9/15/12 Game Recap (6-0 Win)

Nathaniel fights for possession

Elite 03 turned in another solid performance on Saturday, knocking off the Alpine Strikers MP Blue squad in a 6-0 decision. Playing on turf for the first time, Elite put on a scoring clinic at Terminal Field in Menlo Park to push their season record to a perfect 3-0. Five different players scored, showcasing the offensive talent up and down the lineup.

Elite wasted no time getting on the score board, when Amit deposited a ball in the Strikers goal 3 minutes into the contest. Taking a feed from Justin W on the right side, Amit beat a defender near the top left corner of the 18 and snapped a shot home from 12 yards out to give Elite the quick 1-0 lead.

Manas made it 2-0 8 minutes later, by tapping home a deflection after Jonathan bounced a shot off the Strikers keeper. Nathan started the scoring sequence by feeding the ball from the right corner to Jonathan near the top right corner of the 18. Jonathen pivoted toward the goal and ripped a shot that the Strikers keeper was able to get a hand on, but not control.

Celebrating Jonathan's goal

Manas added his 2nd goal of the game in the 14th minute, pulling the ball out of a scrum and snapping a shot from 8 yards out to the low right corner.

Jonathan scored his first goal of the season in the 17th minute, taking a long diagonal feed from Josh on the right side, before sending a laser on net from 16 yards out.

Taishi tapped home a deflection in the 21st min after Nathaniel took a ball at midfield and carried it up the slot and firing a shot that the Strikers keeper partially deflected. The ball trickled to the left post were Taishi redirected it into the goal for his 3rd tally of the season.

Justin H capped the game’s scoring after he ripped a shot from 20 yards out that caught the bottom of the crossbar in the 24th min. The midfielder dribbled around a defender before uncorking his long shot, finding the back of the net right before the halftime whistle.

Josh tracks the ball

The game’s outcome was decided early, so the boys focused on their possession game in the 2nd half. Nathaniel and Justin W teamed up to work a pair of overlap runs, late in the contest.

Ryan and Amit teamed up in net to earn the combined shutout. Amit was forced to make a pair of nice saves in net after the Strikers worked the ball deep into the Elite zone.

Key Accomplishments —

- Sustained Offensive Pressure – The boys applied the heat early and often, which resulted in a flurry of offensive chances and eventually goals. This pressure also eliminated any pressure on the defense.

- Unselfish Play – The ability to string together so many offensive chances was largely driven by the boys willingness to distribute the ball. Their pass first approach allowed the team to better spread the offense, which made it more difficult for the opposition to gain control of the ball, and stop shots.

Development Areas —

- Transitions – Once again, the team struggled with transitions from the midfield position after turnovers occurred in the 2nd half of the game. Making the shift from offense to defense in particular was an area that needs attention in practice.

- Dealing with Big Leads – Once the team established their big lead, the focus tailed off. This allowed the opposition to string together a series of good chances on goal. Strong goaltending was required to preserve the shutout.