Fern Mc Costigan: June 2016

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Houston we have a problem: Don’t count those PTFC Boys out!

Indeed the Portland Timbers are back with their one of a kind football and very well showing off their mettle of why they were last campaign the reigning champions. After its backfield caught out of focus twice and the Dynamo had a comfortable two-goal lead before halftime.

Then after being atop the scoreboard and a bit dominant over the home squad in the first half and silencing its offensive attack for a while. The Houston Dynamo thought that they had three easy points in their pockets.

After seeing how their hosts were on the canvas and going for the full count.

All of a sudden, the Timbers initial eleven reacted with a rally and all around inspiration, that all of a sudden the visiting Dynamo backfield was one confused group of individuals as well the PTFC constant pressuring became lethal for the Texans.

The first play that started a rally for the PTFC was one between Valeri and Melano, a duo that at the end can became important in the stretch for the Rose City squad as everyone in that initial eleven will have to contribute to erase that slow start.

Alongside of Lucas Melano offering a very spectacular and offensive game, very well involved in every play were the Timbers scored, is this a revival and what will be seeing of the Andean in the remaining of this campaign. Something that Manager Caleb Porter was looking forward to see from his winger.

Another awesome performance from Diego Valeri who orchestrates the midfield and motivates his squad as the natural leader he is, this afternoon besides showing off his one of a kind football also he was the one that’s sealed the deal. By scoring the last two goals that at the end became the game winners.

There was a party in Portland with its Timbers come from behind win.

One thing for sure we saw from the PTFC was its reaction and never giving up on their quest of marking the course for finishing this campaign on a high note and above the red line in their way to the postseason.

So far, the Timbers have shown a winning resolve and for Caleb Porter his next goal will be winning on the road, as the PTFC next compromises include a Cup match against the always-tough LA Galaxy at Providence Park and seeking to move ahead in this competition. In league play with a match scheduled on Monday July 4- the PTFC will face a renewed and hardened first place Colorado Rapids.

A win at Dicks Park will be very important for the Portland Boys and a shoot in the arm as they prepare for their mid-July match against their I-5 foes the Seattle Sounders in the so-called Cascadia Derby.

At the end, the Portland Timbers are starting to look as all around contenders and play a contested football despite being with their backs against the wall and make a triumphant comeback, in their upcoming matches.

With a complete roster and no injuries to the rest of the campaign the PTFC will light the Western Conference as well make a heated and competed one, I do believe this can be the year of seeing more shields delivered by Caleb Porter and his chaps.

Indeed, Houston you had a big problem that costed you the game, called the Portland Timbers furious reaction along with its spectacular and intelligent game that your eleven could not stop at its end, these Boys are for real!

Photos Credit, Courtesy and Property of Portland Timbers Football Club and Craig Mitcheldyer 2016

Photos Credit and Property of © Copyright Major League Soccer. com 2016

Monday, June 27, 2016

No break this time for the Republic of Ireland

The Boys in Green being down for the count several times in the past and prevailing with all around resilience and determination. This time they had a twist of misfortunes that saw Martin O’ Neill Boys being ahead and dominant throughout the match, that at the end his squad endures a total meltdown.

Still the way this squad played in this tournament after netting their spot in a special playoff since the qualifiers and now in this edition of Euro sealing their ticket to the sweet 16 with a win once again over Italy. Many saw the Boys in Green coming to today’s match in a state of no stopping them and a confidence as high the French sky.

These Republic of Ireland Boys have shown a fighting spirit and persistence.

The unfortunate side of the coin is that woman luck could not be with them today as well seeing their efforts and bravado in the early minutes of this match going down the drain after seeing a French squad determination and hunger being very visible and too much for the Boys from Erin.

After the Green Army started very strong and looking for the right moment and the way to beat the French keeper Hugo Llorius in this match. Suddenly after a play in the area and a Pogba foul clearly seen by both officials, not hesitant Italian Nicola Rizzoli awarded a PK to the Boys in Green with just 1.55 in the clock.

As Robbie Brady converted the penal and lifting his Green Army into the heavens of the round of eight as well possibly seeing another upset and netting another important win over a top-notch national squad in their French hosts.

As Parc Ol in Lyon was a total Green madhouse as those one of a kind Irish fans never stopped chanting and supporting their boys in Green all afternoon long, despite seeing their squad setbacks at the end, still the support was always there!

As the game progressed and especially in the second half when the French came poised to make things happen in their cause, by a continuance of arrivals on Zach Randolph posts through Payet and a flying Griezmann who at the end became the key to his country win. Here is when the French Boss Didier Deschamps started the full pressure in the Republic of Ireland backfield and this became susceptible to the constant attacks of the French strikers that brought the weariness in the Greens.

Here is when the French took matters into their own hands and it is when Antoine Griezmann took advantage of the Irish backfield confusion to push the ball past Zach Randolph who despite his efforts little he did to stop that ball for the equalizer.

Reviving the whole Parc Ol and painting in Blue with his first goal after his persistence paying off and no later in three minutes he scored what became the deciding and go-ahead goal.

One thing we saw in the Republic of Ireland in this and other matches of this event was their overall persistence and their will of getting up when they down in the canvas, fought off their adversities, and overcome the odds.

Today after being down in the score, still the French armada tried in vain to widen their lead, Ireland backfield still delivered in the clutch, their unfortunate side was time, and their hopes of a revival in tier attack, became futile at the end.

One thing at the end is for the Boys in Green Manager Martin O’ Neill his work and football exhibited in this Euro is worth a thousand words and applause for their overall hunger and winning attitude, still the next challenge will be the World Cup qualifiers.

Photos Credit and Property of © Associated Newspapers LTD 2016

Photos Credit and Property of © Republic of Ireland Irish Football Association 2016

Sunday, June 26, 2016

An ugly twist of fate for the Norn Iron

Unfortunately this time the Boys of the Norn Iron, had the misfortunes of taking the dive after a non-rehearsed and unfortunate play that brought down the curtain for them so abruptly in this edition of Euro. Being their first of this events and with the way they have been performing and surprising everyone, a loss we can state was a bit unjust.

After all this match was one for the ages and considered as important for both squads in this round of 16, when Wales and North Ireland were playing for their pass into the next stages in the round of 8. Very well as both squads playing their first ever Euro and being in the knockout rounds as well, the outcome of the game at the end was a painful one for the Ireland Boys.

Ask that to the Norn Iron defender Gareth Mc Auley a man of many battles and experience, suddenly this turned out against him and his squad. As many possibilities float of whatever happened in the end of this match and in it’s the last stages, suddenly his nerves or misjudgment of that play between Bale and Ramsey directed to Robson- Kanu suddenly turned sour for the Norn Iron.

As the pressure exercised by the Welsh Dragons in the last minutes of this match became their gain as the opposite for the Norn Iron being their most bitter of losses by an infamous own goal.

What a match we witness from both of this gladiators going at it minute-by-minute and play by play as many considered it as a much-disputed one and with the essence of being their last to be played by both of these squads.

Things happen and adversities can occur and this success cannot be one that Mc Auley will live all of his life, to err is human and this time lady luck was not with him, still this is a player that his experience and knowledge of the game considered as vital.

As the Norn Iron seeing the score, their attacking momentum never stopped until their inspiration stopped abruptly by an injury incident caused by the Welsh and the referee decided to put a halt shortly. Besides losing time, the Green and White Army Boss cited a loss of time that caused his side to lose control and its inspiration that could be decisive and a game changer.

Despite the loss one thing, we saw from the Norn Iron besides its improvement and display of a more competitive football and displayed in this Euro and the qualifiers, this is a squad to observe in the end. Still this is not the end for the Green, White Army as their next appointment with destiny will be the World Cup qualifiers, and by far this squad has all the elements of netting a pass into the world top-notch event in football.

For the North Ireland squad is back home, for Wales is their next date with destiny, and rivals to be between Belgium and Hungary. At the end, kudos for the North Ireland Boys and their all-around efforts in all of their matches played in this edition of Euro.

One thing we can state of the Norn Iron is their drive, spirit and ambition that put this squad in the round of 16 and the misfortunes already mentioned provoked their exit from Euro. Still I applaud this energetic group assembled and chiseled as an all-around winner by Manager Michael O’ Neill.