WMFC clinch second playoff berth with 1-0 win over Indiana

West Mifflin FC 1-0 Indiana County FC


Vargo; Kutscher, Kufen, Gasparovic, Winters; Pcholinski, Hasson, Gauss, Baguet; Lacock, Stinner


Substitutes: Pasternak


1-0 Some Turd (og) (38)

 Yellow Card - Some Turd (79)

West Mifflin took to the pitch Sunday night with one task on their minds: getting the Indiana County monkey farm animal off their backs. For the last two years, West Mifflin's season has ended with a 3-1 defeat to the All Blacks. Last season, after WMFC clinched a playoff berth for the first time since their inception into the GPSL Championship  Indiana knocked the Blues out of the playoffs after a grueling sun-soaked 90 minutes in Cranberry. Luckily for West Mifflin, Indiana were a shell of the team that went 9-0 in the regular season last year as they made the trip to Borland Park lingering in 8th spot in the table. A win would go a long way for West Mifflin's confidence heading into the final game of the regular season - a make-up against league leaders, Arsenal. Unbeknownst (1:03) to them at the time, but knownst to us all now, a win for the Blues would be enough to seal their second ever and second consecutive trip to the GPSL playoffs.

As usual the Borland pitch was a scorched mess. The grass looked like a giant, grizzly clump of hag's hair and it was hotter than Hades. In other news: tomorrow the sun will rise. Luckily for all involved, the West Mifflin Gunners of the GPSL Third Division, who share Borland Park with the Blues, shortened the field by a few yards when they prepared the field for their game. It made both teams and their one and two subs lives' a lot better off. The sun blared down on everyone and made affairs for the occupant of the Forest End goal that much more difficult. In the first half, that was Vargo and the Blacks tried to test him right from the opening kick. As Lacock and Stinner stood shooting the shit at the top of the circle, Indiana rolled the ball forward and took an uncontested shot. Luckily, Vargo was paying attention and made the save. You know who else was paying attention? The defense. All four of Kutscher, Kufen, Gasparovic and Winters were outstanding.

Again this week I can't really recall much of the game. Probably because I spent most of it avoiding eye contact with Vargo so he wouldn't punt the ball my way and force me to use something other than my foot. Did I just break character? Whatever. The one thing I do recall from the game are the SKYBOMBS. There were tons. But we'll get to those later. On a serious note, West Mifflin handled the game really well despite only having one sub. Blues sweeper Kutscher put it best:

When we have all of our guys we're one of the better teams in the league.

There's really little to say in argument. With the defense fully intact, West Mifflin was able to field a full-strength midfield of Pcholinski, Gauss, Hasson and Baguet with Winters playing a roaming stopper. The axis of Gauss, Hasson and Winters is really tough to break down and their ability to find the open man is second to none. About half way through the first half some good work from that midfield lead to a WMFC free kick just outside of the area. Baguet and Pcholinski lined up over the ball and stared in at the net like two dildo's approaching entry (I'm not entirely sure what that means...but they looked gay). Baguet, fooling no one, ran hobbled up as if he was going to take the shot, gingerly stepped over the ball with his rotten groin and made way for Pcholinski to take a shot. It was a good effort but the ball drifted a few feet wide of the goal.

Moments later the deadlock was broken. Stinner gracefully received the ball from Baguet between the corner of the area and the touchline. A series of passes ensued -the order of which escapes me. Stinner and Baguet eventually got the ball to Gauss who I think got the cross is. The Indiana defender came across the box just inside the six to defend. Behind him, Lacock was charging the cross looking to bag his third of the season. He wouldn't need it. The defender, who had to make a play on the ball or else Lacock surely would have tapped in, blasted the ball into his own net.

The Blues controlled the first half with relative ease. The first half of the second half (...yeah) was more of the same. However, the latter portion of the second half saw the possession stat tip in Indiana's favor. This was mostly due to the Blues only having one sub. Maybe that was the cause of the 84 SKYBOMBS West Mifflin managed on the day. The most prominent of the day must have been Pcholinski, who sent a Rory McIlroy chip shot rocketing over the goal and into the Forest End, well, forest. That wasn't even his first of the day. Gauss had one as well, as did Baguet I think although his may have been a puddle cruiser that went 12 miles wide. Pasternak had one as well but the Hebrew Hammer explained that he struck the ball with his weaker left foot, which houses a broken bone, and could I spare a fiver, that he wouldn't be able to pay back anytime soon. I kid.

About half way through the second half, Hasson, after some fancy footwork to beat the defender in the corner, pulled back a perfect cross for Stinner who whiffed like Bruce Bochy and MLBs players picking the NL All Stars. The ball bounced to Cory Winters who sent a gorgeous shot towards goal that beat the keeper but went clanging into the crossbar. That was just one of West Mifflin's many shots that peppered the Indiana goal but couldn't find its way in. Hasson also struck the crossbar on a long range effort. Stinner had another chance when Gauss broke through the area and slid the ball back to him just above the penalty spot. The ball wasn't perfect and he had to stretch for it but he got good contact. Unfortunately, it was straight at the keeper. Yes, despite having their chances the Blues couldn't put another one past the lumbering keeper who was really unlucky on the own goal. Otherwise, he had a good game but the Blues came away with the three points and secured their second consecutive trip to the playoffs.

Also, some turd from Indiana got a yellow card for bitching about the center ref and telling her she was 'fucking shit!' In other news: the sky is blue.

Until next time: COME ON YOU BLUES (THAT WEAR WHITE).