Grant Wahl's Solution to PKs

In last week's Sports Illustrated, sidebars to the article about the NHL's switch to 3 v. 3 overtimes in an effort to avoid shootouts, made suggestions to improve other sports, including soccer.

Soccer writer Grant Wahl proposes removing a player every five minutes in overtime.  "Soccer games should be decided by soccer," Wahl writes.  He reasons that "soccer is a game about space: How to find it, how to use it, how to create it."  He goes on to say that his proposal would create more space and add interest because of the coaching decisions required.  And debates about these coaching moves would be soccer debates, which those about shootouts are not.

I greatly respect Wahl as a soccer journalist, but I think he's trying too hard here.  My problem with is proposal is it assumes someone will score once the teams are playing with less than the normal 10 field players.  But the more players who are removed, the more running those remaining on the field will have to do. And there are only so many miles in the legs of even the fittest professional players.

After 95 minutes it's 10 v. 10.  After 100 minutes, 9 v. 9.  At the 105 minute mark it becomes 8 v. 8, then at 110 7 v. 7.  At the end of 120 minutes, the normal amount of overtime, the teams would be down to four field players and a keeper.  Is Wahl suggesting that they keep going here?

Timbers Chop Down Crew For MLS Cup

In just their fifth Major League Soccer season the Portland Timbers won the MLS championship with a 2-1 victory over the Crew before 21,747 in Columbus yesterday.

The Timbers got off to a quick start when Crew keeper Steve Clark could not clear a passback and Portland midfielder Diego Valeri intercepted the attempt and scored just 35 seconds into the match.  The Timbers doubled the lead in the seventh minute after the assistant referee missed a ball over the touchline that should have been a Crew throw-in.  Portland took advantage and Rodney Wallace scored with a diving header off a cross from Lucas Melano,

The MLS webpage has an entertaining video of numerous calls and non-calls during the game.  The New York Times ran a comprehensive story by Brian Sciaretta on page D-5.

Cherry Pie

It only took 85 years, but AFC Bournemouth from the coast of England finally made it to the top division of English Soccer - the English Premier League - this season.  Bruce Schoenfeld wrote an entertaining piece about the team, known as "The Cherries," for ESPN - The Magazine a few weeks ago. 

Schoenfeld wrote, "The idea of a team advancing through England's 92-club, four-tier league system to the EPL is surprising enough. It rarely happens, even over a generation -- let alone in the span of five years. In English soccer, the same marginal sides tend to bob up and down from the top of the second-highest division to the bottom of the first. But if any club could do it ... well, Bournemouth would not be it." 

With a population of 180,000, Bournemouth is one of the smallest cities ever to play in the EPL and its stadium, with a capacity of only 11,464, is the smallest venue.

On the field the Cherries are off to a slow start and it will be tough to stay in the EPL.  They have two wins and four draws in the first 14 league matches, leaving them in the relegation zone - 18th place.  Although AFC has been competitive in most games, it is riding a 10-game winless streak since beating Sunderland, 2-1, back on September 19.

Bummer! HMHS Girls Fall in State Quarters, 2-0

Manchester Township scored a goal in each half to shut our Haddonfield, 2-0, in the South Jersey Group 2 quartefinals at HMHS Stadium today.  The Hawks go through to Monday's sectional semifinals against West Deptford.

It's a tough end to the season for the Bulldawgs, but they have nothing to be ashamed about.  Coach Quintavalle's young team at times started as many as six freshmen and sophomores, including the impressive Wayden Ay and Madison Bee.  After two losses to open the season the girls went a month - 12 games - without losing, including two defeats of West Deptford.  A 1-0 loss to Audubon at home under the lights on October 15 ended the streak. 

No problem.  The girl ran off another five straight wins, including a 1-0 shutout of Rancocas Valley and a 3-0 opening round State Cup victory.

For the season HMHS finished 15-4-2 (7-2-1 in the Colonial Liberty Division), scoring 54 goals and giving up only 15 (an average of .71 per game) and posted 10 shutouts.  Not a bad season in anybody's book.

I had hoped to see us play in the South Jersey finals a week from today, and beyond, but it will have to wait a year.

Good luck to Haddonfield boys, playing in the quarterfinals tomorrow against Delran.

 

Haddonfield Girls Off to Strong Start In State Playoffs

Freshman Madison Bee scored two goals and Taylor Sehdev pitched the shutout in goal as Haddonfield girls opened the NJSIAA play-offs with a 3-0 win over Lower Cape May today.
Isabella Nugent scored the other goal for the Bulldawgs while Nic Green had a pair of assists and Claudia Brong added an assist.

Fourth seeded Haddonfield hosts #12 Manchester Township Thursday in the sectional quarterfinals.  The other three matches include top-ranked Cedar Creek against # 8 West Deptford, #3 Cinnaminson squaring off against # 6 Middle Township and #7 Delran playing #2 Point Pleasant Boro.

Haddonfield boys, seeded #1, start their state title run tomorrow against  #16 Barnegat.

The girls bracket is here and the boys draw at this link.

Union Begins Turnaround Effort in Earnest

As part of its effort to turn reverse its fortunes on the field, the Union today announced the hiring of former U.S. National Team player Earnie Stewart as Sporting Director, effective January 1.  According to the announcement, in that role Stewart will  "oversee and guide all Union technical and soccer-related decisions working closely with the Union First Team, USL team and Youth Academy."

The Union needs to do something.  The team just finished a dismal 10-17-7, 9th out of 10 teams in the MLS Eastern Conference, and out a play-off spot for the fourth consecutive season.  In six years of play the Union has a total record of 61-82-57.  It has yet to have a winning season and is on its third head coach.  The CEO was recently fired.

Stewart earned 101 caps for the United States through 2005, played for an MLS champion at DC United and currently serves as Director of Football Affairs at AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands, where he played professionally.  In that role he has guided the club to Europa League qualification for six consecutive seasons.

It looks like Stewart has a lot of work to do, but he also appears to have the experience and ability to get the job done.  Check back in a year when the MLS playoffs are getting underway.

Green Wave Snaps Haddonfield Streak

Last night's game had everything except a good result for Haddonfield.

Beautiful night for soccer.  Big crowd in the stadium.  Local conference rival in Audubon.  Two closely-matched teams who tied 1-1 0n September 28 at Green Wave Park.  And to top it off, the game was televised locally on Varsity Sports Network.

Neither team seriously threatened in the first half.  Freshman Wayden Ay made a quick turn and got off a hard shot late in the half, but too close to keeper Grace Borden.With 27:59 left in the second half, Audubon's Rebecca Van Arnam put in a rebound after Bulldawgs' keeper Taylor Sehdev tipped a shot up off the crossbar.  Haddonfield complained that the ball went up from the soccer crossbar and hit the football crossbar, which would have been out of play.  The referees disagreed and the goal stood.  From the pressbox it looked as though the refs got it right.

Haddonfield pressed for the equalizer but their best opportunity was a shot by freshman Maddie Bee that sailed just over the crossbar in the 61st minute.

Haddonfield was on a 10-game winning streak and 12-game unbeaten string going into last night's contest.  They'll have a chance to start a new streak Tuesday night against Woodbury.

The television was fun.  The announcers did a very good job and without thinking came up with a great line in the first half when Wayden Ay (pronounced like the letter "A") passed to Bee.  The play-by-play call was, "So that was from Ay to Bee.  I can't believe I just said that."

I watched the game on Comcast Channel 19 tonight and it wasn't bad for having only one camera and no replay capability.  The sound level could have been a little higher, but otherwise it was fun  to watch.  Below is one of our captains, Kate Walters, in a post-game interview.

The only downside - other than the loss - was that the stadium sound system failed, so I didn't get to announce or play the national anthem - which would have sounded good in the background of the TV broadcast.

Captain Kate Walters in post-game interview with Varsity Sports Network's Kevin Schules.