in the goal mouth in the last 2 mintues, but the Predator's GK/defenders were able to stop/save the attack from any goals being finished. Inter also created 1 unsuccessful corner kick opportunity, and committed 3 fouls, and the first half ended scoreless. In the 2nd half, Ebo started as GK, and Nicky came in to relieve Ebo as GK at about the 23rd minute. Both Ebo/Nicky made some good saves in crictical situations. The Predators sent a ball upfield and a break away ensued with a Predators player taking a close in hard shot that fortunately sailed wide and left of net. The Predators took a total of 4 shots on goal with a couple more hitting the crossbar/side post, bouncing out and away from the net and cleared away. The Predators also managed 2 unsuccessful corner kicks and committed 4 fouls, while Inter took 11 shots on goal, including a couple of hard shots that hit the sidepost and bounched out and away. Inter was unable to manage any corner kicks and committed just 3 fouls. At about the 21 minute mark, off of an Inter counter-attack, Sam took the ball upfield on the right side and served a nice ball into the goal mouth around 6 yards where Vitalis turned and flicked the ball over to the left to Chris who then turned and fired in the winning goal past the GK. The Predators is a fine, up and coming team that will give its opponents fits to be sure.

7 May '06. Congratulations to our sister team, Bethesda Roadrunners (MD State Champs 2004), in their Semi-Final victory over the tough and talented Freestate Titans (MD State Champs 2005) today, 2,0, at Poolesville Polo Grounds. Thus, Bethesda Soccer Club will post a U14B MD State Cup Champ on Sat., 4th June, and the winner will then proceed to represent BSC and MD State in the Region I Championship games at Virginia Beach, 30 June thru 2 July.

6 May '06. Inter faced its old friend and nemesis, MSC United in the Semi-Final match out at the Poolesville Polo Grounds today. Inter has been unable to secure a victory over this perennially strong team in previouis league/tournament play, but MSC United has undergone some significant roster changes in the last couple of seasons, and today Inter would not be denied its first victory over the Green Machine. It was another bright and sunny day but with strong winds which played havoc with the ball when kicked/booted in the air, not to mention the clumpy turf. The tone of the match took an eerie twist in the first minute with a wrong call by the center official on a ball which was clearly last touched by an MSC United player and went behind Inter's end line. Instead of giving Inter the goal kick, MSC United was awarded a corner kick as was exactly the same situation in league play last fall -- which MSC United scored an equalizer, game-tieing goal. But, this time, the corner kick was unsuccessful. Inter had the strong wind at its back in the first half but could only manage two shots on goal which went awry, and 1 unsuccessful corner kick opportunity and committed 5 fouls. MSC United played hard and strong, always pressuring/tackling the ball, and setup 3 shots on goal -- two of which were strong shots towards the upper center of the goal but Nat reacted brilliantly and jumped up high and deflected the balls over the crossbar. MSC United also created 3 CK situations which were all unsuccessful, and committed just 3 fouls, and one of them was significant. After a throw-in by Skylar, Ebo collected the ball and served a nice ball into the center of MSC United's goal mouth to Vitalis who was fouled by MSC United #56 in the box at about the 8 minute mark, and a PK was awarded to Inter. After MSC United's talented GK kicked the ball away in frustration and rcvd a Yellow Card, Vitalis took the PK and fired a hard strike high into the left corner of the net past the GK. At the 16 minute mark, Vitalis rcvd a pass on the left side around its own 40 yards and raced upfield on a break-away into MSC United's right side about 22 yards out and appeared to have been fouled hard by MSC United #56 and hit the turf hard with no foul called or YC being shown. But, another Yellow Card was later shown to #22 for a high kick which sent Nicholas down hard to the turf. Then, after a foul by Inter around the 21 minute mark, MSC United sent a high free kick from around 40 yards out into the center of the goal mouth and Nat initially came off the line to grab the high-arcing shot on its downward descent but at the last moment slightly hesitated and an MSC United player reached the ball first and put a head on the ball, striking it into the open net behind Nat to even the score and the match ended at the half, 1-1. MSC United had the strong wind at its back in the 2nd half and sent many long balls upfield into Inter's backfield to their swift #22 forward, but Inter's defenders quickly closed and possessed/cleared the ball safely away. Inter's strong defense limited MSC United to just 1 free kick from 60+ yards with the wind which landed dangeroulsy in the goal mouth but Nat was able to easily collect the ball and boot it away. MSC United continued its hard play but could manage no CK's and committed 8 fouls, while Inter committed 4 fouls (1 offsides), took 3 shots on goal and 3 unsuccessful corner kicks. At about the 30 minute mark, Inter (Mati?) sent a nice serve from the right side line about 20 yards out and into the center of the goal mouth about 6 yards where Vitalis collected the ball, turned and fired in the game-winning goal into the net past the surprised GK. End of match, 2-1, Inter. Inter advances to the MD State Cup Final on 4th June for the second year in a row and will play against the winner of the other Semi-Final match tomorrow between two very strong and talented teams, the Roadrunners and Freestate Titans, both of which have defeated Inter in past State Cup matches (Roadrunners in 2004 Semi-Final and Titans in 2005 Final).