23 May 2011

WMFC downed by two excellent strikes

West Mifflin 1-2 Sweep the Leg

Vargo: Kutscher, Kufen, Gasparovic, Winters; Pcholinski, Baguet, Reed, Gauss; Lee, Stinner

Substitutes: Nickel, Klein

1-0 Lee (23)
1-1 Headband Guy (54)
Kutscher - Yellow Card (61)
Pcholinski - Yellow Card (87)
1-2 Some Other Guy with a Dirty Sanchez (89)


Opening day came two weeks late this year as logistics issues forced both Sweep the Leg and WMFC to postpone their first two games of the 2011 season. It was a scorcher in West Mifflin and many a supporter has a farmer's tan to show for it today. The sun shat rays on all 12 fans present at Titan Stadium Sunday and eventually wreaked havoc on the Blues who were supposed to have five subs for the game, but only ended up with two. It's nearly impossible to win games in the GPSL when you have two subs and your opponent has the population of a small country on its bench as was the case on Sunday. The only thing the Blues could do was play smart, pressure when able, keep their shape, and work the ball smartly up the field with short, accurate passes. They managed to do all of those things for a time, but were eventually done in by a foolish foul right at the end.

The Blues started off pretty well considering they haven't had a full practice yet this season. They moved the ball well and, as usual, the defense was steadfast. The back four of Kutscher, Kufen, Gasparovic and newcomer Cory Winters worked well together and were only really broken down when fatigue had its way with the entire team. After only one game it should be noted that it appears Winters will be a masterful addition to the squad. Calm with the ball and willingness to get stuck in, he should replace perfectly his Croatian predecessor. Manager Bob Stinner executed some of his supreme tactical prowess and employed Pcholinski and Gauss on the wings with the scrappy Matthew Alan and buxom Reed in the middle. Stinner and Lee started up front. The middle four played well and were critical in the build-up to the opener.

WMFC threatened on several occasions, the nature of which I can't recall, but somehow the ball made its way to Stinner who had drifted out to the right near the middle of the park. He squared the ball into Reed who let the ball roll across him and opened up to the middle of the field. One defender backed away from Reed, noticeably intimidated by the girth, giving him ample time to find Pcholinski who received the pass and quickly dished it over to Daveon. Pcholinski ferociously continued his run and Daveon hit him with a pinpoint through ball and then overlapped to the inside. Pcholinski, whose followers supported 66.6666% of the WMFC fans at the game, played the ball square to Daveon who was left one-on-one with the keeper. Seemingly slowing to a standstill, he eyed up his shot and toe-poked home his and the team's first of the season. One-nil. The crowd roared...oh wait, that was the people going down the big hill on the Phantom's Revenge. That was it for the first half that I can recall. If there was anything else of importance that happened in the first half that you can recall, such as Stinner misjudging a header...or five, please let me know in the comments.

At half-time, the team retreated to cooler pastures beneath the packed stadium bleachers. All except for a female fan that was fortunate enough to sit on the bench with the players. When one of the players offered her reprieve from the suns harmful rays, she refused. In fact, she remained in the sun for the game's entirety and now looks like this. Hopefully, a lesson was learned. Meanwhile, in the shade, Reed's fat ass lay down on the cool cement and had his number eight (for his tonnage) seared into the pavement. Everyone laughed at him. Shortly after that the game was back on.

The Blues started the second half strongly forcing Sweep the Leg back into their defensive zone. One of the better chances West Mifflin had saw Baguet, Gauss, and Daveon work the ball down the left side. The entire defense was pulled toward the triumvirate leaving Stinner wide open in front of goal. He shouted for the ball but it was cleared away for a throw. Soon after, unfortunately, Sweep the Leg tied it.

The ball ping-ponged around the right corner of the WMFC area and eventually fell perfectly for Headband Guy who swung his foot through the ball. It arched up over the WMFC defense, just past Vargo's outstretched hand and into the net to level the score. We almost never give credit to the opposing team on here but we will do it twice in one match report this week. This goal, although maybe a tad lucky, was pretty. What sucks ass is that the second goal was even prettier.

West Mifflin had chances to retake the lead but couldn't seem to find the net again. Gauss was released on a beautiful pass straight down the middle of the pitch - an area of weakness for the lumbering Sweep the Leg central defense, especially as the game wore on and the heat took its toll. The lanky midfielder burst into the box and wound up for a shot when a defender took out his leg sending the ball out into touch. The center referee, oblivious to what was going on as he had been for most of the game, called for a goal kick amid demands for a penalty, claiming he had only seen the defender get the ball. Out of nowhere, Reed in his grown-man falsetto shouted "it can't be a corner if you say it hit his foot!" The referee, realizing his error, promptly reversed the call to a corner. Typically, West Mifflin did nothing with it.

Later, Stinner released Daveon, again down the middle. The ball was struck a tad too hard and he was forced to get past a defender who was letting the ball roll out, from ten yards outside of the area, onto the touchline. Daveon ever so gingerly tapped the back of the guy’s legs and the guy dove to the turf, not at all unlike James Harden, prompting the oblivious referee to give a free kick to Sweep the Leg.

At one point the ball came to Gasparovic out on the right. The closest defender was literally 25 yards away. He took a dribble and immediately looked to blast the ball across, down, up, into the air, over the hill, towards the school, anywhere really, which had to have confused the defenders as much as it confused most of Gasparovic's own teammates. With enough time for wood to petrify, Gasparovic looked stumped. Both sides were stunned he didn't just dribble forward. Chaos ensued and he eventually booted the ball somewhere down the field.

Kutscher received the first yellow card of the season. It's difficult to fault the sweeper who plays every minute of almost every game and who sustained what appeared to be a head injury upon heading out a shot earlier in the game, but the foul probably wasn't necessary. A few whines were emitted by the opposition but they put the ball back into play and the game continued.

The decisive free kick and goal came around the 88th minute. It needs to be said that Pcholinski was fouled pretty hard just before the incident, but the ref 'didn't see it' which is unfortunate, since, you know, he's the ref. Pcholinski recovered from the foul on him that wasn't called, sprinted after the douche that kicked him and unleashed a leaping, scissor grab-kick that would have been a foul in an MMA fight. The ref blew the whistle, showed him the yellow card as Pcholinski walked away muttering expletives at the center dunce. With Stinner, Gauss and two other people in the wall, Some Guy with a Dirty Sanchez lined up the free kick and sent a shot towards the upper left corner of the net. Vargo jumped for it and got a hand to it and for a brief moment those in the ground thought it had been saved - but the big man couldn't shuffle the ball out and it dropped into the net. Lame. As. Fuck.

So, that was how it ended - a well-fought 2-1 loss to start the season that leaves WMFC in 8th early on. Not a bad performance but it makes one wonder how the team would have fared if it had the expected five subs rather than the two that actually showed up. The team will take the holiday weekend off and hopefully get a few solid practices in before their next game against Sporting Club of Pittsburgh Enosi, currently sitting in 2nd.

Keep checking back and hopefully we'll see you at a game this season.

19 May 2011

WMFC Online to Introduce Pre and Post Match Interviews

In an effort to expand West Mifflin Football Club's online presence,WMFC will begin conducting pre and post match interviews for the 2011 season. These interviews will most likely take place at WMFC's global headquarters in Clovercrest and will probably start out with interviews with hometown players. It all depends on what players and members of the management team and front office are willing to come in for the show. Managing Director Bob Stinner has already committed to appearing on the show as often as is necessary. Marketing Director Tyler Lacock has also agreed to appear. Captain Jared Pcholinski and former co-captain Matthew Alan have also agreed to come on.

Managing Director Bob Stinner had this to say,

As soon as I have enough money to buy a sufficient computer microphone we will get a few of those batty boy twats in here for an interview

Stop back for more details.

17 May 2011