The Score: 3-0

The winner: Us

 

It was the last game of the season for this old timer. We played on turf under the lights somewhere outside Stockholm.

 

Their plan of attack was to sit back in defensive mode and hope for a lucky break. I had a personal shadow, which was nice for old times sake and the goalie was intent on issuing verbal discressions in my direction.

 

The first goal came from a cross by Kim from the right corner. I ran near post and flicked it on with my chest. It barely glanced off of me, but it was enough to make the goalkeeper flinch off balance and put the ball in the net.

 

The second goal came litterally seconds before half-time. Mona streaked down the left center of the field and unselfishly cross the ball to me just inside the 6 yard box for an easy goal. On our way back to midfield the ref blew the whistle for half time.

 

The second half, the war continued. Some midget girl raked her cleats down the back of my leg, which has now resulted in large black welts on the back of my right calf. Thanks for the parting gift. And me and the goalie got into a verbal fighting match. People on other teams just don't seem to like me. Ah-Well.

 

We scored again on a cross that bounced around and landed on Kim's foot. She smacked it into the back of the net for another easy score. We had a bizzillion more opportunities, but nothing came of them.

 

The ref was pyschotic. At one point he ran across the field to scream in Mona's face about nothing at all. He handed out his fair share of yellow cards and decided to personally repremand me not 5 minutes into the game. Good times.

 

The next day the paper gave me top honors along with Fanta and Mona. It was a good way to go out.

 

6 more games to go. Win guys! We've worked too hard for it to come out any other way.

 

 

This is our main rival. Winning this game would put all our competition out of reach.  So naturally, we did what was necessary. We won 3-0.

 

The first half was a miriad of opportunities as we felt quite complacent with kicking the ball right to their keeper. And the girl guarding me was adament about letting me know she was there to annoy me. It was your typical first half, ending 0-0.

 

It didn't take long for us to score in the second half. I believe it was about 10 minutes in when I took a through pass, turned from about 15 out and placed the ball past the keeper.  5 minutes later I scored again. I took a pass from our outside defender, turned, split two defenders and then placed a shot to the left of the keeper on the ground. It was a pretty nice goal if I do say so myself.

 

The final goal came some minutes later on one of the strangest free kicks I've ever seen.  Sembrant took the shot from just outside the 18. Kim ran in front of the keeper and caused her to flinch, but she didn't touch the ball. Instead, it dropped and went right between the keepers legs. Strange, but we'll take it. After that the game was pretty much over.

 

The crowd of 615 gave me a nice send off and wished me well as they stood for a standing ovation. It was really nice and a great way to go out. I have one more game and then I'm back on a plane for Chicago. We are now 9 points ahead of the nearest competitor with 6 or 7 games left. Almost there people.

 

Score: 2-1

Winner: Us (naturally)

 

The writeup: It was a struggle but we won. Call if you want details.

 

Love ya, bye!

 

P.S. I am no longer the worst player on the team.

We won 4-0.

I quite possibly could have been the worst player on the field today so my analysis of this game will be short and sweet.

The first half was a waste of time, the score sitting at a dissappointing 0-0. I received an earload on how I should pass the ball, shoot, win the ball, challenge, run more and look up (I'm sure I've left some things out, but you get the picture).

The second half was somewhat improved as you can tell by the scoreline.

Early in the half I received a throw-in around the top right corner of the other team's half. I turned my defender and crossed the ball over the outstretched hands of the keeper to an open teammate, Nata, at the backpost, who passed it in to make the score 1-0.

The second goal I don't remember (I even think I had something to do with it, which is really sad). Fanta says that Kim scored it, so we'll go with that. And the third and fourth were from Ri, who came in off the bench with like 30 minutes to go. One was a one-time volley from a cross by Kim and the other a header from a left-sided cross.

That was the game. Happy Dad. Good.

 

We won 5-0.

 

It was a great way to start the second half of the season. I was a little worried as to how high the intensity level would be coming into our first game after the break. But we scored almost three minutes into the match when Mona took a cross from our outside defender and dribbled the keeper.

 

The score stayed 1-0 for some time and then we went up 2-0 when I flicked the ball with my head from the center of the field to Kim, who was streaking down the right-central part of the field. She passed it once around the keeper as she ran out of her goal, and then Kim passed it into an empty net.

 

The half ended 2-0.

 

The start of the second half was quite sluggish as we just went through the motions. And then, in rapid succession, Kim scored three unanswered goals. Just one right after another. I believe I assisted one of those (the last one), when I chased down the ball in the corner, dribbled the last defender and then laid it back to an open Kim. The others she took care of all by her lonesome.

 

After that, the game was over. The score: 5-0 with 6 minutes to go.

 

we tied 1-1. How rediculous. the score could have easily been 8-0.

 

So the first goal came in the twentyth minute when Mona played me a through ball on the top of the box. With my first touch I beat the first defender, but then the ball ricochetted off of the second defender. the ball then found itself in the path of Kim, who was running in from the right side. She took a touch and then burried the shot in the near post.

 

We controlled much of the first half, getting a bizzilion chances when all of a sudden they got a corner kick. the ball miraculously found its way through the entire crowd of people and bounced into the farpost, making it 1-1. The keeper should have had the ball, but she came out weak and let the ball go by her when it was only at chest level.

 

Second half Kim missed a breakaway and I hit the crossbar. Again we had a million chances but nothing went in. I've just now learned the korean translation of "pass"; as in pass the ball. I'm hoping this will help in our next match.

 

We're still in first, but only by one point. Ah well, what are ya gonna do?. . .

 

Til' next time. . .

 

We won 1-0 in the 81st minute.

 

I don't even want to talk about this game I was so disgusted with this team. I don't even think you could call what we played soccer.

 

Once more I had a nice triangular defensive setup around me, actually it was more like a square. And every time I touched the ball a defender would blatantly foul me and if I tried to run she would wrap both arms around my waist and try to pull me to the ground. All of this the ref refused to call. At one point me and one of the defenders almost got into a brawl. I won't recount all the memorable words and physical abuse that passed between us, but I'll just say that things got out of hand.

 

The whole game was like this. Yelling, fouls, sidebattles, just pure nonsense.

 

Finally in the 81st minute we got a corner kick. The ball bounced around and their defender tried to clear it, but shot it straight into Linda's stomach. The ball bounced to the ground from about 10 yards out and Linda volleyed it into the back of the net.

 

End of story. It was a game I would definitly like to forget.

 

I thought about writing a long introductory paragraph to keep you all in suspense, but even I couldn't be that cruel.

 

We won 4-0. On their home turf none-the-less. Ha!

 

So that was supposed to be our biggest game of the season, against the only undefeated team in the league. Shall I start with the game summary?

 

atmosphere: warm, sunny, around 70 degrees. Lots of fans; I'd  say around 7-800 people. 7pm kickoff (this really doesn't mean anything since it looked like it was 12 in the afternoon).

 

Anywho, our first goal came when yours truly had a breakaway. The shot deflected off the keeper's leg and ricochetted (spellcheck please) off of a defender's hand. The ref called a PK. To be honest, I'm still annoyed that I missed the shot. Linda Sembrant made the PK to get us going around 10 minutes into the match.

 

Now Gideonsburg wasn't bad. In fact they were quite physical and their outside forwards were causing us mild problems. I think they've been successful in the past by just ramming the ball in the other teams end with high pressure. But our two centerbacks, Fanta and Johanna, were like a huge brick wall. They didn't get one quality shot off in the whole first half.

 

The second goal came when Ri made an early cross from the right side. I Finally won a head ball against the beast of a shadow that was guarding me. The ball hit the far post off the header and then bounced right to Kim who was coming in from the opposite side. She one-time passed it into the net and put us up 2-0 to end the half.

 

The second half was a battle for about 15 minutes. Then Mona lofted a ball from midfield into Gideonsburg's offenssive end. I gave chase even though it looked like the defender could easily get to it and clear it out. Please take note of the following people, because I've score a few times like this. the defender then attempted to shield the ball for the oncoming keeper, who was I guess suppossed to then pick up the ball shortly thereafter. I muscled my way in between the sweeper and the keeper to get to the ball, played it through the keepers legs and then (from a slightly difficult angle) played the ball into an empty net. Why defenders continue to challenge me like this remains to be a mystery, but hey keep it up, I like scoring.

 

After this Gideonsburg became a slew of cones. I swear it was a really enjoyable game to watch if you were for Bälinge.

 

And the fourth goal was just rediculous. Ri, who had been killing her defender all game, came streeking down the left side when Kim made a diagonal run across the face of the goal. When she reached the near post Ri played her a ball on the ground from about 15 yards out. With the defender on her back and the goalkeeper cutting off any shot to the farpost, Kim just barely flicked the fall with the inside of her foot to make it curl around both defender and keeper. She did it with such composure and certainty that you just had give her props. It was sick.

 

Gideonsburg's only chance came when we got a handball called on us in the box, which warranted a PK. They missed.

 

Kim was player of the match. The girl was amazing. Hands down she ran all over their defense. Honestly, it was just so much fun to watch. Somehow I got runner up to player of the match and the sponsors sent me home with a large box of food. There's no way I deserved it. So many people played so well today.

 

Fanta played rediculous. Shall I recount my favorite play of the game? A midfielder challenged Fanta on a 50/50 ball in the middle of the field. It looked as if the girl had run smack dab into a brick wall. Fanta paused for a good second, looked down at the girl lying in pain, looked up and then dribbled past her. It was the look she gave the girl lying in a heap on the floor that really made my day.

 

I don't know what to say. Everyone just came to play today. I was really proud of our team. There is no feeling that equates to winning, especially when it really counts.

 

Next game is this Sunday. See you then. . .

 

Insert: I just got the paper today. Two seperate pictures: One large one of me and then a seperate one of Kim. Fanta got three stars, I got two and Kim got one (it's their rating system for how well the paper thinks you played. They're actually little birdies, but I thought the "star" concept would translate a little better.)

 

We won with a score of 2-0.

 

With the rain beating down and the temperature flirting with cold, we managed to win yet another match at home.

 

The first goal came about twenty minutes or so into the first half. Ri crossed a ball in from the left side past a crowd of players in the middle. The ball, once more, found itself at my feet at the backpost. I stumbled a bit and then ripped a shot into the upper 90 of the near post from about 10 yards out. Thus continues my scoring campaign. However, I am too lazy to actually figure out how many goals that is.

 

After the goal our tempo subsided and we pretty much lurched through the end of the first half. The goal also prompted the other team's defense to incorporate brutality tactics upon yours truly. I just love it when defenders start grabbing and pushing, kicking and swinging, trash-talking and complaining, whenever they see an opportunity because they realize that typical defense won't quite do it.

 

side note: The referee was a joke. She handed out 5 yellow cards today. For what, I'm still not certain. And of course I received one as well just for good measure.

 

The second half was much of the same lurch-like play. I will say though that our subs came in and picked up the run of play, making the game a tad bit more entertaining to watch.

 

Around the 80th minute our centerback, Marie Thure, slotted me a ball past the last defender. Slidding to get to it just before the keeper, I managed to push it just far enough that it sat nice and pretty right in front of the goal. Seconds later our outside forward, a second half sub, sprinted in to put the ball away and end the scoring at 2-0.

 

Our next game isn't for another week and a half and against the other first place team, Gideonsburg. Looking forward to it, see you there.

 

We won 3-0.

 

The team was so far north that we had to fly to the game. Everyone kept telling us that it would be snowing. But I have to say the weather there was better than it was in Uppsala (where it was raining and cold). The sun was shinning and it wasn't that cold.

 

The team we played, Alvik, was definitly ready to work. It wasn't an easy game by any means. And it's becoming a regular occurance that I'm now man marked. It's fun. I get to hang out with at least one other player for the whole game, actually it's more like two if you count the sweeper.

 

We scored the first goal around the 30th minute (I think). It was a corner that I headed in to put us up 1-0. After I scored I got mobbed by my teammates, and under the unexpected rush I toppled to the ground. Thanks guys, just what I needed.

 

So the half ended 1-0.

 

The second half we looked to possess the ball and let them chase us. Around 20 minutes into the game Kim scored our second goal. From the left side she took on her defender one vs. one and drifted to the center, where she cracked a shot over the keeper to make the score 2-0.

 

The third goal came after I was fouled on my way to goal. I had one defender to beat so she jumped in my way after she realized she wasn't going to stop me. The foul was right outside the box. She received a yellow card for her efforts. Nata took the free kick and drilled the ball passed the keeper to make it 3-0.

 

That was the end of the scoring eventhough more chances were created later in the game.

 

I was again awarded player of the match by the sponsors and given another tee-shirt, some candy and flowers (which I gave to the bus driver). Well that's it. Our next game is at home on next Sunday. Til' Then.

 

We won 3-0.

 

It was an ugly win, but hey, 3 points is 3 points. According to the nice reporter man, the first half was like watching a wake. Isn't he sweet? And such a poet too?

 

Anyhow, Falu is in last place and we're in first. However, we surely didn't play like it. It was the kind of game where the other team would cheer because they got a throw-in. We of course played down to their level and couldn't get anything going.

 

The half ended 0-0, with them having the better of the chances.

 

The match was a 93-minute drill of frustration. We couldn't connect passes and our execution in the final third was horrendous.

 

The second half was substantially better. It would have been too much regret to lose to the last place team in the league.

 

We scored rather quickly on a cross from Ri about 4 minutes in. It was as if everyone ran to the ball and I somehow floated to the backpost unmarked. The ball somehow found its way through the crowd and landed at my feet. I passed it in to an empty net from about 10 yards out.

 

The second goal was much like the first. I made another back post run and the cross fell at my feet again to make the score 2-0. I was then taken down in the box and we got a penalty kick to end the scoring at 3-0.

 

We got lucky and walked away without a blemish. We can't afford to lose games like this where we should clearly dominate. Thank god we woke up in the second half from our "wake".

 

So now we sit at the top of the table alone, with a big fat bullseye on our back. This Sunday I look forward to being shot at again. Til' Then. . .

 

We won 6-1. And there's no way you're gonna get a play by play from me.

 

According to the paper, I scored twice and created 3 more goals. I have now been transformed into a local celebrity. I read the paper today and my face is plaster all through out it. I had the article translated for me and noticed that my name appeared in almost every sentence. This is craziness.

 

An old lady stopped me on the street today to introduce herself and ask about my soccer career. And the lady at the grocery recognized me as well. Calm down people.

 

So yes, I had a very good game and won player of the match (according to the game's sponsor). I was given a blanket and a t-shirt as compensation and interviewed by the newspaper and the radio station.

 

The first thing the journalist said to me: "So the first match I wasn't really impressed. What happened to you that you can go from that to player of the match?"

 

Thanks jerk.

 

The paper gave me top honors as well.

 

However, my teammates thought otherwise and voted Kim the player of the game and she was given the necklace of shame. Congrats Kim.

 

For atmospheric purposes; there were 867 people at the game and it was sunny and slightly warm for our 7pm match.

 

 

This team is one of three to challenge for the league title. We won 5-0. It was our first home game of the season.

 

Now for me to recount all the people that scored would take an amount of energy that I do not have, but I'll do what I can.

 

The first two goals were scored by the Koreans, who played quite well today. So well in fact that I had to hand over my necklace to Ri (who had a goal and two assists, maybe three).

 

Ri scored the first goal early in the match as she turned the corner on her defender from the left side and then angled her body so as to place a cross/shot into the upper 90 of the farpost with her right foot. Kim then scored, running in from the right side, with her knee as Ri crossed her a ball from the left flank. The half ended 2-0.

 

The second half it started to rain and the temperature dropped from 60 to like 45.

 

The third goal escapes my memory. I believe it was a cross that bounced around in the box until Eda got a foot on it and put it in the back of the net.

 

And alas the fourth goal; the most important of them all. A cross from the left bounced passed a defender about twenty yards out. And out of nohwere came this amazing player (I believe it was me) who raced past the last defender and chipped the ball over a diving keeper.

 

But after three goals, the celebration from my teammates was miniscule. However I had a good cheer, having played a not-so-great game. The stadium then played some Chicago song; something by Frank Sinatra I gather.

 

In the waning minutes we scored again to end the match 5-0. Gustaf said there were around 500 people at the game. Although some stood outside the fence. All the families and the kids were there cheering us on in the rain. It was nice, eventhough I wish the game had been better.

 

Before the game I was so nervous. There was so much pressure to do well and everyone was coming to see the game. The local news was there along with reporters and curious fans. My god, I started off so poorly. The first game I wasn't nervous at all (I could have cared less I was so relaxed). Today I was a nervous wreck, but loosened up in the second half and ended half-way descent.

 

Anyway, it's over, we won and now we focus on the next one.

 

We're 2-0 and things look good.

 

Hej då (Goodbye) Until next time, which is Wednesday against some random team (of which I cannot spell) at home.

 

We won 2-1!

 

The Trip: The drive was around 3 1/2 hours.

 

After being kicked out of the front of the bus to make room for the 8 million coaches we took with us, Me and Fanta found two empty aisles across from one another and restaked our claim on some seats. This is key for anyone who's ever traveled as a team (ya gotta get your seat early or it could be a LONG trip wedged between a window and another teammate).

 

So everything was great until they put in a movie: The Flinstones. Wow. Thank god for headphones.

 

The city we went to seemed much bigger than Uppsala, with mountain ranges, massive lakes and buildings (but Mats tells me later that Uppsala is actually bigger). Anyway, the stadium was sweet. Their men's team is in the first division, thus the elaborate landscape and fancy arena.

 

We played on a surface like turf. Definitly not the type of surface you want to slide on. Regardless, the arena alone got me excited to play.

 

Early in the match we went down 1-0 on a free kick about 25 yards out. I can't say that it was a smart foul on our team's part, but oh well.

 

The team we played was fairly big and dominated in the air. They played a very direct style where their forwards played it back to the midfield who then rammed it upfield (over and over again).

 

On a personal note, I'm happy to say that I am beginning to return to my old self, meaning I feel effective, strong on the field and relaxed taking players on one vs. one.

 

Late in the first half Ri (My North Korean counterpart) crossed me a perfect ball as I was running in. I one-time volleyed it out of the air past the keeper to tie the game. It was quite the goal if I do say so myself (eventhough the cross was immaculate and I would have felt like an idot to mess it up).

 

During the second half Ri was taken down in the box (Fanta says she dove). Either way we got a penalty kick, which put us up 2-1. We held them off for the remainder of the game to win our first match of the season.

 

QUEEN OF THE MATCH:  Fanta has created this new tradition where the girls have to pick a player of the game through secert ballot following each match. The winner of the title is serenaded with some song and dance, and then must wear this hiddeous necklace (which Fanta brought with her from the States) symbolizing the player's accomplishment for the day.

 

Today the winner was: ME.  Haha. So yes I have taken a picture with this fabulous necklace so that everyone back home can see.