LIGHTNING U-11 ON THE ROAD


18th President Day Tournament
Phoenix - Arizona




  SATURDAY 2/8/1997  
    
 GAME 1  8:00  Lightning 0 vs.   Snow Devils           1
Lightning ready to take some challenges on the road came to a total dissapointment from the first game. Lightning using their strategy of the outside trap close out the chances for Snow Devils to penetrate the 18 yards box in their own half and dominated the entite 1st half but could not find the net in the several attempt to score. On the second half a terrible mistake by the linesman judge that on around the 10' when a pass from midfield found a striker breaking away. The linesman raised the flag for off side but keep running along the line with the flag up and down while the Snow Devils stricker continue his run to the penalty box where he shoot and scored. The linesman apologized to have done a terrible mistake but the center referee allowed the goal and Lightning had hard time to recover for the rest of the game with invane opportunities that could not have found the goal. Lightning deserved the win or the tie with a good performance with Snow Devils but the outcome of the game went against them thanks to a bad officiating in the 2nd half. All players were down including parents and coach that had hard time realize the game was over and lost to a stupid mistake by a young referee.

   

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GAME 2 16:00  Lightning 1 vs.   Trintoc United Galaxy  3
The second game was even worst then the first. The officials were terrible. They did not give us anything a countless number of off sides and other fouls never called two goals scored starting from an offside and the coach even received his first yellow card ever from the referee that refused to even speak to the coach for no reason even before the game started. Never saw any thing like it especially on tournament where we do expect to have qualified officials. Anyway Galaxy was a better team then the year before when the U-9 Lightning playing in the U-10 division defeated them 3-1. They have improved a great deal and they played a very good game. Lightning went down on a PK in the first few minutes and tie the score minutes later. Galaxy scored again on the verge of the end of the 1st half on a break away that three of the players started off side at least 5-8 yards each. The ref and the line did not call and the effort of Eric in goal could not stop the wide shot to the corner of the net. Lightning played a very good first half and they could have scored on several ocassions.
On the 2nd half Lightning kept the pressure over a well performance of Galaxy and gave fewer chances and again almost found the goal that was denied by the post and cross bar twice and very good saves from the keeper. Galaxy could have scored as well couple of time on some questionable break away but the finishing went wide. And again within 5 minute to the end another break away started in off side of two players and a cross again to another off side player that shot and score. Unbelievable. Nothing much we could do other than just keep quiet b'cause nothing will ever change anyway and the referee will probably throw another yellow to make things even worse and then miss the next game with no coach. After this game nobody could ever recover the frustration of such bad officiating and everyone was down like never seen before, although, even when the squad looses, no big deal were made about it other than look forward for the next game. This time was a funeral, not much for their perfomance that actually was very good although Galaxy play well as well, but for have lost the game again for such unprofessionalism from the officiating point of view.

    

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 SUNDAY 2/9/1997 

 GAME 3  1:20  American Eagles   5 vs.   Lightning      0
On Sunday our game was late in the day and the same trio of the day before were scheduled to officiated this game. After requesting different officials and wish awarded Lightning tried to overcome the nightmares of the day before. The kids seems not to be there at all. Not wanting to play the way they are used too and the heat, the angony and the tireness of a long day didn't make this game very challenging for the American Eagles that found out a wick Lightning on a bad day and dominated the entire game scoring 5 goals in the first half alone and missing many chances to score in the second half. Lightining had only 5 chances in all game but nothing came out of it. At the end of the game the Coach and parents conforted the squad not blaiming anything on their performance. When you are down in your morale there is nothing that can make change your feelings when it comes to U11 and few U10 year olds. The officiating of this game were much more superior of the previous two and only wished that they could have officiate at least the second game when we have seen the worst since the squad came along together in the fall.

    


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