Coach's Corner III - Game 1

Monday marks the start of the actual Gothia Cup competition. By then we had already felt quite settled. We knew where the showers were and where meals could be obtained. We found the latter to be plentiful and tastier than expected. We had made friends with Zambian, Malaysian and British boys; Canadian, Kenyan and Swedish girls, all at our school. We realized that they found us of great interest, and we also realized that they had much to tell us about parts of the world we had never before imagined. We knew how to navigate the tram system, and wondered how cool it might be to be able to get around so far, so quickly, so safely, and all together back home. We roamed along the main avenues of this city of 600,000 as comfortably as we might roam along ...... well, I guess there aren't any analogous places for us to convene arm in arm, and chat, walk, and giggle in the clear cool night back home.
There was only one place left for us to make ourselves 'at home': on the soccer pitch. Our group games would all be held at Kungsbacka, an affluent suburb and former royal retreat about 30 miles south of Gothenburg proper. We boarded a fast train at the Central Station, and found an entire well-kept and comfortable car to ourselves for the 30 minute journey. Smiles were prevalent everywhere you looked. The boys were not only enjoying themselves, but really learning to enjoy each other.
But no matter how well prepared you might be, no matter how comfortable your hosts have made you, the first game of an international tournament always brings with it some unease, if not outright anxiety. How good are these Europeans? Do we really belong on this stage? Will the crowds appreciate us, or conspire against us? Just how different will this feel from the tournaments we play back home?
The differences were quickly in evidence. As we alighted from the shuttle bus that transported us to the Inlag complex, we were met by a full ice hockey rink and clubhouse complete with locker room, trophy room, and dining area, all for the benefit of a community less than the size of Champaign-Urbana. Teams were warming up in a practice area that was smoother and better groomed than any we have played games on back home. As we proceeded further along the path bordered by trees and hedges, the playing complex emerged: seven manicured grass fields and 1 artificial turf field bisected by a hedgerow.
We had arrived early enough to get used to the surroundings. As compared to American tournaments, most of the noise we heard came from the teams themselves rather than from the spectators. Chants and songs in a variety of languages were heard in a ritualistic effort to inspire teammates.
We warmed up with energy and purposefulness. If there were jitters, they were not noticeable. Our bench was alive, our supporters (including the just-arrived Voulgaris family) were alive, and our chant reverberated as loudly as any other as the game began.
Our opponents were IFK Valla from Hjalteby, due east of Gothenburg. Their chant went "En for alla, Valla", meaning "all for one, Valla". They were cut from the traditional Scandanavian cloth - big and eager to be physical. They intended to boss the game, to impose themselves upon their smaller American rivals. After trying to play the ball around their back four early on, however, they were surprised by our athleticism and quickness. We were winning balls before we could be pushed off them. We established a good passing tempo from the start, and the movement off the ball became incisive. A through ball to Tarik lead to a late tackle in the box, but our appeals for a penalty went unheeded by the referee. The pattern of play had been established nevertheless, and it was not long thereafter that Patrick was played in by Diamond. After an excellent first touch to beat the recovering outside back, Patrick left no doubt that this chance would be finished for a 1-0 lead. Valla were clearly rattled. They replaced the left back with a more athletic player to deal with the threat Patrick had shown himself to be, but this proved fruitless, as within minutes, another great run by Patrick resulted in a low cross to the far post that was expertly directed in the goal by a sliding Tarik. We were up 2-0 in our first international match! I exhorted the boys to keep up their tempo, keep up their intensity, and they rose to that challenge. Tarik found himself on the end of a more central attack before half, and smartly pulled the ball back for Mac to finish after he had made the necessary run to the penalty spot.
The second half saw little change in our domination despite several line-up changes. We kept the ball well, and our goal was never threatened. Increasingly, Valla had to resort to bringing back the bigger players they had hoped to threaten our goal with in order to defend their own. Patrick scored his second goal after great work on the left flank by Dennis, whose low shot could only be parried into the path of our opportunistic #16. Similarly effective flank play by Brennen provided George an opportunity near the top of the box, which he finished left-footed after an elegant turn of his defender.
A 5-0 win in our first game in Europe was beyond our expectations, but nothing more than we deserved. We played soccer that was pleasing to the eye, and showed that we had a skill set that could offset the physical disparities we were sure to be up against while we are here. We had proved that we belonged. By the end of the game, we had attracted the attention of many Swedih fans as word of the quality of our play spread through the complex. Several of these fans, as well as referees who had watched, congratulated us on our outstyanding play.


LISC 5 IFK Valla 0

Shots (on goal): LISC 20 (12) IFK Valla 2(1)

LISC Goals: Patrick 2, Tarik, Mac, George

LISC Assists: Diamond, Patrick, Tarik, Dennis, Brennen