Bethesda Internationals

26 Apr. ‘09. It was another hot day under the sun at Harford County Polo grounds for the Semi-Final match against the FC Frederick U17 Premier, who bested the Calverton Spartans in a hard-fought Round 3 contest yesterday, tieing Calverton in the final minutes of Regulation, and then winning 2-1 in 2 x OT. And, it was the 4th match in 72 hrs. for Pachuca (2 at the Blue Chip on Fri., and Round 2 yesterday). Although starting off sluggish for the 1st 20 mins. vs. MSC Scorpions in Round 2 yesterday, the Internationals had a relatively easy go, winning, 5-0, but expected the upstart Frederick team to be pumped up and focused to upset Pachuca — and they got off to a good start towards that end due to a Pachuca defensive miscue around the 14th minute. Inter kicked off with a slight wind to their backs in the 1st half. Just 2 mins. into the match, the very physical and hard-working Frederick team countered with a long-ball up top to a player who beat the back line – who were pushed up almost mid-center – and took a blast from 20-22 yds. center which sailed over the cross-bar. At the 10 min. mark, after a foul by Frederick, Patrick served a nice free kick from about 25 yds. right into the box where Skylar’s header attempt missed wide right. Four mins. later at about the 14 min. mark, Frederick again sent a long-ball upfield on a counter attack, but Pachuca’s back line – who were again pushed up almost mid-center – were unable to control the ball as a Frederick player possessed it and raced towards goal to fire an easy shot from about 18-20 yds. center past Seth’s right into the net to put the Frederick team up, 1-0, and the Frederick sideline crowd went wild sensing an upset in the making. But, the Internationals kept their composure and controlled play for the rest of the match. At about the 20 min. mark, Nate collected a pass near 20 yds. left and took a shot which the GK caught. One min. later, Skylar served a right cross from near 18-20 yds. right sideline into the goal area where Nate collected the ball around 10-12 yds. left to fire a shot which the GK caught. One min. later, Skylar sent a left cross from 18-20 yds. left sideline into the box where Erik’s header was finger-tip-saved by the GK for an ensuing right corner kick which Patrick sent into the box and another header attempt by Erik sailed over the cross-bar. At about the 26 min. mark, Vitalis served a nice pass from 20 yds. left into the box where Schillo’s shot was finger-tip-saved by the GK for an ensuing leftcorner kick. One min. later, Skylar crossed a nice ball from about 20 yds. right into the box where Chris’ header went over the cross-bar. Around the 39 min. mark, Patrick sent a nice free kick from about 25 yds. right into the box where Vitalis’ hard blast went over the cross-bar. At about the 43 min. mark, Skylar served a right corner kick into the box where Nicholas’ header attempt sailed over the cross-bar. One min. later, Schillo sent a shot on goal which the GK caught. Inter held the Frederick team to just 2 shots on goal and 1 corner kick while they committed 7 fouls (including YC’s shown to #5 and #17 for hard fouls on Schillo and Skylar, respectively). Pachuca committed 7 fouls (including 1 offsides), set up 5 corner kick situations and took 10 shots on goal but could not finish a goal, and the half ended, 1-0, FC Frederick U17 Premier.

In the 2nd half, Frederick kicked off with the wind. Inter’s defense tightened up after the 1st goal and continued to play solidly, allowing Frederick to take just 1 shot on goal which came late in the half at the 44th minute off of a long free kick from 35+ yds. out which Seth caught, and 1 corner kick which was unsuccessful while committing 11 fouls (including a YC shown to #3 for? aned a 2nd YC shown to #5 who was sent off with a resultant soft RC). Pachuca kept up its offensive barrage, taking 13 shots on goal and 5 corner kicks while committing 4 fouls (including 2 offsides). At the 4 min. mark, Schillo sent a pass from 25 yds. left into the box near 18 yds. center where Chris’ shot on goal was stopped by the GK. Four mins. later, Skylar sent a right corner kick into the box and Chris’s header attempt was deflected away for an ensuing corner kick. Then, at about the same time when Frederick scored in the 1st half, or at the 14th min. mark, Jamie collected a ball deep in the right back, dribbled upfield in between closing defenders and switched a ball from 30-35 yds. right over to the left into the box far post where Schillo timed his header to knock in the equalizer goal. Two mins. later, Schillo sent a pass from 20-22 yds. right over to Chris near 18 yds. center whose shot went over the cross-bar. One min. later, Vitalis’ shot from 20 yds. left was stopped by the GK and cleared up. At about the 24 min. mark, Alex received a pass, worked his way near 12-15 yds. on the right to take a shot which went wide left. At the 33 min mark, Vitalis’ attempted header was deflected for a right corner kick which Patrick served into the box where Nicholas’ header attempt was caught by the GK. One min. later, Schillo’s shot from 22 yds. right was caught by the GK. Two mins. later, Patrick collected a ball near mid-field, dribbled a couple of yards around 25 yds. center and kicked a hard shot on goal which went over the cross-bar. Then, at the 37 min. mark, Ebo was fouled in the box., and Alex stepped up to take the successful PK to put Pachuca up, 2-1. At the 43 min. mark, Vitalis sent a nice cross from 20 yds. left into the box where Ebo’s close-in shot was caught by the GK, and one min. later, Alex passed a ball from 18-20 yds. right side-line into the box to Ebo near 10-12 yds. on the right but his shot went wide left, and the game ended, 2-1, Pachuca Internationals.

Pachuca Internationals will go on to play in the Final, 30th May, vs. its cross-town friends/rivals, Freestate Elite, who bested their sister team, Freestate Dragons, 3-1, in the other Semi-Final action. It will be the 2nd year in a row that the Internationals and Elite have met in the Final, with Freestate prevailing in last year’s U16/Final 2008, 1-0, and it also prevailed in the U13/Final 2005, 1-0. It will be the Internationals’ straight 5th year in the Final, also succumbing to the then mighty but now defunct Bethesda Roadrunners, 0-2, in the U14/Final 2006, and the U15/Final 2007, 1-2.