Flying Kiwis – May 11
Bill Tuiloma – Portland Timbers (American Major League Soccer)
This was not a good week for the Timbers but it was an alright week for Bill Tuiloma. In the midweek they travelled to Mexico for the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final (after a 1-1 home leg draw) where they fell behind on twenty mins against Club América and although the two teams traded penalties in the second half... a Leonardo Suarez goal in the 70th min ultimately clinched it for Club América. 4-2 on aggregate. For a six minute spell after Portland scored there they were one goal away from going through on away goals but nah wasn’t to be and they bow out.
Bill Tuiloma played the full thing there, his first start in the comp and his second overall this year. He made a very useful block in the 14th min, putting his shoulder on a shot from range that he deflected out for a corner kick, however he wasn’t tall enough to get a head on the cross that Federico Viñas nodded in for the first goal. Club América dominated the first half but Portland came out much better in the second and certainly tested the keeper a few times. But then they conceded that penalty which Viñas was able to squeeze through GK Jeff Attinella (who got two big hands to the ball but couldn’t keep it out) and trouble was brewing.
Portland responded immediately as Diego Valeri scored from the spot... yet Leo Suarez curled in the third and there you go. Suarez hit the crossbar trying to dink one over Attinella later on too. Meanwhile Bill Tuiloma got himself booked in between the penalties for a pretty clumsy tackle sliding in late when he didn’t really need to leave his feet at all. Fella he copped needed a little treatment while Billy owned the yellow card with a shrug.
A few days later they were dropped 2-1 by Seattle Sounders, their Pacific Northwest rivals. Tuiloma was back to the bench with Larrys Mabiala maintaining his starting gig and Dario Zuparic returning alongside him... but Mabiala only lasted quarter of an hour before he needed to be replaced after getting some physio treatment. In came Tuiloma and tell ya what he ended up playing really well and for a while there they seemed to be in a great position to get the win. Slightly edged a goalless first half, in which Tuiloma had a header off a free kick sent straight at the keeper, then seemed about to take the lead when Jeremy Ebobisse was taken down in the box ten mins into the second stanza.
Diego Valeri stepped up to take the penalty just as he had in the Champions League game only he kicked it straight down the middle and it was saved. Lucky for him the keeper (Stefan Frei, Swiss international) had jumped off his line too early so Valeri got to take it again... and this time he hit the post. He put it away on the rebound but of course the penalty taker can’t touch the ball again until another player has done so, thus it was an indirect free kick and a double-chance wasted. How you gonna miss the same penalty twice, bro? Come on.
When your luck is out it’s really out, so Seattle thus went and won a penalty of their own three minutes later. Hard to see exactly what it was for because Raul Ruidiaz was involved in about five scrambles in that short phase of play, including Tuiloma partially-blocking one and dangling a foot out behind him, but whatever the deal was Ruidiaz made no mistake from the spot. Keeper Jeff Atinella had to go off injured a while later and his teenaged replacement Hunter Sulte made a decent low stop from a long-ranger although it took some hustle from Tuiloma to cut off Ruidiaz from scoring on the second effort. That one looked like more of a penalty than the first one but it wasn’t given meaning it was a crucial defensive intervention from Billy T. But then Sulte buggered up in the 79th min coming out for a free kick that he couldn’t get to and Fredy Montero headed in. That was basically the game all sorted... yet there was still enough time remaining for this to happen deep into stoppage time...
Phwoar, son. Get in there. Outstanding. Not sure about the placement of the wall but okay, no worries.
No time left for the comeback sadly, merely a glorious consolation goal as the Sounders claimed the points with a 2-1 win and Portland complete a run of five games in 15 days having lost each of the last three. The Champions League stuff was fun but they topped out in the quarters. Meanwhile they should fix things up in the MLS with an easier spread of fixtures coming up but they’re starting from second-to-last after one win from four. Then again, Bill Tuiloma’s getting it going so there’s the x-factor they need (maybe). He doesn’t score often but his ratio of goal to golazo is very high. This is the fourth straight year in which he’s scored exactly one goal, fingers crossed this is the year he finally gets a second.
But even when you score a ripper, it’s still a solid bummer if the team loses. You tend to prefer your stunner goals lead to victory. What do you reckon, Bill?
Up Next: San Jose vs Portland, Sunday at 2pm (NZT)
Joe Bell – Viking FK (Norwegian Eliteserien)
Quite the way to start the term. That’s just delightful football there, turning through pressure and advancing the ball into an attacking area before slipping it through to teammate Samúel Kári Friðjónsson who put it away. Outside of the boot with the pass. Gah, so good. And it’s an early indication that Bellinho is ready to significantly grow his game in his second year at the club after only two goals and three assists in 2020. Get him contributing goals on the regular from midfield and mate sky’s the limit.
Viking didn’t hold onto that lead. Brann restored parity to the game when Daouda Bamba scored on the end of a corner kick just before the half, bit rough for Viking who had created far more of the better efforts (including hitting the crossbar while it was still 0-0). But there was nothing to panic about. Veton Berisha rounded the keeper to score in the 66th after Joe Bell had won the ball back in midfield, then an own goal inside the last ten made sure of the points. Bell involved earlier in that move too so he played some part in the build up for all three goals. Can’t ask too much more than that from a midfielder. Final score: 3-1 to VFK.
Considering it took them until their fifth game to get a win last year they’ve gotta be chuffed with that start. And as for Joe Bell’s performance, there’s an article on Aftenposten which is behind a paywall but the headline declares that Joe Bell was the best on the pitch for Viking so that tells you all you need to know there.
All together now...
That chant seems to translate as: “Joe Bell, Joe Bell, Joe Bell, Joe Bell. Your hair is curly. But we like you anyway”. Doesn’t make any sense but it seems there’s some kinda pun with the word ‘lige’ which also means straight. Curly and straight, geddit? Anyway that chant was from a game last season but rest assured we’ll be hearing it loudly and often this term.
Up Next: Rosenborg vs Viking, Friday at 6am (NZT)
Jana Radosavljevic - Werder Bremen / Hannah Wilkinson – MSV Duisburg (German Bundesliga)
This had the potential to be a cracker of a Flying Kiwis Derby. Instead neither of the pair even started as Jana Radosavljevic missed the game with a knee injury while Hannah Wilkinson was only on the bench. That knee injury turns out to have been a pretty bad one. Not what you want from a player who has already had one ACL injury in her career and now Rado’s had to have surgery for a meniscus tear. The recovery period for that puts her in enormous doubt for the Olympics, which start on 21 July, so that’s some terrible news. Always rate a positive attitude to adversity though...
As for Hannah Wilkinson, she was brought on at half-time with her team in crisis mode. In a must-win game the Zebras were 2-0 down at the break and Wilkie was just one part of a triple sub to try and save their season. To be fair they gave it a good go. In the 66th minute they got it back to 2-1 after Hannah Wilkinson got on the ball with her back to goal in the box and laid it off to Julia Debitzki who did the rest. Cheeky assist for Wilkie. But they couldn’t find another one, let alone two. A 2-1 loss and with only two games left that means that Duisburg are officially relegated. On the plus side, at least Werder Bremen are safe now on 19 points. Highlights here.
Up Next: SGS Essen vs Duisburg, Sunday 23 May at 11.30pm (NZT)
Chris Wood - Burnley FC (English Premier League)
Fulham needed to beat Burnley to have any real chance of avoiding being the third and final team relegated from the Premier League this season but to do that they’d have to overcome the raging form of old mate Chris Wood. And The Woodsman was overflowing with confidence. Chances were coming from the start. There was a tap in that was disallowed as Matej Vydra had dribbled the ball over the by-line. There was a shot that hit Vydra. There was a diving header which looked goal-bound only for it to hit a defender and deflect just past the post. He had a glancing low header after James Tarkowski had nodded a corner kick back across but the keeper guessed where it was going and gathered it up. All amidst the usual flick-ons and link-ups with Vydra. Fulham had a few nice moments going forward but they rarely looked like they could contain the direct approach of the Clarets.
While that was happening, ten minutes before the break, Matej Vydra was sent over the top by an early ball and this time he didn’t take the ball too deep as he attacked the line, pulling it back into a great area where it avoided Chris Wood but Ashley Westwood ran onto it to poke it in. 1-0 to Burnley and you could almost see the heads dropping from Fulham. But the bigger blow was still to come before the half was out, Wood looking to chop past a defender outside the box and it deflecting to Josh Brownhill instead to slipped the ball back into Wood’s path and with the form he’s in right now there almost wasn’t any doubt. Chris Wood lashed it into the top corner on the volley for his 12th goal of the season, for his 50th goal for Burnley, and that was 2-0.
The second half didn’t have nearly as much Chris Wood. Fulham were desperate with their top flight status at stake whereas Burnley had a lead to defend and they know how to do that sorta thing. Lots of Fulham attacks, few chances... until Zambo Anguissa mashed one off the underside of the crossbar which thudded into the turf but never crossed the line. A little while before that there’d been a moment of controversy as Vydra ran onto a deep pass which the Fulham keeper Alphonse Areola came out to try clear. They ran into each other, there was a hint of handball, but the VAR cleared the incident despite hefty protests from Chris Wood in particular.
Eventually Wood was subbed off with five minutes left so that Ashley Barnes could have a run around. Fulham had continued to scrap about with corner kick after corner kick but nothing to show for it thanks largely to the strength of Ben Mee and James Tarkowski at the back. This one ended 2-0, meaning that Fulham are relegated while Burnley confirm their top flight status for another season. Made it tough for themselves at times but ultimately they’re safe with three games to spare. Wood’s last eight games have seen him bag eight goals and three assists. Good-o.
As for the secret to the team’s success…
Up Next: Burnley vs Leeds, Saturday at 11.30pm (NZT)
Michael Boxall – Minnesota United (American Major League Soccer)
Colorado Rapids away, Minnesota seeking to get up and running for the season. They came out firing with Robin Lod going close after only sixty seconds. Then they got away with one as the Rapids struck the post after ten mins. Frisky stuff but when things are sketchy like that you lean on your best players and after 16 minutes of the match Manny Reynoso – Bebelo as he’s going by these days – scored a free kick that even Bill Tuiloma would doff his cap towards. Supreme strike, Minnesota in the lead.
Chase Gasper headed over from a corner as the Loons kept surging and then in the 24th minute Lod set up Hasani Dotson at the back stick and boom it was 2-0 to Minny. Exactly what they needed to overcome a dud start to their campaign. Or... not so fast. Because Colorado came back strong in the second half. They hit the post in the 54th min and then in the same phase of play a shot was deflected over the top. MU survived that scare but the pressure kept coming over and over and in the 57th it was Kellyn Acosta who hit a beauty of a low volley in from distance. Excellent goal and now it was all on again.
The disappointing thing was that Minny didn’t seem to have an answer. Once the Rapids got on the comeback they were just hanging on. Couldn’t keep the ball. Couldn’t create much the other way. Cole Bassett put away the equaliser on 71 mins after keeper Dayne St Clair had dove out on a low cross but bobbled it. Then a great Danny Wilson header off a free kick in the 80th min gave Colorado the win. 3-2 to the Rapids and it’s 0-0-4 to begin 2021 for a Loons side that were expecting to be back in the playoffs. Not a nice way to mark a milestone appearance for Michael Boxall...
Up Next: Minnesota vs Vancouver on Thursday at 1pm (NZT)
Elliot Collier – Chicago Fire (American Major League Soccer)
Hey now look who was promoted to start on the left wing for the Fire? Elliot Collier only came back from injury last week but now he’s immediately pushing into the main eleven. Problem was that the Philadelphia Union were just way better than them and even from the start it was Collier’s side that they were attacking down. Cory Burke almost scored from a header and then a minute later he beat the left back and almost set up a goal with a low cross. Philly were absolutely smashing them... but they didn’t have a goal to show for it and Elliot Collier had his one major chance in the 30th min as he dropped into a pocket on the right-centre of the area, a heavy first touch on the pull-back allowing him to volley his shot but it was gathered up by the goalie at his near post.
Hence it was still scoreless as the teams disappeared for some oranges, though Philly got their breakthrough soon after. Six minutes into the second stanza and Burke combined with Jamiro Monteiro off a throw in and that culminated in Cory Burke whacking in on the falling volley. Collier would be subbed off in the 57th minute as part of a double sub (they’d made a change at HT also) but that didn’t work because they then conceded again in the 60th min. Jakob Glesnes diverting an awkward shot into the net after a corner kick.
Chicago’s Robert Beric had messed up a great chance straight after the first goal then they’d been under a bit of pressure coming back the other way that they couldn’t withstand and 2-0 was the final score. Nothing much that matters happened in the last half hour. Chicago have one point from four games and are second to last in the Eastern Conference. The two bottom teams in the Western Conference are Minnesota and Portland. Not a good start for the kiwis in the MLS.
Up Next: Midday on Friday, DC United vs Chicago (NZT)
Ria Percival – Tottenham Hotspur (English Super League)
Spurs finished up their league season with a sneaky 1-0 win over Birmingham thanks to a 71st minute Kit Graham goal, a really nice solo goal worthy of being the decider in an otherwise close game. Good areas. Means that Spurs finish eighth in the WSL, although there was still no Ria Percival. The most recent update on her came a couple weeks back when the gaffer Rehanne Skinner offered up that:
“We are hoping to have [Ria Percival] back before the end of the season. The Chelsea game might be a little bit too soon but we are hopeful for Birmingham and the FA Cup game, it would be great to have her back in the team by that point.”
Obviously she wasn’t there for the Birmingham game but as she says there is still one more game to play and that’s the FA Cup fifth round clash with Sheffield United in a week’s time. Percy had been on target to play every single minute of the league season until she got hurt a few games back. Ideally she’s back in time to play that FA Cup tie but even if she’s not there’s no indication that this is something that’d have any effect on her Olympic availability.
Elsewhere in the WSL...
Up Next: Tottenham vs Sheffield Utd, FA Cup fifth round, 1am on Monday (NZT)
Nik Tzanev – AFC Wimbledon (English League One)
Last week they officially avoided relegation, this week they got to go round one more time with a trip to Lincoln City in AFCW’s final game of the campaign. Which therefore blessedly had zero stakes on it. No pressure. No worries. Just go out and enjoy yourself... which Nik Tzanev certainly did. The rest of the team were a little off on their recent standards in a relatively uneventful game against a team trying not to get injured ahead of the playoffs but Tzanev made a couple cracking saves along the way and add in a Lincoln City goal disallowed for offside and you’ve got yourself a cheeky 0-0 draw. One more sneaky extra clean sheet for Tzanev to finish the campaign. Here’s an updated version of the stats from last week...
Tzanev starts: 15 GM | 5 W | 7 D | 3 L | +8 GD | 5 CS | 22 PTS
No Tzanev: 31 GM | 7 W | 8 D | 16 L | -24 GD | 4 CS | 29 PTS
That’s 0.9 points per game when he doesn’t play, 1.47 pts/g when he does.
That’s also 1.74 goals conceded per game without him compared to 1.07 goals conceded with him.
Surely, surely, surely that’s enough to make him the starting keeper when the squad coalesces again for next season. Transfermarkt reckons there’s a club contract option for Tzanev’s deal which’ll presumably keep him in town which makes him the only goalkeeper (effectively) locked in beyond this season.
Up Next: Offseason yarns
Tommy Smith – Colchester United (English League Two)
Also finishing their season with a 0-0 draw: Tommy Smith and Colchester United.
Smithy made his 45th League Two start of the campaign as the U’s missed the best chance of the game when Joe Murphy of Tranmere Rovers made a double stop to keep Michael Folivi and Noah Chilvers out, other than that it was Rovers who had the best of things but seeing as they only needed a draw to earn the final playoff spot and they weren’t otherwise under much pressure it kinda petered out. Some decent pressure from Colchester towards the end but nothing to worry about. Smithy had another strong game, even after getting smashed in a challenge that cut his leg open early on. Here he is talking to the radio folks at BBC Essex about the game.
Tommy Smith: “There’s relief that we got ourselves out of the mess we put ourselves in but obviously you look at the playoff teams and you want to be there. The improvement we’ve made over the last few weeks has shown that we have got the potential to be there next season so we’ll use the last few weeks as our benchmark and the platform to build from.”
Up Next: More offseason yarns
Winston Reid - Brentford FC (English Championship)
No Winston Reid. He was an unused sub even though Brentford had nothing really to play for in their last regular season game. Manager Thomas Frank specifically said afterwards that he wanted to name a strong side to “take the momentum of our good run into the playoffs” which is fair enough given what’s at stake. Ethan Pinnock was replaced at half-time as an injury precaution but it was Mads Bech Sørensen who came on instead of Winston Reid, annoyingly. Reid hasn’t featured since March due to an injury and being out of favour.
Anyway they were still scoreless at the break against Bristol City but then an excellent second half was sparked by Ivan Toney scoring his 31st Championship goal of the campaign to set a new division record before Bryan Mbeumo and Sergi Canos made it three. Bristol City pulled one back late on and it ended 3-1 with Brentford looking sharp again after regaining their goal-scoring form. They’ll face Bournemouth in the playoff semis with Swansea vs Barnsley in the other semi. Would prefer if Reid’s more involved but Brentford are a quality team with a cool story so either way it’d be fun to see them in the Premier League.
Meanwhile back in the day...
Up Next: Tuesday at 5am, Bournemouth vs Brentford (NZT)
Betsy Hassett - Stjarnan (Icelandic Úrvalsdeild kvenna)
It’s a 2-1 defeat away to Valur to start the new league season for the Stars but they gave their more favoured opponents a right old scare along the way. Ída Marín Hermannsdóttir had put Valur in front early with a close range finish after a corner kick was headed along, meanwhile a very physical contest saw plenty of fouls dished out and Betsy Hassett wasn’t immune as she picked up a 30th minute yellow card. Eventually Valur did get a second thanks to Anna Rakel Pétursdóttir’s curling shot from outside the box (56th minute) and Hassett would be subbed off soon after as part of a double change. But Stjarnan got one back through Hildigunnur Ýr Benediktsdóttir in the 77th min and they spent a lot of the rest of the game pressing for a second, with a decent penalty shout turned down late on. An opening game loss but definitely still a promising one.
Up Next: Weds at 7.15am against Keflavik (NZT)
Sarpreet Singh - Bayern Munich II (German Liga 3)
Two games in a week and Sarpreet Singh played every minute of them... but, bit of a spanner in the works, Bayern also didn’t win either of them. First was a game against Duisburg where Armindo Sieb gave them a 14th minute lead with a really slick finish dashing inwards from the left... but they conceded straight away via a low firm cross to the far post for the tap in. Singh played quite far forward through the middle trying to spark things as playmaker (though he dropped deeper as the game progressed) but instead they fell behind through an own goal in the second half. 61st minute and Justin Che got his feet tangled up. BM2 were able to get back on level terms thanks to Jann Fiete Arp from the penalty spot in the 74th min – awarded for a heavy tackle on Dennis Waidner running across the box after Singh had picked him out. Didn’t really come close to a winner though. 2-2 draw not exactly what they need when they’re sitting in the drop zone.
Second was at home against SpVgg Unterhaching (Stefan Marinovic’s old team) but this time the early goal went against them. Niclas Stierlin in the 8th minute scoring from close range after BM2 couldn’t deal with a corner kick at the far post. Bayern had their moments yet again they conceded early in a half, Niclas Anspach sneaking in at the near post this time in the 51st minute. Not sure how they didn’t let another one in as Unterhaching attacked in waves... but Nenanja Motika would get one back in the 72nd min from a recycled corner and Nicolas Feldhahn missed a golden chance to level up. Nah, a 2-1 loss at the final whistle. That leaves them in this situation with two games to play. SV Meppen are in range but gotta probably win both games (away to 1860 Munich and home to Hallescher).
Up Next: 1860 Munich vs Bayern Munich, Sunday/Monday at midnight (NZT)
Katie Bowen – Kansas City (American National Women’s Soccer League)
Here’s an entirely meaningless game at the Challenge Cup which missed the deadline for last week’s edition. Katie Bowen got a full game at right back for Kansas City while Rosie White made her only Challenge Cup appearance as an 86th minute substitute for OL Reign. She came on just after Celia Jiminez had scored the winner for Reign in a 2-1 result. Mallory Weber put KC in the lead on six mins, then Jess Fishlock had squared it in the 34th from the penalty spot. Actually quite a good game with some quality goals, to be fair.
Up Next: 9am on Sunday, Racing Louisville vs Kansas City (NZT)
Michael Woud – Almere City (Dutch Eerste Divisie)
There’s one game left in the Eerste Divisie regular season. A couple wins in a row for Almere City - beating Jong Ajax 1-0 and then this 3-1 win over Jong Utrecht – have kept them in with a chance of second place as De Graafschap have drawn three games in a row... but gotta go back three weeks to when AC played DG and conceded an equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time. If they’d held on to win that game then automatic promotion would be in their own hands right now ahead of the game with Jong PSV. Instead they need both De Graafschap and Go Ahead Eagles to both drop points against midtable teams... but at least they’re coming into some form with the playoffs on the horizon.
Up Next: Almere vs Jong PSV, Thursday at 6am (NZT)
Niko Kirwan – Reggiana (Italian Serie B)
Three games in a week to try and sneak up to seventeenth (and within five points of sixteenth to earn a relegation playoff) but it all proved too much for Reggiana who lost 1-0 to Pescara, lost 2-1 to SPAL, and lost 2-1 to Vicenza. They were already relegated by the time of the last match.
Niko Kirwan started the first and third of those matches and was subbed on in the 23rd min of the second so plenty of minutes for him down the finals stretch but he couldn’t make a difference for a team that scored 31 times in 38 games this term. Relegation is always a kick in the gut because it’s so difficult to get back up, particularly between Serie B and Serie C given the myriad of playoffs you’ve gotta go through and that’s the mix they’ll find themselves back in next time. Still, 27 Serie B appearances for Niko Kirwan. 17 starts, 10 subs apps. 1624 minutes overall which is actually more than he played for them in the third tier last time. No goals, one assist, three yellow cards.
Up Next: The dreaded drop
Nikko Boxall – SJK (Finnish Veikkausliiga)
Logan Rogerson hasn’t made his HJK debut yet, still yet to get into the match day squad for a proper non-friendly game. HJK lost the Finnish League Cup final on penalties this week. But can’t forget that there’s another kiwi in Finland and Nikko Boxall has played 180 minutes out of 180 minutes so far in a pair of 1-1 draws to start SJK’s campaign. Most recently against HIFK in a game in which all the fun stuff happened in the last fifteen minutes.
SJK had been the more proactive team in a scrappy first half but still hadn’t ramped things up by the 75th minute when they were made to pay for some of that sloppiness as Aldayr Hernandez flicked in a slight header off a free kick whipped in from the right side of the box for the lead... yet in the celebrations Moshtagh Yaghoubi got himself sent off for a second yellow after goading the opposition bench, silly bugger. That drew SJK back onto the attack and after a penalty shout was declined with ten minutes left they went and scored from the corner kick anyway. Jake Jervis with the header. 1-1 the final score. Lovely to see Nikko Boxall continue to look like a key player for them.
Up Next: Oulu vs SJK, Sunday at 2am (NZT)
Kyle Adams & Max Mata - Real Monarchs (American USL Championship)
First game of their campaign and Real Monarchs wasted no time in squeezing both their NZers into the starting eleven for the opener. Kyle Adams in central defence and Max Mata up top. San Antonio were the opponents and what followed was an extremely wild game in which Real fell behind 2-0 in the first half. Marcus Epps in the 19th min and Emil Cuello in stoppage time. Epps slid in overlapping on the right while Cuello was following up on a blocked shot. Max Mata had gone close with a first-time crack from a cross straight after the first goal which was well saved.
But the major drama came half an hour in when Nathan Fogaca was sent off for San Antonio. Clashed with a Monarchs player as the ball went out of play and pretty much kicked out at him... then hilariously dropped to the deck clutching at his foot as if the Monarchs dude had brutally assaulted him by putting his leg in the way of Fogaca’s lashing kick. Kyle Adams was having none of it. He sprinted straight over to give him a piece of his mind while Fogaca was still rolling around. The red card then came out for Fogaca for the kick.
Except yeah then San Antonio doubled their lead anyway so RM were in a bit of hot water returning for the second spell. Hot water which they managed to cool just two minutes in when Ibrahim Bancé stroked home from a low cross. Max Mata only just jumped out of his way for the shot. Then Bode Davis levelled up on 55 mins with a great low volley from the edge of the area. Monarchs were well up now. Mata had a shot blocked before Bancé hit the post. However with fifteen to play, a sloppy tackle from Chris Garcia led to a second yellow card and it was ten-men apiece. After which it was San Antonio who came closest to a winner, hitting the crossbar with one of the last kicks of the game, though in the end it finished 2-2.
So that was a bit crazy. Full game for Adams while Mata was replaced with three mins left, hopefully a sign that both are gonna be key players for RM in 2021. Both were pretty solid here though neither quite got the breaks. This was Mata’s first game in the USL while Adams is a veteran of the scene having played 61 times for Rio Grande Valley over the last three years.
Up Next: Saturday at 1pm against LA Galaxy II (NZT)
James Musa, Noah Billingsley & Deklan Wynne – Phoenix Rising (American USL Championship)
2 + 1 = 3 points. Yup, the maths checks out.
The Rising were up against a new team in this comp: the Oakland Roots. They were expected to win but even still this was an impressive performance both in attack and defence as they strolled to a 3-0 victory. Solomon Asante had them in the lead after only ten minutes after a defensive giveaway. Oakland went close to levelling on twenty mins after a slip by James Musa at the back but he got away with that one and then played a big part in Santi Moar scoring early in the second half. Like, give the man his assist for this because it was his superb looping deep ball that Moar ran onto to score from. Not the first time that the Moose has flexed that level of passing range either.
It was an almost unchanged XI from the first game (just an injured goalkeeper to swap out) so Musa was the only one of the kiwi trio starting here. But Noah Billingsley was cleared to make the bench and he got his club debut in the 63rd minute with that multi-goal lead giving them a bit of breathing room. Soon enough Asante added a second to his personal tally in the 68th after the Oakland goalie passed the ball straight to him and that was the result all wrapped up. Not a lot of work for Billingsley to get through, though he did somehow find time to concede three fouls and pick up a yellow card for the third. Musa was also booked late on. No sign of Deklan Wynne yet.
James Musa: “There was just a lot of communication involved in tonight’s win. We prepared well. We didn’t know exactly what they were going to do [because this was their first game in the USL Championship]. We had 11 strong players on the field. Thankfully we were able to put it all together tonight.”
Up Next: Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Phoenix Rising, Sunday at midday (NZT)
Matt Garbett – Falkenbergs FF (Swedish Superettan)
Matty G had played seven combined minutes through FFF’s first four games of the season when he was promoted to start against Örgryte in a mental little game where Falkenbergs took the lead three times, twice being pegged back before winning it in the 90th minute. 3-2 was the score there. Garbett didn’t get a goal or assist but he did get voted the man of the match by the club’s fans so he must’ve done something right. He was one of four changes to the line-up but all the good highlights of the Superettan have gone behind a paywall this season so kinda hard to offer much more.
Elsewhere Joel Stevens and Francis De Vries both started for IFK Värnamo as they won 1-0 against GAIS. Stevens had a couple chances, he was subbed off with quarter of an hour left. FDV got the full game and clean sheet. A good week in the Superettan all around.
Up Next: Landskrona vs FFF, 4.30am on Wednesday 19 May (NZT)
Ali Riley - Orlando Pride (American National Women’s Soccer League)
And finally they might not have had a game this week but you can’t keep Ali Riley out of Flying Kiwis that easily. Here’s the latest Off The Ball episode with Erica Tymrak (the last episode of the season)...
Then of course the one you’ve been especially waiting for, the debut of Ali and Toni Pressley’s new vegan cooking show on the I Am Athlete network, called Girls Gone Veg...
Up Next: Monday at 10am against Washington Spirit (NZT)
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