Fern Mc Costigan

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Major League Soccer vs Liga MX in CCL

This is North versus South, in CONCACAF Champions League, come this April 17, US representative in its last edition champion Toronto FC will face off against Chivas Rayadas from Mexico.

After the TFC side took care of business and eliminating one of Mexico’s premier clubs compared to the likes of Real Madrid or Juventus, the Reds did the famous Aztecaso a reference of an outside squad beating the home side in the colossus of Santa Ursula.

This time Greg Vanney and company delivered another great evening of genuine football and with their comfortable lead taken at BMO Field in Toronto these sealed the deal in Mexico, City.

Now looking forward to deliver another major trophy to the halls of BMO Field, the Reds are up and ready to start planning their strategy to how to overcome a determined and always tough Chivas Rayadas from Guadalajara.

After the Goats beating and dominating with authority the likes of the New York Red Bulls, now the stage is set between these two titans for their face off. For the TFC they are another Canadian squad in the Montréal Impact did it and losing to Club America in this 2015 final.

As the Toronto squad under manager Greg Vanney all of sudden seeing a surge in this squad game and suddenly making it into the postseason after many campaigns not being able to be in the grand fete. Overall Vanney has delivered two MLS finals with a second place and then winning the MLS Shield as the first squad from the three from Canada.

By being the first ones to win the league shield, now their aims are to be in the first one to win the CONCACHAMPIONS League shield as the first American squad to do it, still they have a serious rival in the Goats.

The Boys from Hollywood North are ready to seal the deal and with a leg one assuring this one of a kind and historic feat with Sebastian Giovinco, Jozy Altidore and Ashtone Morgan scoring on game one, in game two Jonathan Osorio assure the series.

Despite the win by the TFC side, still for manager Greg Vanney after this competition is over he has another challenge to level his squad campaign in Major League Soccer were his Reds are sole occupiers of last place in the Eastern Conference.

In addition, the rival in turn with 180 minutes to play in two legs and to be determined the opening city, the Reds are looking forward to continue their date and to write their own history.

This win constitutes a sort of elevating high the name of Major League Soccer and its teams of their quality of game rising every day and these paying one on one against squads considered in the past as all around dominants.

Soon in this edition of CCL it is going to be United States Major League Soccer versus Mexico’s Liga MX for the ultimate of this confederation club trophy and the Reds can for sure be the first American squad to win.

For Toronto if they beat Guadalajara in CCL they exercised a total dominance over Mexico’s top clubs as UANL Tigres, Club America and maybe the Goats be next, considered as one of the most iconic and loved squads in all of Mexico.

Photos Credit and Property of Eduardo Verdugo AP and Getty Images 2018

Monday, April 9, 2018

Dundalk at the top, highlights this week recap in the League of Ireland

What a weekend of high intensity and matches with a new leader at the top of the SSE League of Ireland. For the former champions Dundalk FC getting back to claim their rightful place in the top.

Once again I insist the likes of Waterford is becoming the highlight of this edition of the SSE and with a scandalous win over the Rebel Army these aided the Lilywhites to leapfrog to first place and these tied with them by points.

For manager Stephen Kenny after seeing his side slow start and leveling their campaign suddenly, this weekend win over the Shamrock Rovers at Oriel Park. By taking advantage of the home field advantage, the Town Boys delivered another gem of a match and gaining three points of gold.

With scores from Robbie Benson 51 and Christopher Shields 62, the Lilywhites assured an important win, despite the late goal by the visiting Hoops via Daniel Carr in the 75 minute. After cutting the lead to one goal, the Rovers rally fell short, thanks to a defensive game displayed in the end by the Town backfield.

Dundalk FC 2, Shamrock Rovers 1

Oriel Park, Dundalk

In the Regional Sports Center, the locals Waterford Boys playing against the defending champions Cork City in a match that the visitors came labeled as all around favorites to win it all. Still as they state that there is no such thing than an easy foe, the local Blues prove that in what looked a very disputed and accidental match.

With six red cards including both squads’ managers in what, seem to be an action when John Caulfield entered into the field to retrieve a ball and pushed by Bastien Hery and the melee started. Still the comeback performed by a wondrous Waterford came in the second half after an early goal by the Rebel Army in minute 2 by Conor McCarthy.

The comeback by the locals came by Leesider Conor McCormack in the 51 minute and later the Blues via Courtney Duffus in the 80 unitl the already mentioned bench clearing.

Waterford 2, Cork City 1

Regional Sports Centre, Waterford

In Inchicore, the locals Pats delivered a goal fest over the hapless and maybe lack of motivation Bray Wanderers squad that are seeing their luck dwindle and becoming sure candidates for the infamous relegation.

With a firework of a display by the Saints strikers with Jake Keegan on the double in the 18, 58 followed by Kevin Toner 37, Conan Byrne 41 and Dean Clarke 62.

Saint Patrick’s Athletic 5, Bray Wanderers 0

Richmond Stadium, Dublin

In Phibsborough colossus of Dalymont both Bohemians and Limerick shared points with a stalemate at zero goals.

Bohemians 0, Limerick FC 0

Dalymont Stadium, Dublin

The Showgrounds are becoming the demise of the local Rovers and seeing this campaign going not as planned by the Bit O’ Red manager Gerald Lyttle seeing the way to run things around for his Bunch.

As the visiting Derry City Candystripes, now on a winning streak and moving on up the table and this win delivering, the Derry Boys had help from the Rovers David Cawley own goal score in the 17 and in the second half securing the win with Ronan Hale score in the 74.

Sligo Rovers 0, Derry City 2

Showgrounds, Sligo

Sunday, April 8, 2018

Portland Timbers in need of finishing

Orlando SC 3, Portland Timbers 2

Orlando City Stadium

So close but as far of netting in what seems to be that elusive first win of the campaign. Within minutes of sealing the deal all of a sudden, we have a revival from the home side with a barrage of three late goals.

For the Portland Timbers playing in an odd start of this campaign with five matches on the road, today once again they were so near of almost caressing that win. As another defensive meltdown and a controversial, call from one of the leagues most underrated officials were enough for the home side to turn the tides in their favor.

After last week near win in the Windy City and surrendering it in the last minutes of the second half, once again the pressure put by the Orlando squad on the Timbers backfield seemed to work after that first goal in the eightieth minute.

As Orlando rookie Chris Mueller headed in what became his first MLS goal, suddenly we had a contest and the locals started playing a one of a kind game of football that the Portland backfield could not decipher and stop.

Still the way these matches started with Portland in control and with all the luck after seeing in this week of MLS action another match were the red card shown to a player reversed thanks to VAR.

For the game main official Baldomero Toledo after showing the red card to Timbers Sebastian Blanco for embellishment after he thought the Andean fake the play were Orlando defender stumble inside the area. Leading to a penalty awarded by Toledo and converted by Diego Valeri with his second goal of the campaign in the 20 minute.

The Rose City squad had control of the game and in both halves; these displayed a one of a kind football and looking for that go ahead goal. by displaying near arrivals one by a clear play that almost netted Andy Polo his first goal in MLS and a second one with Diego Valeri so close of another score but denied by the post.

As the Portland squad, showed off a lot of initiative in the whole course of the match both offensively and defensively when Jake Gleeson made an astounding save denying Orlando the equalizer.

Other highlight for the Rose City squad was the return of seeing Diego Valeri game doing what it does the best putting in high alert the opposing defenses and delivering when needed as in the 59 his pass that found a well-placed Bill Poni Tuiloma scoring the second goal.

As the Timbers were cruising to their frist win of the campaign disaster hit in the course of the eightieth minutes when the Purple Lions first goal came via a corner from Yoshimar Yotun to rookie Chris Mueller 80.

Not even two minutes passed by when another dangerous play inside the Portland area and a cross that ended up as a narrow escape; it is when the game official pointed to the area awarding the locals a penalty after a shove inside the area by Alvas Powell.

For Orlando Sacha Klejstan taking Gleeson to go the other way he score the equalizer in just two minutes the Portland defense started to give in to Orlando’s pressuring game that became a total success in the end.

However this was not over and Orlando continue playing with an all-around spirit and this delvier when Dom Dwyer score the game winner by taking with him the likes of Larry Mabiala and Bill Tuiloma after he got up from a stumble in the area.

By getting up and scoring in a great play that crowned the effort and comeback performed by the SC and delivered them to their second back-to-back wins in this campaign.

For Portland, this becomes their third loss of the campaign with two draws and just two points, with a homecoming next week the hopes are pinned for a first win to come at the expense of the Minnesota United Loons.

Photos Credit and Property of USA TODAY 2018

Atlanta United welcomed the LAFC with a goal fest

Tata Martino is making of his Atlanta United Boys a force not to be mess. After their rout over a hapless LAFC, these brought the reality to Bob Bradley’s squad of what league play is all about.

Still this match had an early clash when Atlanta defender Chris McCann harsh challenge towards LA Benny Feilhaber and the game with just 37 seconds. After the referee had to calm tensions from both sides, he decided to review the play in video replay.

As his decision to take out the red card and welcomed McCann back to the field, he just received a yellow and the game went on despite the visitors, reversing the play on claims of an accidental play with no malicious intentions.

Going to the match, all of a sudden the locals with a well-rehearsed play on the left side when Miguel Almiron sent a beautiful center, slightly missed by Michael Parkhurst, an opportune, and well situated Julian Gressel.

By scoring with a nice kick and out of the LA goalkeeper Tyler Miller reach for the first goal of the match in the 17 minute and with a good control and disallowing the locals to display the game they are most comfortable.

Going into the half and with dominance of the first half and for the joy of the Argentine manager seeing his squad so far dominating the match in its entirety, the second half promised to be with plenty of fireworks.

With both squads fighting their way into the each other backfields and looking forward to either tie or get the go ahead goal by the locals, it’s when hell broke loose for the more than 40,000 in attendance in the colossus of Marietta, Georgia.

For the Atlanta bunch, it was business as usual and with a triangulation of Julian Gressel and Kevin Kratz this latter one passing to Josef Martinez for the second goal in the 67 minute. As the game went on in the 88, again the dominance of the home side put in evidence with another score.

As Miguel Almiron on a penalty kick converted for Atlanta and the game was far from over for the LAFC after a series of costly mistakes and lack of a more ingenuity in their game, this loss exposed many frailties the team Angelinos needs to work on.

With a free kick in favor of Atlanta, after the shoot the game official immediately caught a handball as LA rookie Joa Mouthino given a red card after two yellows and sent off leaving his side with ten men and for Almiron again converting the penal in the 92 minute.

The game official after extending the gaem finale with added injury time, the United Boys decided to put another score and with Romario Williams assisted by Jeff Larentowicz in the 97.

After a bright start for bob Bradley and company last weekend lost in the Traffico Derby against their cross-town foes the LA Galaxy and today against Atlanta United, suddenly the reality of league play is starting the haunt the LA manager.

For now, this puts Atlanta within a point of first place NYCFC and making it interesting for the race in the top of the Eastern Conference.

Photos Credit and Property of Atlanta United Football Club 2018