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Rovers II Match Report
| League match |
| Sunday | 2013-04-21 | 12:45 |
| Rovers II | 1 (1) - 1 (0) | Centro Argentino | | Manager: Paul Elias |
 Re: 21st April 2013 - Rovers I v FC Hertha M?nchen II, Rovers II v Centro Argentino
April 22, 2013, 02:17:00 PM by Derek Barrilleaux
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B Team Match Report
1 - 1
Stuber
Patton Proudfoot Marshall Stevenson
Courchene Elias
Solven Lingel Barrilleaux
Akin
Trainer: Elias
Captain: Patton
Subs:
Geller (Marshall)
Brix (Solven)
Di Marco (Barrilleaux)
Goal: Akin (35')
Kit: Solven
On an overcast spring day Rovers II took the field looking for revenge against a team whom they'd lost to 3-2 in the Hinrunde. They started extremely brightly, Akin's running always threatening the Argentino center backs, the midfield three passing rings through the opposition, and defense completely untroubled. Continued pressure brought a succession of corners, where the rovers constantly looked threatening, but an Argie defender or keeper always managed to get a limb between the ball and the goal. On one occasion your correspondent turned his defender on the goal line, and Elias's strike from the pull back was struck well but unfortunately directly at the keeper, and the rebound shot from Solven deflected off another defender. Marshall had to be substituted momentarily after landing hard on his neck attacking a corner. Geller happily jumped in at his preferred center back position.
A goal was coming though, and from a Barrilleaux corner, Akin rose highest to thump in a strong header. 1-0 Rovers. Brix came on for Solven, and his pace continued the threat down the right, and Di Marco came on for Barrilleaux, injecting some creativity on the left, just before halftime.
In the changing room, the talk was of how Rovers were dominant, but that they needed to keep the pressure on. Unfortunately, there was a slight dip in the 2nd half, and Argentino saw more of the ball, and Rovers created few chances. Rovers passing also became harried and less accurate, leading to turnovers in bad positions. The halftime sentiment that Rovers needed a 2nd goal to kill the game off was unfortunately borne out.
The opposition must be living right, as their goal surely had divine influence. Argentino had some pinball around the edge of the box, and their forward just managed to get a toe to the loose ball which looped up and over the backpedaling keeper. 1-1 and Rovers were feeling deja vu.
In the final third of the game, Rovers created a good number of half-chances, Lingel delivering dangerously from free kicks that Akin and Marshall were attacking with relish, Barrilleaux almost getting on the end of a low cross from Brix, and scuffing a shot on the turn in the box. But in spite of a very strong performance, Rovers II couldn't get the decisive goal.
Summary: 1-1 that felt very much like a loss. Rovers II played some very good football that should have been rewarded with 3 points, but the football gods wear blue and white--just ask Diego. We need to learn to win the close ones, and need to be more clinical in front of goal. When we do that, we'll be promotion material.
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