Bethesda Internationals

24 Sep. '05. Inter played yet another match (4th) out at Muldoon's Farm again and faced its old friends, MSC United, who like the RR's, were playing up for a couple of seasons but returned on-age this fall 2005 season. At the opening whistle, MSC United launched an offensive assault against Inter, possessing and moving the ball into Inter's half and controlled the play for the first 4-5 minutes. But, then Inter came alive and countered to penetrate into MSC United's interior on several occasions, and managed 5 shots own goal. About mid-way through the 1st half, Patrick fired a hard shot from about 20 yards out towards the upper 90 that sailed just wide to the right of goal. And, with about 1 minute left in the 1st half, Vitalis received a long ball near midfield and broke past MSC United's last defender and fired a strong shot on goal around 18 yards out just as their fine GK, Eric, timed his run up to challenge and block the shot away -- as well as blocking another earlier hard shot from the right about 12 yards out. Inter created 1 CK opportunity with 6 fouls (2 offsides with 1 YC on Chris for dissention) while MSC United managed 4 shots on goal and 5 fouls (no offsides). In the 2nd half, at about the 5-6 minute mark, after a foul on Skylar by Jamie, Ben sent a long DK from mid-field into MSC United's goal box about 12 yards out. The ball bounced high up in the air and towards the left where Vitali raced over to collect the ball and served a pretty pass into the goal mouth about 4-5 yards far post to Roque where he turned and kicked a not too strong shot towards goal but the ball took a favorable bounce on the turf upward and an MSC United defender, in an attempt to clear the ball away with his left foot, missed the ball and it fell onto his right leg and deflected backwards into the net for Inter's only goal. Inter could manage only 3 scoring situations in the 2nd half largely due to MSC United's strong defensive pressure/challenges and tackling of the ball while committing 6 fouls. MSC United stepped up its offensive attacks/counters, and took 5 shots on goal with 4 CK opportunities but all attempts went awry of goal -- except for a last CK. With about 6-7 minutes left in the 2nd half, the center official made a bizarre but probably right call on Nat for not releasing the ball within 6 seconds, which allowed MSC United to take an indirect kick from about 15 yards out which luckily failed. Then, with less than 2 minutes left, the center official made an incomprehensible call to award MSC United with a corner kick for a ball which was deflected out of bounds not by an Inter player but by MSC United. In an attempt to clear a ball out/away, Ben kicked the ball from the left side of goal near the end line and it clearly hit an MSC United player and richocheted/bounced backward out of bounds behind the end line -- but, increduously, the center official gave MSC United the corner kick much to the dismay of everyone on the sidelines. And, as luck would have it, the CK was served perfectly into the far post corner area where Skylar jumped up to block/clear it away but was out-jumped by MSC United, Mark, who somehow was able to put his upper body on the ball and glance it downward to the ground and rolled into the lower right hand corner of the net. All in all, the match probably could've been a 0-0 tie as both goals were fortunate for each side, although from Inter's perspective it had more quality shots on goal and had Eric not made those great saves...who knows?

18 Sep. '05. For the 3rd time in the last two weekends, Inter played out at Muldoon's Farm and it was another splendid day filled with lots of sunshine. Inter faced a revitalized TASC Premier 91 Red team which played much more skillfully in its ball movement/passing than last spring. The field was hard and very clumpy for good 1-2 touch passing, but Inter was able to possess the ball and control most of the match from start to finish, although TASC played very hard and was relentless in its pressure to challenge/tackle the ball. At about the 8 minute mark in the 1st half, Vitalis received the ball in the left mid-field and streaked forward past TASC defenders, angled towards the left side of the goal area about 18 yards to the left and turned to deliver a perfect pass to Ebo in the box about 4 yards to the right, who layed out a beautiful header into the net past the surprised keeper. About 20 minutes later after a foul by TASC around the 28th minute mark, Skylar lofted a perfect DK from about 25 yards out to the right and into the goal mouth about 4-5 yards to the right where Ebo was once again well positioned and perfectly timed a turning left-footed strike on the ball in the air and into the left side of the net past the GK. Inter was able to setup 6 shots on goal, created 3 CK's and committed 5 fouls. Inter's strong defense limited TASC from firing on goal to just one shot and no corners with 4 fouls. The 2nd half heated up with TASC committing 8 fouls and a TASC player received 1 yellow card (not yielding 10 yards on an Inter DK), while Inter committed 4 fouls and received 1 yellow card for knocking down a TASC player (inadvertently). At about the 28th minute, a TASC player was called for handball in the box after a CK by Skylar. Vitalis stepped up to take the PK and fired a low blast to the left of the TASC keeper into the net to make it 3-0 Inter. With just 2 minutes left in the match, TASC created a CK opportunity and smartly took a quick kick before Inter was ready. The very well placed shot sailed into the middle of the pack about 2-3 yards in front of the goal where an alert TASC player jumped up to head in TASC's only goal -- and only its second shot of the half. Inter shot 7 times on goal and created 4 corners, but could only finish once with the PK.

17 Sep. '05. On another splendid day filled with lots of sunshine out at Muldoon's Farm, Inter faced the resurgent Potomac Cougars 92, who after a short trip back to D2 this past spring 2005 season, returned to D1 as D2 champs and MD State Cup Semi-Finalist (falling to Inter, 0-1). It was a physical match and both teams played hard with strong determination to possess and control the ball. With the wind at its back in the 1st half, Inter managed 7 shots on goal and created 5 corners but could not finish in the net, with some very good saves having been made by the Cougars' excellent GK. Inter committed 3 fouls (2 offsides and 1 handball), and Inter's strong defense shut down the Cougars from taking any shots on goal. The Cougars committed 7 fouls, and the 1st half ended in a scoreless tie. The Cougars were unable to take advantage of the wind behind them in the 2nd half, and once again Inter's strong defense stymied the Cougars and limited them to just one header shot in the last minute of the match. Both sides continued the hard play throughout the 2nd half, with the Cougars committing 5 fouls while Inter committed 7 fouls. At about the 13th minute, Skylar sent a sharp pass from about 22+ yards out to the right into the center of the goal mouth about 6 yards out to Ebo, who headed the ball upward towards the net and leaped forward to again head the ball and this time past the Cougars' surprised GK into the net for the only goal of the match. Inter took 4 shots on goal and created 1 corner while the Cougars managed the single header shot on goal late in the match.

11 Sep. '05. The weather was fabulous with bright, sunny skies out at Muldoon's Farm where Inter faced its talented sister team, Roadrunners, who returned to on-age this fall after playing up for several seasons. Both teams were well prepared for this important 1st match of the season, and it was one of those beauties to see with each side attacking and counter-attacking up and down the field. Both sides displayed strong defense and Nat made a great stop on a hard ball sent at him by Dasean during the 1st half, as did Samir for the RR's in the 2nd half off of a zinger from Vitalis. Most shots taken were wide of goal and Inter seemed to have 1 or 2 more golden opportunities but couldn't finish thanks to a side post getting in the way of one attempted hard struck shot by Vitalis. Stats for the 1st half slightly favored the RR's with 4 shots on goal with 2 corners and 3 fouls, while Inter shot just 3 times and committed 5 fouls. The 2nd half was pretty even with both sides shooting 4 times on goal with 1 corner for the RR's and 2 for Inter, but it was plagued with more fouls as the RR's committed 8 with 1 red card for inadvertently tripping Ebo on a break away, and a yellow for delay/kicking the ball away. Inter committed 6 fouls. The match ended in a scoreless tie, 0-0, a much improved performance for Inter against the fabled RR's, having lost each of the last two previous matches in league play, 0-1, and MD State Cup 2004 Semi-Final, 0-4.

05 Sep. '05. On yet another fantastic day filled full of bright sunshine, blue skies and white puffy clouds, Inter faced its D1 rival and friends from VA, the FCH Premier AC 91W, in the championship match of Premier I Division -- and, it was a beauty. Both teams displayed great soccer with the Premier winning the ball from Inter's kickoff and played possession soccer, controlling the ball/tempo for the first five minutes. Then it was Inter's turn to possess and move the ball around well, and back and forth it went. Both teams managed 4 shots on goal each and with 5 fouls for Premier and 2 handballs for Inter. Inter was able to penetrate behind Premier's defenders and set up 6 corner kick opportunites, but unfortunately was unable to finish any of them into the net, and the 1st half ended scoreless. The second half somewhat mirrored the first half in that both teams moved the ball well, attacking and counter-attacking with the Premier taking 6 shots on goal, 2 corners and 2 fouls, white Inter also shot 6 times on goal and with 2 fouls. Early in the second half, on a counter-attack from the right side, Tomiwa crossed a strong ball from near the corner into the goal mouth about 3-4 yards out and the keeper caught the ball momentarily but then it rolled out of his grasp to the ground near Ebo who touched in the 1st goal for Inter. But, just 1 minute later, the Premier lofted a nice long ball over Inter's defenders which bounced up in the air in the goal mouth where 2 Inter players attempted to head/clear out the ball but another taller Premier player was able to head-pass the ball to an open teammate on the right side of the goal mouth about 8 yards out, who turned and slammed a hard strike past Nat into the left side of the net for the equalizer goal. At about the 12 minute mark, on an attack into the Premier's goal area about 12 yards out, Patrick sent a perfect pass to Ebo in the goal mouth about 5 yards out to the right where Ebo turned and struck in the 2nd goal for Inter. This match could've gone either way and today it went Inter's way. Inter always enjoys playing the talented and hard working Premier team, and is looking forward to another match with the Premier in the last game of NCSL fall play in November.