SALT LAKE CITY, UT. (May 22, 2011) - Olympique Montreux’s top gun Esteban Celis Lecuona scored two beautiful second half goals but Clearlink FC, formerly Rush FC, managed to draw the game and the Olympians could only earn a single point draw from an important match that revealed an ill prepared Premiership team with not less that seven players missing the game.
“I am happy with my individual performance but we need the men to show up so we can bond as a team and have some continuity,” said Esteban.
Manager Bel-Ami de Montreux did not have the services of Hugo Fox Bracamontes, Nathan Braun, Jimmy Cuadros, Leo Oliveira, Reynold Campbell, Louis Staley and Josh Kimball.
Winger TJ Reynolds is still in therapy for a bad knee and not expected until mid June. Star defender Adis Alagic may return in July from an off season injury .
“If there is one game Clearlink FC wants to win all season, it is the game against OM. When so many players do not show up, my hands are tied. I have had to call up first division players into the Premiership basically each week. Some of them have had to play 180 minutes, two games back to back” explained Bel-Ami.
Five games into the season, the Premiership has yet to show up for a full practice despite a decision to drop Tuesday practices and only meet on Thursdays.
“This goes without saying I have fielded five different starting line ups in five games and I am sure I will have to create a new starting line up on Thursday when we face Refugee Allstars, another side looking for recognition,” Bel-Ami added.
Thus, there is no game preparation, no specific strategy, leaving the manager in the weird position to be screaming directions from the sidelines for over 90 frustrating minutes.
“Each team we face comes ready to play. It is a championship game for them. Winning or even tying us in a game is a prestigious result for them. With this knowledge, you would expect our players to take this more seriously. Some of our guys do not see it that way,” lamented the manager.
Olympique Montreux’s issues notwithstanding, Clearlink and their star midfielder Owen delivered an impressive game and easily could have won in regulation time if it wasn’t for the heroics of goalkeeper Jaddon Rogers.
In Saturday’s other game, OM D1 defeated Kettrels FC 3-2 in an up tempo game.
Tim Ballantyne shone brightly with a brace of goals and now leads the Golden Boot Race thus far. Young Daaren Tapia displayed some creativity in midfield while Brian Cline showed he is getting used to the Olympians’ fast ball movement. His work created the penalty that Javier Calvillo scored in the second half.
Defender Colton Spencer is still nursing his injuries from last week’s violent encounter with Mutiny FC.
Click here to see pictures from both of the games
Click here for the 2011 Golden Boot Race and Season Statistics
Correction. The league distinguishes shoot out as Tie Win vs. Tie Loss. Clearlink did win on PK's but the point tally is adjusted differently.
ReplyDeleteThat's why we said the Premiership collects a single point. Same way it's been for a while now. Thanks
ReplyDelete