Southie FC takes on the Irish 'challenge'

                                                           

             VS

LANSDOWNE BHOYS                                                                       SOUTHIE FC

                                                

                               USASA NATIONAL AMATEUR CUP SEMIFINAL

                             April 30, 2016 -- 7:00 PM -- Tibbet Brook Park, New York

Roy Sandeman acknowledges that Southie FC need to bring their A game in order to defeat an 'experienced and organized' Lansdowne team, who are in the midst of an undefeated season. 

Young amateur club Southie FC is set to take on their biggest challenge yet, a USASA National Amateur Cup semifinal against Cosmopolitan champions Lansdowne Bhoys Saturday night at Tibbet Brook Park.

Southie FC play in the Massachusetts State Soccer League and in the Bay State Soccer League second division. The club is one of the youngest amateur team in Massachusetts, founded in 2012 by current player-coach Sean Bakhtiari.  

The Boston club is only four years in the running, although they can brag about beating some of the best team in the state such as GPS Omens and Boston Olympiakos, reaching the semifinal of the National Amateur Cup and qualifying for the U.S. Lamar Hunt Open Cup.  

One of the club's latest wonder is a thrilling 6-5 penalty kicks winner over Trenton Rebels in the quarterfinals on April 17. The Southies had to come back from two goals down twice, including a late equalizer.

"The game against Trenton in the last round was tough," Roy Sandeman told a Read The Game reporter. "We were obviously a touch fortunate grabbing a last minute equalizer, but it's a statement to our never say die attitude that we advanced, which was the ultimate goal." 

Sandeman approves that the road ahead of this famous victory will require much more tenacity. 

"We don't know too much about Landsdowne, apart from that they will be experienced, organized and with players that can hurt you," the center midfielder said.  "We are focused on our own game, however, and know that we will need to be on our A-game from start to finish in order to win out."

To add to the Southies' load, the game will take place on Lansdowne's turf. The Irish team haven't conceded more than a goal at home in the league and in the National Amateur Cup. 

Bakhtiari looks at the location of the game as a contest rather than a stumbling block.

"Away games are a major disadvantage, especially in amateur soccer, but we look at it more as a challenge" the 28 year-old said. He later added: "We like challenges, our team is deep and we are excited about our trip to Yonkers."

Photo Credit: Southie F.C.

Meanwhile, Lansdowne play in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League first division in New York. The Irish based club reached the semi after Manzonilla forfeited the quarterfinal and beating Newtown Pride 3-0 in the first round prior that. 

Lansdowne Bhoys huddle up before a game. First Touch Online Images

The furthest the club ever reached in the National Amateur Cup is the regional semifinal in 2013-14.




Key Read The Game stats:


-Southie FC was founded 15 years after Lansdowne.
-Both sides are undefeated in their leagues, Lansdowne (12 games), Southie (five games).
-Southie FC haven't conceded a goal yet in the BSSL.
-The Bhoys haven't conceded a goal yet in the Regional USASA National Amateur Cup.
-Lansdowne never conceded more than a goal at home this season.
-Southie played 330 minutes of football in the past two weeks.
-Southie FC has played in four extra time games since November 8, 2015.

LAST FIVE MATCHES

Lansdowne Bhoys(W,W,--,W,W):
4/23/16 Lansdowne Bhoys 2-1 Shamrock SC
4/16/16 Lansdowne Bhoys 4-1 United FC
4/10/16 NY Pancyprian Freedoms vs Lansdowne Bhoys
3/20/16 United FC 1-4 Lansdowne Bhoys
12/17/16 NY Pancyprian Freedoms 1-2 Lansdowne Bhoys

Southie FC(W,W,W,W,W):
4/24/16 Lowell United 1-9 SFC
4/23/16 SFC 1-1 (4-2 PKs) La Garra
4/17/16 Trenton Rebels 4-4 (5-6 PKs) SFC 
4/16/16 Kendall Wanderers B 0-6 Southie SFC
4/10/16 SFC 6-0 Mill City 

Cosmopolitan Soccer League: CPR snatches first win of the season against Polonia 3-1

Arsene Oka and Stephanos Hondrakis' first goal for Central Park Whites alongside an exquisite run by Akeem Brooks granted the club their first victory of the season against struggling Polonia NY. 

         3          vs        1            

S. Hondrakis 16', A. Oka 39'                                                         J. Grzegorzewski 45+
A. Brooks 53'



Central Park Rangers Whites broke a 12 game non-winning run as they defeated Polonia NY 3-1 Saturday night at Randall's Island.

College player Stephanos Hondrakis gave CPR the lead with a clinical finish, before Arsene Oka juked the opposing keeper to double the Whites' lead.

Jakub Grzegorzewski headed down a free kick to cut Eli Vosha's side's lead in half, but CPR reinforced their two-goal advantage in the second half with a swift run by Akeem Brooks, followed by a smart finish.

Polonia remain in ninth place after the loss, extending to a four game losing streak. Meanwhile, CPR jump out of last place to tenth.

Central Park managed to pull out the victory with a couple of players playing out of position, Carson Pryer and Kwesi Mills-Odoi.

"I thought two players really stood out," player-coach Eli Vosha said after the game. "Carson Pryer who played in midfield, he really stood out, that was not his natural position, he's a striker. And our captain, Kwesi Mills-Odoi, who played at center back, he did a really good job out of position."

The only downside of CPR's first win was losing central midfielder Byasa Bah to a thigh injury, according to Vosha.

Polonia looked as if they were on their way to an easy victory in the opening minutes of the games as they took four shots inside the first five minutes, signed by Konrad Steliga and Lukasz Bielen.

Besides the away team's early dominance, Central Park were the fist on target shortly after the quarter hour mark. Bah played a ball over the top to Hondrakis, who dribbled past the Polonians' open defense before shooting the ball past the keeper.

"We know from the beginning that they were pushing up high," the goalscorer said about his goal. "So I expected to beat them on that trap and have enough space for me to run on one-on-one with the goalie and score."

CPR added to their lead despite more Polonia dominance. Hondrakis sent a cross from the right flank to Oka, who shot the ball out of the keeper's reach after magnificently faking him twice in the 39th minute.

"The center back missed the ball, so instead of taking a shot I took my time to find a better position to score because I didn't want to rush and miss it, and I took a shot, it went in," the striker said.

Polonia was rewarded a freekick seven minutes later, after Damian Bziukiewicz was brought down in the left wing. Grzegorzewski  headed Bielen's freekick past keeper Shane Reid.

Anton Camaj's men didn't show much sign that they would equalize, although it was the Whites who increased their lead eight minutes into the second half.

Polonia's right back failed to intercept Mills-Odoi's pass as the ball broke free off his boots for Brooks to dribble through the defense and hit the ball beyond the away keeper.

Coach Vosha is satisfied with the first win but admits that it's too late into the season to turn things around.

"The effort was good, that's all we can ask for," Vosha said. He later added: "It's too late in the season to have a real effect. I think we will play a little better in the last two games but it's too late into the season to make any difference so we're just trying to compete for the rest of the season, enjoy and have fun but it's too late."

Statistics

Central Park Rangers Whites:
11 (7) shots
4 corners
9 fouls committed
2 yellow cards
0 red card
1 offside

Polonia NY:
20 (7) shots
7 corners
11 fouls committed
0 yellow card
0 red card
3 offsides