-
(Current
Statistics Are Located At The Bottom Of This Page)
To
Return to Current Season's Results Click HERE
-
Game
14
-
11
- Juventus 2 vs. MC United
- 0
-
Back on July 7th, short several key players
and dealing with a biased ref, we suffered a devastating 5-3 loss to the
Red Devils that threw our post season plans into serious doubt. The Devils
hadn't updated some of their scores yet so we weren't 100% sure where we
stood and I remember after the game, as we gathered our flags and net,
Willem asked one of their players how they had made out in those other
games. The player simply responded, "have fun in Tier 4 next season DICK!",
and it seemed to sum up a terrible day where the Devils really rubbed our
faces in it and suddenly we found ourselves facing the huge challenge of
having to win five straight games, including one against first place RHA
United (who hadn't lost a single game yet).
-
Well, five games later, WE DID IT!
Today's game was really just the icing on the cake in a run that saw us
outscore our five opponents by a combined 29 goals to 4. As for this
one game, there's really not too much you can say about these sorts of
games. MC United had already done us the favour of beating the Red Devils
on the weekend so tonight meant nothing to either team in terms of the
standings. As such it lacked the kind of passion we saw in the RHA game
so, combined with some terrible, disruptive officiating (and all those
ridiculous offside calls), neither team really seemed to get into the game.
-
MCU, to their credit, was pretty good
about the whole affair even as it slowly turned into a shooting gallery
and they showed real class right to the end. The win leaves us just one
point shy of first place but our comfortable second place finish assures
us a place in promotion playdowns and it really is a tremendous accomplishment
given where things stood just five games ago. As a team we should have
a lot of pride in what we have done here but we're not quite done yet -
we still have a crucial promotion game coming up (date to be announced
soon). For now though, CONGRATULATIONS JUVE!
-
(Oh... and I hope the Red Devils have
fun in Tier 4 next season!)
Goal Scorers:
David (4), Nana, Luca, Trésor (4), Dillon
- |
Game
13
-
3
- Juventus 2 vs. RHA United
- 1
-
We've pretty much looked forward to this
one game since the schedule was released and, although this match wasn't
for first place as we had originally imagined, the game lived up to it's
buildup and went pretty much as we had envisioned it. I can't say
enough about the job everyone did. Regardless of their playing time,
from front to back, everyone did exactly what was asked of them without
question and that is how teams win big games.
-
RHA is an excellent team and so it was
to be expected that, in the natural ebb and flow of the game, there were
periods where they really brought the game to us and had us on our heels.
The real key was that we always found a way to weather their attacks and
push forward with our own effective counter attacks. That is maturity and
I doubt we could have played this game back in May.
-
I don't want to spend too much time singling
out players', because this really was a total team win, but I would like
to make mention of the incredible game our defenders played, they were
simply dominant, and also to thank Luca and William for their invaluable
contribution. As I said though, this win belongs to everyone. We're
not at the finish line yet, we need a win on Monday for today's victory
to matter, but today we played for the team not for individual glory. We
were there for each other today and now we need to do it one more time.
-
We'll see you all Monday!
Goal Scorers:
Luca (2), Trésor
- |
Game
12
-
5
- Juventus 2 vs. Benchwarmers
- 2
-
The Benchwarmers are a team whose name
fits them pretty well. Lacking the talent to be a good team they rely on
dirty play, trash talk, verbal threats and intimidation of referees to
do the job. For a young team like ours it can be tough to summon
the maturity to just play the game, to not let the trashiness get to us,
and to not sink to their level. It is even tougher when, just like
our last meeting, the referee is absolutely dismal and allows the game
to become dangerous. I know how frustrating that can be so, while
we could have been better in this respect, I do give credit for the fact
that we didn't fall for their red card bate and that we managed to put
the game away without the suspension of key players for our future games
against better, classier teams.
-
In terms of the actual quality of play
however, I do think there were troubling stretches of the game were we
allowed our game to sink to their level and that is playing with fire.
With three wins needed (coming into tonight's game) to write ourselves
into the post-season schedule, a loss to a poor opponent like this would
have been devastating and it became pretty tense when we allowed them to
come at us so much. In the end, of course, we wore them down but we need
to keep our focus and our sense of urgency at playoff level through every
remaining minute of the season. Three games ago the task seemed so much
bigger but now, three convincing wins later, the outcome of our season
is completely in our own hands. Two more wins and we're there!
Goal Scorers:
David (2), Nana, Trésor (2)
-
Note: Apologies
to David and Trésor, for some reason the referee recorded only one
goal for each of them on the score sheet and recorded three for Nana so
that is the "official" scoring even though we know better. |
Game
11
-
5
- Juventus 2 vs. Azzurri
- 1
-
Just like last game this was a smart,
mature win. We know that, as long as we don't let teams get away from us
early, we can beat anyone simply by wearing them down with our passing
and our conditioning. Tonight, like last game, was about defence first,
picking our openings, and being responsible in our own end. Although
we probably allowed Azzurri more possession than we should have, our defence
was outstanding - especially on the outsides. Blaise was so strong in his
battles throughout the match, really dominant, and Niklas was just outstanding
in his coverage of Azzuri's top scorer. With that option shut down they
really didn't have much to throw at us.
-
Up front we were a constant threat, we
seemed very able to quickly turn and create good chances out of nothing,
and Brandon really led the charge in this respect. If there was a
negative tonight it was probably our finishing and we missed on seven or
eight excellent chances. With the number of opportunities we generated
today it didn't cost us much in the end but that aspect of our game will
certainly have to improve as we draw closer to the much anticipated RHA
rematch at the end of the season. All in all this was an impressive
win against a pretty good team (who tied RHA last week) and we continue
to show a lot of growth and maturity in our play. Well done guys!
Goal Scorers:
Kohl, Nana, Brandon (2), Dillon
|
Game
10
-
5
- Juventus 2 vs. Baturyn
- 0
-
Well it was another warm one, easily the
hottest game day since we moved up to mens, but we were a much better team
today than last game and this was a methodical, patient, mature win. This
is the team we can be when we find the consistency to perform every game
and Baturyn simply never stood a chance.
-
The game plan was pretty simple - defence
first, move the ball (especially wide and to the corners), look for openings
but be responsible for our own end, and allow our superior condtioning
to gradually take over. That is exactly how the game played out and, even
with just a slim 1-0 lead at the halftime whistle, it was already becoming
clear that Baturyn were fading fast. In the final thirty minutes posession
must have been 90% in our favor and our opponents were absolutely gassed.
It became like a passing drill.
-
Baturyn are a better team than their record
suggests. In addition to settling for three ties they have lost many of
their games by very close scores and this game was actually their worst
loss all season, simply because of the maturity and effort with which we
played and the way we patiently allowed our strengths to gradually tip
the field our way and to dictate the outcome. This is who we are at our
best and if we can find a way to do this just four more times we will find
ourselves in playdowns at the end of the season
-
Great win Juve!
Goal Scorers:
Kohl, David, Nana, Trésor, William
|
Game
9
-
3
- Juventus 2 vs. Red Devils
- 5
-
Yes, we were missing six key starters,
including most of our defence, and we would probably have won if even a
few of them had been there. Yes, it was very hot and, with so few subs,
some of our players' really suffered. Yes the ref sat with the other
team, knew them on a first name basis, was biased in his calls and even,
apparently, went for drinks with some of the Devils afterwards. No, that
should not have been a penalty kick and, yes, there should have been a
red card in the second half. The excuses were all there but the simple
truth is that this was still a game we should still have won.
-
The biggest factor today was simply that
we did not show the effort or passion needed and that immaturity killed
us. We let our opponents (and the ref) get in our heads and too many players
became more passionate about personal arguments and responding to trash
talk than about getting back into the game. When we finally showed some
pride and roared back with three quick goals it was too late but it showed
how the game would probably have unfolded if we had played our game from
the start. This was a blown opportunity and it leaves no room at all for
any mistakes from here on - anything less than 5 straight wins and we will
probably not move up. Team first, we need every single player "all in"
from this point forward.
Goal Scorers:
Nana, Hamdi, Trésor
|
Game
8
-
6
- Juventus 2 vs. Comets
- 1
-
A win is a win, and there is no doubt
that we were the better team, but if we are being completely fair I think
the score flatters us a bit and is more the result of superior ability
(on our team versus theirs) than superior execution. Frankly, execution
suffered at times, this likely has to do with declining attendance at practice,
and we are definitely seeing below par performances from those players
who are treating our club as a drop-in rec team. A stronger opponent would
definitely have punished us more severely for our mistakes and things might
not have turned out quite so well.
-
The ESA South fields are not what they
used to be, the grass is thinner and shorter, so, combined with the wet
conditions, this made for a faster surface that really should have favored
our squad. Quite the opposite however, we seemed to struggle handling the
speed of the ball and judging bounces to the point where it almost became
a comedy of errors with repeatedly missed offensive opportunities and a
record number of "swing and miss" attempts to clear the ball from our box.
We should have been better.
-
This isn't to say we didn't have our moments,
and the second half was certainly much better that the first half (where
we were lucky not to be tied 2-2), but we made our job more difficult than
it needed to be and for a team that needs six straight wins (in very winnable
games) to put ourselves in a winner take all final game in August, that
is playing with fire. When we played our game, as we've trained for
it, it was simply no contest, but we still continue to search for that
elusive "complete ninety minute game" we will need to beat RHA.
-
On the plus side, we are becoming more
of a threat on our corners & crosses (largely due to Nana's ability
to get to the ball), we are beginning to understand more instinctively
the need to see and use the entire field, our attendance at games is among
the very best in the league, and we are also seeing, game after game, how
our superior conditioning clearly sets us apart from all other teams in
the final ten or fifteen minutes. There is unmistakable growth but you
NEVER stop learning in this game.
-
Look, we are the best team on ability
alone. Our midfield usually dominates most games and we are getting
consistent output from our main strikers (with 10, 9 and 8 goals respectively).
We have speed, we have skill, and we have depth. What we need now
is total commitment from everyone to games AND practices in order to be
more than we already are. If we can't find that then maybe we need
to shorten the bench to reflect the players who do show that quality but,
either way, we need to find the consistency that will demonstrate we are
the best team and assure our promotion to Div 3.
Goal Scorers:
Dillon (2), Nana (2), Praneil, Trésor
|
Game
7
-
1
- Juventus 2 vs. RHA United
- 1
-
Well it was the "Clash of the Titans",
the long awaited meeting of the top two teams in our division, and it certainly
lived up to expectations. Our two teams have combined for a total of 78
goals after just 7 games (the remaining six teams only total 66 combined),
each team has 4 players in the top ten scorers, and yet this was anything
but an offensive battle. As you would expect when two excellent teams meet
this was a trench war where every play was critical, every mistake potentially
disastrous, and it was a fiercely contested nail biter right to the very
end.
-
Some teams in this group allow us to play
virtual non-stop attacking football but the game plan today was defence,
it had to be, and I think we played great in that respect. There
were a few close calls, but the same could be said at their end of the
field, and I think we did very well in terms of our positional play when
defending, even during extended periods where RHA carried the possession.
This was a game we could not have played at the beginning of the season
and that level of growth and maturity was terrific to see.
-
Offensively we did not generate the number
of chances we are used to but that is to be expected against an opponent
of RHA's level. We very came close to breaking through their defenders
on a number of attacks, there were those three outstanding scoring chances
that just missed, plus a goal post, and if we'd been a little bit luckier
on any of those we would have had the win.
-
Regardless, the tie is a good result for
us. Even with a win we would still need a win in our second meeting and
this tie doesn't change that. If we do our jobs over the next six games,
the division title will be decided in the final game of the season on August
11th. Today we showed that we can play with RHA, we saw some of their weaknesses,
we got under their skin and, best of all, we planted a seed of doubt in
an opponent that has finished second in each of their last three seasons.
When we meet again that may weigh heavily on them and we will see how they
play if they have to fear falling just short again.
-
Great game Juve. You should be very proud
of that one!
Goal Scorer: Dillon
|
Game
6
-
5
- Juventus 2 vs. Baturyn
- 2
-
Baturyn are a team we actually used to
play against back in our EMSA days and they were always a difficult team
to put away early. That trait really hasn't changed since then and
even when you are clearly the better team they always seem keep you close
so you usually need to work the full ninety to get the win. In our current
men's group they are much younger than most of our opponents so it is important
to focus on executing the game plan consistently throughout the game or
it is unlikely you can wear them down physically.
-
We are beginning to see our possession
game improving for longer periods at a time and I think we played about
60 minutes of good quality soccer today. When we did Baturyn simply couldn't
compete with us but if there is one knock it would be that, after prolonged
periods of dominant possession (where play seems to become too easy), commitment
to OUR style of play begins to lapse and we gradually revert back to impatient
play highlighted by forcing the ball into traffic and players resorting
to individual play seeking glory. We stop seeing the field and begin looking
for the shortest path to goal.
-
Like I said before though, it is getting
better and you can see certain players leading the way. Brandon,
for example, was absolutely dominant today, not just because of ability,
but because of the way he sees the field. He is always thinking how
to create space, not just for himself but for the whole team, and changing
the direction of play. He uses the full width of the field to stretch
the opposition, he creates opportunities for his teammates, and he sets
the bar for our team. He was our best player again today, and you
can see his example gradually spreading across the team in longer periods
of performance.
-
I think that when we, as and entire team,
can consistently perform at that level over the full ninety minutes we
will be unbeatable. I know that we will definitely need to be at that level
this Monday against the powerhouse RHA United squad. Like a boxing match
we will need to stick to the plan patiently over the entire 90 minutes
in order to jab away at our opponent and gradually expose them for the
knockout. This will need to be a focused team effort.
Goal Scorers:
Dillon (3), Nana, Praneil
|
Game
5
-
4
- Juventus 2 vs. Benchwarmers
- 2
-
Well, in the end it was a win but, once
again, we came out flat against much weaker team and made this game much
harder than it needed to be. In fact, with a little luck, the Benchwarmers
might even have pulled off an upset. The problem, once again, was apathy
at the prospect of an "easy" win and our poor focus resulted in about 70
minutes of poor to mediocre soccer.
-
Against a team like Benchwarmers what
we need to do is exactly what we did against the Red Devils - move the
ball! On the large fields at the ESA complex our job should be that
much easier and teams like we played tonight should be gasping for air
by half time if we just use our youth, speed and training to play keep
away and patiently break them down. Instead we resort to wishful shots
from distance (or poor angles), low percentage long sends and a continuous
tendency to force the ball into crowds rather than showing patience.
-
We got away with the win, yes, but one
of the things that concerns me is the direction these games take when we
allow our opponents to hang in there and things become dirty. When you
have the sort of ref we had tonight, (who could benefit from a guide dog,
or perhaps an introductory soccer course) the risk of red cards or, worse
yet, serious injuries escalates and we saw against Red Devils how that
nonsense went away when we finished the job. 3 points is 3 points
though and it allows us to keep close to RHA who we meet after our next
game versus Baturyn. We need to be our best for both of those games!
Goal Scorers:
Hamdi, Nana, Praneil, Trésor
|
Game
4
-
8
- Juventus 2 vs. Red Devils
- 0
-
The Red Devils are an experienced team
who were relegated from Division 3 under the new system where 12 teams
drop down instead of 4. This season they beat the Comets in a similar fashion
to the way we did and they dropped a very close decision to RHA who are
the top team in our group. On paper this was the biggest challenge we had
faced so far this season but today was all about a new formation, a new
system, and the change paid off immediately with the most complete game
we've played so far. In fact if we hadn't been short so many players the
score would have been even worse.
-
Today we saw more individual responsibility
from everyone and the result was that, even though the Devils had a respectible
amount of ball posession, they were rarely able to pose any real threat.
When we put them under pressure they were not successful at mounting counter
attacks (unlike last game) and because we kept our shape pretty consistently
we were able to move the ball freely in a way that clearly wore them down.
The aggression of our stoppers seemed to create confusion in the Devils'
attack and consistently allowed us to move quickly back to offence.
-
It was also nice to see the maturity shown
today in two key aspects. Firstly, we got into the game mentally right
from the start. Past victories have featured a fair amount of our
scoring late in games and, while that is a nice weapon to have, we saw
today how much easier games are when you put your opponents away early.
Secondly, there was a point where the Devils could possibly still have
clawed their way back in the game and they began to try and provoke us
with a few questionable fouls but we didn't respond stupidly and that was
very important because, once we got through that period and buried them,
the risk of things getting ugly, or players getting injured, passed quietly.
-
Well done guys! That was an important
win.
Goal Scorers:
Kohl, Nana, Phil (2), Praneil (4)
|
Game
3
-
3
- Juventus 2 vs. MC United
- 4
-
Simply put, we gave this game away.
To their credit, MC United are a good young team who move the ball well
but, make no mistake about it, we were supposed to win this one. Unfortunately
it was our apathy more than anything that decided the outcome and we let
three important points get away. From poor finishing, to bad defensive
decisions, to non-existent coverage and, of course, the infamous "gap",
we looked like a team that would much rather have stayed home. MC United,
on the other hand, looked like a team that wanted to work for the win and
they were rewarded for it.
-
Sure, we expect ups and down during a
season but if we have any chance of winning this group we simply cannot
let these games get away from us when we haven't met the top teams yet.
Next game we face a stronger opponent in the Red Devils and we will approach
that one with a new formation and system that I believe will improve both
ball movement and individual responsibility on the field but, ultimately,
we will need a lot more heart and a lot more effort than we showed today
if we want to get a good result.
Goal Scorers:
Brandon, Hamdi, Nana
|
Game
2
-
8
- Juventus 2 vs. Comets
- 2
-
With Pug away today, and no guest keeper
available in his place, there was bound to be some uncertainty about this
match - especially since our defensive core was weakened by removing Nik
so that he could play between the pipes. Fortunately Nik stood tall at
the right times and kept the Comets from ever getting all the way back
into this one. While it took some time to finally put our stamp on this
game, in the end it was a good result for us.
-
Like Game 1 against Azzurri, this game
was characterized by a mix of some very good play as well as some careless
tendencies we still need to deal with. There is no doubt that when we played
the patient possession game we have practiced, our opponents simply couldn't
match us. However, after we charged out to the quick 3-0 lead, our focus
really began to drift as we started to ignore our open players on the flanks,
all but abandoned our system of ball movement, and tried repeatedly to
force the long ball. That period of quick turnovers very nearly allowed
the Comets to get back into the match.
-
In the end, of course, we got back on
track and once we began to move the ball again later in the game, our short
individual possessions and quick passes exposed the Comets defensively
and the game got away from them.
-
In addition to Nik's strong showing in
goal, the game featured some strong individual performances including a
huge 4 goal outing by Nana who clearly demonstrated how goal scoring is
more about finesse than power. Elsewhere David, both as a striker and as
a mid, showed outstanding ball movement and intelligent directional changes
while Brandon, in particular, was absolutely dominant in his play with
the way he covered so much ground while providing forceful challenges and
quick movement.
-
Congratulations Juve on another important
win.
Goal Scorers:
Dillon, Hamdi, Nana (4), Praneil, Trésor
|
Game
1
-
5
- Juventus 2 vs. Azzurri
- 1
-
Well it was a good start to our season.
Certainly there were things we could have done better but you always want
to get off on the right foot and I think we definitely did that.
-
Right from the start of training we have
emphasized being a ball control team, that short individual possession
and quick ball movement are key, and just before the game Phil and I had
a conversation about the need to wear down the Azzurri squad. There were
spells where we as a team forgot that, but our success came when we remembered
and, as the second half wore on, you could see how absolutely gassed our
opponents were.
-
There was, for example, some great passing
between Brandon and David, consistently moving the ball to the outside
and you could really see Azzurri's frustration every time they had to chase
us to the sidelines & corners. As the second half wore on they
had players crouching and taking a knee to catch their breath and think
it was pretty humbling for them because the score could have been much
worse had our finishing been better.
-
In the end I hope we take the message
from this game that 25 yard attempts at goal and over-ambitious "Messi-like"
runs into crowded defence are not the keys to winning. Each game
is a long 90 minute battle and, like boxers, you have jab away at your
opponent to wear them down in order to create the openings that lead to
victory... which is what we did today.
-
Congratulations Juve on an important first
win.
Goal Scorers:
David (2), Dillon, Hamdi, Praneil
|
-
FINAL
Standings
(Updated
August 21st)
- |
| Team |
GP |
W |
T |
L |
GF |
GA |
+/- |
Pts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| RHA United |
14 |
11 |
2 |
1 |
81 |
17 |
+64 |
35 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Juventus 2 |
14 |
11 |
1 |
2 |
72 |
22 |
+50 |
34 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Red Devils |
14 |
10 |
0 |
4 |
61 |
39 |
+22 |
30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Azzurri |
14 |
4 |
3 |
7 |
42 |
56 |
-14 |
15 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Baturyn FC |
14 |
4 |
3 |
7 |
31 |
44 |
-13 |
15 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| MC United 2 |
14 |
4 |
2 |
8 |
27 |
61 |
-34 |
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Benchwarmers
Men |
14 |
3 |
1 |
10 |
37 |
69 |
-32 |
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Comets |
14 |
3 |
0 |
11 |
27 |
70 |
-43 |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- -
| Top
Ten Goal Scorers |
| # |
- |
Player |
Team |
Goals |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1. |
- |
MICHAL MROCZEK |
RHA United |
20 |
| 2. |
- |
NANA ASANTE-APEATU |
Juventus 2 |
17 |
| 3. |
- |
ROMAN JANICEK |
Azzurri |
15 |
| 4. |
- |
DANIEL PROZNIK |
RHA United |
15 |
| 5. |
- |
FARAJA AMANDA |
Juventus 2 |
11 |
| 6. |
- |
JEREMIE CORPUZ |
Benchwarmers |
11 |
| 7. |
- |
DILLON CROWE |
Juventus 2 |
10 |
| 8. |
- |
MARK ANGELES |
Benchwarmers |
10 |
| 9. |
- |
PRANEIL SINGH |
Juventus 2 |
9 |
| 10. |
- |
GIL LUMAGUE |
Benchwarmers |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
