Fern Mc Costigan: June 2018

Saturday, June 30, 2018

One game at a time for Gio and his Portland Timbers

Seattle Sounders 2, Portland Timbers 3

Century Link Stadium, Seattle, Wa

With today, win at Century Link Stadium in what used to be their house of horrors and thanks to a double from defender Larry’s Mabiala. The PTFC really honored its moniker of almighty with a comeback win after the locals tied the score in the 68 minute.

So far, in this campaign the Portland Timbers (7, 3, 5, 26 points) riding high with a display of excellent football filled with an amazing teamwork and unity in the field. As their hunger and determination to win is imperative in all of their matches lately.

Contrary to their opponents the local Seattle Sounders (3, 9, 3, 12 points) struggling in the campaign and posting a losing record and a number of important players in the DL, for manager Brian Schmetzer this was an opportunity to come out their slump.

After their last week, tie in Chicago with a come from behind goal that at the end both squads had their share of points. The momentum stricken Rave greens were determined at all cost of keeping their impeccable record in the plus against Portland.

With both squads in this edition round two of the Cascadia Derby, Seattle was looking for the win at all costs, to uplift their spirits and put behind their slump.

Before this match, Timbers manager Gio Savarese called this matchup like a final and today none of the 47,000 plus in attendance left disappointed after the contest exposed by these two titans.

As a first half very disputed by both Timbers and Sounders and with high degree of physicality in the game, going to halftime both squads were tied at zero goals and expecting a much contested second half by both sides.

This game for sure exposed both squads’ managers’ ingenuities and to see who can put in the field the best of strategies, with their initial elevens, which manager Savarese as always doing what he does best in his improvisations.

In this campaign, the Portland Timbers Boss has been very bold and does not hold back in making any moves in his starting lineups as the way he put in Dairon Aspirilla for an injured Sebastian Blanco and Lawrence Olum in the middle of the defensive midfield.

Moves that prove to be very accurate and effective as in the first half as always their Talisman Diego Valeri is one busy man running the offensive attack and the Portland Boys had a couple of near arrivals with Aspirilla and Mabiala near scores.

After the second half and with no scoring in the first, both squads went hard at work to put on a offensive display looking at all costs the win, proof in the 48 minute when a corner in favor of Portland taken by Diego Valeri.

With an open and opportune well-placed Larry’s Mabiala with a header opened the score in favor of the visiting Timbers with this marking back to back matches the center back scoring a goal in favor of his squad.

Then the local Seattle Sounders via a one two combination of Nicolas Lodeiro to Victor Rodriguez in the 51’ tied the score at one goal apiece, exciting you bet, as the Portland Timbers response six minutes later.

Once again, Diego Valeri connecting with Samuel Armenteros in an effective counterattack hat the Swede did not hesitated and shoots from 20 yards beating the Sounders keeper to restore the Timbers lead. Well shortly in the 68’, Seattle via a corner from Nicolas Lodeiro delivers the equalizer from chad Marshall shaking his defender.

However, the afternoon was to be for the Portland Boys and one man in the spotlight in Larry’s Mabiala who deliver in the clutch another header in the 74’ minute assisted by you know whom Diego Valeri. By sending, another corner to a well-placed Mabiala and beating this time Chad Marshall in a sort of payback to score the game winner via a header.

What a contest in the end, as both squads always delight us to an all-around display of amazing and one of kind football and today the Portland Timbers came with the win and leading the Cascadia Cup and series against Seattle.

For Gio three points of gold are amazing and taking his new challenge in the Portland Timbers helm one match at a time and a first for his Boys to win in Emerald City.

Photos Credit and Property of Craig Mitchelldyer 2018

Friday, June 29, 2018

Dundalk FC delivers against Cork City in the Derby

With one of the most celebrated Derbies in the League of Ireland, with the defending champions Cork City and Dundalk FC, stage these meetings, it really highlights the week of activities in this association for this all-around competition.

With Oriel Park being the host for the visiting Cork City Boys, both squads were coming from extensive winning streaks and being in play of who will get atop the league top with the Leesiders before this match edging the Lilywhites by just a point.

As both squads’ arsenals put in display in the course of the whole match, at the edn the astute and hard pressing game put on by the local De Town, made the difference in the win and netting three points of gold.

This win for Dundalk catapults them towards the top of the league standings, with a two-point lead over John Caulfield City and these netting their fourth loss in the campaign and now trailing the former league champions.

For a match that had all the ingredients minute by minute of a final with both squads going at each other and looking forward the opportunity to see who can be the first to open up the score, after a scoreless first half.

Still filled with a lot of fouls and the rough game that both squads displayed in entire 47 minutes and for the visitors getting a couple of yellow cards in Colm Horgan in the 15’ and Gearoid Morrisey 40’ and the locals Krisztian Adorjan 14’.

All of a sudden, the locals via nice play that Krisztian Adorjan in the 46 not evens a minute into the match, when the Lilywhites first year man opened the score to the joy of a sold out Oriel Park filled to its full capacity.

After several failed attempts and missed, corners, Leesiders manager Caulfield sent a couple of moves with Josh o’ Hanlon for Graham Cummins and Karl Shepard for Jimmy Keohane both of these in the 62’ to boost the visitor’s offensive game.

Come the 65’ minute, the Leesiders are awarded a corner kick and when the opportunity knocked for Josh O’ Hanlon in the 67’ scoring the equalizer to silence the whole of Oriel Park, and giving a new twist to this match.

However, this match with the local strikers making constant advances towards the visitors area and testing again and align the likes of Cork City goalkeeper Mark McNulty beaten earlier in the second half.

As the moves for manager, Kenny paid off in the 71 with Ronan Murray for Krisztian Adorjan, becoming the hero along with the Lilywhites top scorer Patrick Hoban receiving the pass and voila converting the second and game-winning goal.

For the league top scorer and sending a clear message to the Republic of Ireland Boss Martin O’ Neill about his scoring sense, Hoban in the 92’ sealed the deal and becoming the game hero with his late score.

This win extends the Town squad to nine consecutive wins in the campaign and with no sign of surrendering and with their upcoming Europa League compromise on mid-July against Levadia Tallinn and a first place spot for now.

Thursday, June 28, 2018

The Candystripes not so easy Europa adventure

For Derry City drawn to play against Belarus, side Dynamo Minsk to play their first leg at home on July 12 at Brandywell is one of the highlights in this edition of the Europa League.

The Candystripes European adventure will start at home but on July 19 to play on the second leg at Traktor Stadium in Minsk, seen by many of its visiting foes in European competitions as one tough foe to defeat.

Once again, Kenny Shiels and company have to juggle league and European play, and this time he has bet to deliver at all his City Boys and make a decent run in this edition, looking forward for a successful advancement in the knockout rounds.

So far in league play after seeing a revival and becoming a tough client at home, suddenly the Cnsdystripes game has been going from top to bottom and in the negative, something not positive to come along in competitions of the caliber of the Europa League.

Still the outlook for their upcoming European knockout round play can be a bit challenging but not difficult in the end, if manager Shiels rally his troops and despite the difficulty of its rival in the first rounds, you never know the outcome.

The only setback for Derry will be the departures of two of its most prominent players in Aaron Mc Enneff and Ronan Curtis on going to Rotherdam United and the second to Portsmouth in July as well, leaving a big hole especially in their upcoming international compromise.

Nothing is difficult for manager Shiels who is looking forward to uplift his squad spirits and motivation ahead of their upcoming compromises in league play and internal cup play, where he can make his troops deliver under pressure.

However not everything is bad news for Derry City FC as the Ronan Hale has signed to an extension after his squad in England’s promotion league championship Birmingham City allowed his stay in Derry.

In addition of Hale stay the club new arrivals in Derry’s manager son Dean Shiels arrival and Ben Fisk on the transfer window, and extending Nicky Low contract, showing off this club seriousness in making at least a run to a European spot.

To conclude ready or not this club appoint met with destiny approaches, so their willingness and ready ness of this club to make a notable run in their international debut come July 12 at home in newly refurbished Brandywell Stadium.

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Dundalk opening their European adventure in Estonian lands

The Lilywhites are back in Europa League and ready to deliver another memorable performance like that 2016, when they reached the stage groups. Despite their exit, still being first squad to represent the league in the international scene is somehow a grand achievement.

This campaign after arming themselves with new faces and making a struggle in the league top with the league defending champions Cork City leading them by just a point.

Their new European adventure will start come July against Estonia top team Levadia Tallinn and starting their European adventure, after their last edition exiting abruptly in the second round to Norwegian side Rosenburg.

For the Estonian once again seeing a repeat of another League of Ireland representative after last year loss to Cork City in the first round, this time they have another hardened squad in the Town Boys coming with an all-around momentum.

As Kadriorg Stadium will live up again the emotion of the Europa League knockout rounds with the visit of the Lilywhites on July 12 and later move on July 19 to Oriel Park for the second leg of this series seeing Dundalk FC as the overall favorites.

Still for Stephen Kenny and company is back to business and now looking forward to a successful run in this event and maybe looking forward to another 2016 repeat, but for them this is an uphill fight to make it into the coveted stage group.

To juggle league play and currently in a race to the top as the Leesiders leading them by a point but any moment these can catapult them to the top with a blink of an eye and now with Cup play and international play.

Certainly the heat is on a challenging task for this Dundalk FC squad looking at any cost to their return to the league top as well claim this edition league shield and maybe other trophies to their halls along a pass to this important tournament to play the best of Europe.

After a break in League play the Lilywhites are back in action come this Friday and prepare themselves to another contested match, with their league foes, both mentally and physically, these De Town Boys are ready for whatever challenge comes their way.

In addition, to mention the way these are displaying one amazing and one of a kind game of football.

Once again, the Lilywhites are up and ready to start their European adventure in Tallinn, Estonia and looking forward to deliver another repeat of those amazing performances these deliver on 2016 reaching the group stages in Europa League.