|
November
3rd – Home vs Porto
10th – Away vs Pampilhosa, Taca de Portugal
24th – Home vs Academica
In training, improvement by Barreto, Rodrigues and Mariano
We are not expected to win the Porto matchup either.
I start the game, and we’ll begin standard. It’s our place, and I want to see how it plays outs. Let’s make them earn this. I move to counter at the 23rd minute. They score, but its called offsides two minutes later. Massive pressure ensues. They are too fast at snuffing out our passes. We’re taking long, desperate shots too frequently . I don’t want middies taking long shots when we have a good possession. Mariano’s passes have been intercepted too frequently. Half time. Stats – They have 20 shots with 9 on target. We have 3 with 1. We are going to lose this game – it’s fairly obvious. I move moving Rafa into a defensive set. I change our passing and shots taken. Can we hold on for another 45? We had an amazing opportunity but they tackled Rondon with the ball in the box. They score off the post in the 47th minute. We knew it was happening, based on how the game was going. Offsides, they get another goal called off at the 50. After being told to shoot less often, Mariano just ended a good attacking move with a shot from just at the top of the box on the corner. I pull him. He’s out of there. In goes Barreto. I also pull the uneasy Junior for Sequeira. I pull Rondon for Kayke after an injury. I move to Standard in the last 15. Can we steal a goal late and escape with a point? Barreto now pisses me off. He had a shot in the 91st minute on target, thought it was going in, and raised his hands to celebrate instead of chasing after in case of a rebound. Of course, the GK stopped the shot. No last minute magic. Game over, we lose 1-0. They had 16 shots on target, and we stopped 15. That was a great defense. We had 4 on target and 9 shot, that’s not too bad for a team on the defensive. This could have been ours. Ah well, Rondon will be out for a bit.
|