Coach's Report - Game 5

Just being able to report on a Game 5 fills me with a joy that is hard to describe. Knowing how hard these girls have worked, in the past and especially the last three weeks in preparation for this event, makes me desperate to see them rewarded. They are growing in confidence, and growing too is the trust they have in each other. That trust will be tested more severely as we advance further, and with every test we pass, we will be that much stronger a unit. An indication of their growing maturity and seriousness was their decision last night to forego the disco or any other 'celebration', instead requesting a nice meal together which we all enjoyed thoroughly at the Central Train Station.
Today's match was against IFK Lidingo FK of Sweden (http://www.lidingofotboll.org/), winners of Group 14. We played today at a new venue, the Guldheden Sodra, sitting atop a 300 foot cliff with high rise apartment buildings competing with pines for space throughout the span of our view. The field was made of the new C3 astroturf, recently approved by FIFA for use in international contests, the only artificial surface given that honor. It represented the third different surface the girls have played on. It proved to be very soft and pliant, without the unusually high bounces one usually expects of artificial surfaces.
On our arrival, an unbelievably high-standard game was on display in the boys u16 division. ACCB of Paris, one of the Academy squads designed by Arsene Wenger before becoming manager of Arsenal, were facing the youth team of Club America of Mexico. The skills on display by both teams were exquisite, and the French especially showed the value of a great and reliable first touch, as well as of a commitment to move without the ball to constantly create options. Their 3-0 win was well-deserved, and the girls were reminded by me that this was the level, the quality of soccer that their play had earned them a chance to demonstrate and that the assembled fans now expected.
We started very brightly indeed, and did not take long to firmly get the bit between our teeth. Three corners won in the first 15 minutes, including one narrowly directed wide by Amanda, had Lidingo scrambling. But with our team progressively pushing up in search of that important first goal, we were finally caught out too far for the first time in the tournament. A seemingly harmless ball played over the top after a confused clearance from our back line found us too flat in our formation and just cleared Emily White's head. A Lidingo forward gained possession just outside the area before Jordan could come out, and her well-placed low shot was slotted home. Completely against the run of play, we found ourselves down for the first time this week in minute 16. How would we react?
We remained positive and aggressive. Another of our increasingly effective through balls found Kaylie at the penalty spot, but her effort was knocked down by a courageous Lidingo player. Beth shot wide, still at minute 17, and a further free kick and corner kick came to nothing. Sadie Somers continues to deliver intelligent, quality service from the right flank, and she twice found Mackenzie Olson just before the half, but one effort was driven directly at the keeper and the other sailed over the crossbar.
Down 0-1 at half, we could feel hard done by. We were dominating in shots 8-1, and the Lidingo goal represented their only meaningful possession in our end of the field. Yet we knew we were the better, more technically capable team. We reaffirmed our resolve to maintain the pressure, maintain a positive outlook, and just apply that added effort to get on the end of the great service that was being provided primarily by Sadie, Jen and Shanna.
Within the first 5 minutes, we had created several chances. Lidingo looked to be tiring from all their defensive work, their backs perfectly happy to concede throw ins and corners just to get a moment's rest. Liz found herself at the end of two of those chances, but her first strike from 3 yards out hit the crossbar, and the second was headed just over at the far post from a yard out. But, like any good forward, she did not shy away from another chance. Her equalizer came on minute 5, off of a flick-on from Mac.
At 1-1, visions of a penalty shoot-out began to flicker through my feeble mind. I couldn't bear the thought of enduring such a lottery in a game we were dominating this much. I urged the girls to not let up. In minute 11, Beth was off target on a great cross delivered by Jen. Jen herself, and then Shanna missed narrowly in minute 14.
Lidingo had no reply, and could not get out of their own end, but the score was still 1-1, and they were perfectly happy frustrating us and playing for a shootout. Happily, that was not to be. In minute 19, Erin Sage won possession in midfield and drove a 20 yard shot into the upper left corner. 2-1 LISC! For the second time in as many games, we had scored on a difficult long-range effort, while squandering many closer range opportunities. I guess you can't argue with success, but this is one habit I wouldn't mind reversing.
We now had about 11 minutes to hang on, and I didn't want to play them defensively. We continued to press, feeling their defenders really had hit the wall. Beth was wide from a severe angle on minute 21, but found the net on a set piece a short time later, only to be controversially ruled offside. We continued to create chances: Mac and Shanna shot over the crossbar on balls nicely laid back to them by Kaylie, and Amanda struck the crossbar (again!) from close range. Kaylie delivered a great cross that we just failed to get on the end of, and Beth was unable to convert a 1v1 chance with their keeper near the edge of the area. Still, through the relentless midfield defensive work of Mac and Shanna, Lidingo were able to muster only one shot in the second half, and when their first and final corner went out, the final whistle was blown.
We are now in the final 16! More impressively, we will play our next game at the Heden Center, the main tournament site near the Ullevi Stadium were crowds of thousands regulary attend! Our opponents are one of the pre-tournament favorites: Northern California Soccer Academy, 5-3 winners over a team from Nice, France. We are one of only three American teams remaining in our age division, and even our group winners Colchester United were knocked out 3-2 by a Swedish team in this round. We're doing our best to make you all proud, and cherish all the gestures of support that we've received.


LISC 2 IFK Lidingo FK 1

Shots: LISC 22 IFK Lidingo 2
Shots on target: LISC 13 Lidingo 1
Goals: Ficek, Sage
Assists: Olson