Houston Soccer Club (HOFSL)

[calcutta]

Mbom-bed - Chicago humbled in home opener

Saturday, Oct 13th - Not to be outdone by NY's three-goal margin of victory yesterday, Boston went one better with a 5-1 thrashing of Chicago at Toyota Park. Patrick Mboma scored two of the five goals to become the first multiple goalscorer of the HOFSL, including the fifth and final goal to pierce the hearts of the Chicago faithful.

Boston made a late change to their line-up, deputising Paul Gascoigne ahead of Bebeto who failed a late fitness test. The move paid off immendiately when the Englishman pounced on a loose ball nine minutes in to slot the opening goal into an empty net, after Bodo Illgner's clearance deflected off his captain Tony Adams inside the box. Ten minutes later it was 2-0 to the visitors, Mboma registering his first when he headed in Ronald Koeman's corner kick. And by the half hour, they were 3-0 up in similar fashion, this time Boston skipper Frank Rijkaard adding the finishing touch to his compatriot's corner kick.

0-3 down at the break, Chicago brought on Ian Wright to partner Dennis Bergkamp hoping to relive their prolific Arsenal days. Just before the hour mark, the move paid off from yet another corner. Thomas Hassler delivered the set piece from the left side where it was nodded in by the Englishman. But now playing with only three at the back, Chicago were caught out again when Nicola Berti put Koeman through down the left and the Dutch centre half finished it off from a difficult angle to make it 1-4. Mboma rounded off the result in the 73rd minute retrieving a loose ball on the edge of the area, and his left foot shot on the turn found the bottom left corner. Chicago's miserable outing was summed up five minutes from time, when substitute Gerald Vanenburg's low drive from just inside the box struck the base of the left post. It just wasn't to be as Boston get their campaign off to the perfect start on the road despite being outshot by their hosts, and return home next week to play Miami, while Chicago travel to Houston.


CHICAGO ....... 1 Wright 57'
BOSTON ........ 5 Gascoigne 9', Mboma 20' 73', Rijkaard 29', Koeman 61'

from Toyota Park, Chicago


Line-ups
CHI (4-1-3-2): Illgner, Adams, Pereira, Breitner (Vanenburg +81'), Tardelli, Simeone (Nakata +64'), Donadoni, Hassler, Zidane, Bergkamp, Zamorano (Wright +45')
BOS (3-1-3-3): Seaman, Brown, Kohler, Koeman, Rijkaard, Fernandez (Neal +74'), Berti, Gascoigne (Almeyda +86'), Mboma, Papin (Giusti +45'), Voller

Shots
CHI: 17 total, 9 on target (Hassler 6-4, Donadoni 3-1, Bergkamp 2-2, Wright 2-1, Zamorano 2-1, Zidane 1-0)
BOS: 15 total, 10 on target (Mboma 4-3, Voller 3-1, Papin 2-2, Rijkaard 2-2, Gascoigne 2-1, Koeman 1-1, Berti 1-0)

Possession: 53-47 Boston
Fouls: 4-3 Boston
Corners: 6-4 Chicago


3 Stars
3 - Ronald Koeman (BOS); assisted two goals from corners and scored one himself - not bad output for a central defender.
2 - Patrick Mboma (BOS); showed his attacking prowess scoring two goals on four total shots.
1 - Thomas Hassler (CHI); put in a valiant effort on the losing side with half a dozen decent shots, along with an assist for the consolation goal.

[calcutta]

That's Moore Like It! - Denver clinch point at the death

Saturday, Oct 13th - The opening week trend of the away team snatching the points looked on track again when Houston held a 3-2 lead at INVESCO Field in the final minutes. But Denver defender Bobby Moore changed all that with an 87th minute volley that was lodged into the bottom corner to deservedly earn a point in a six goal thriller. Moore was first to react to the loose aerial ball from Andreas Brehme's corner kick that deflected off Houston defender Lucas Radebe - a fierce left foot strike that gave Jose Luis Chilavert no chance in goal.

It was a fitting finale to a back-and-forth encounter that saw visitors Houston take the lead in the 12th minute - Gianfranco Zola tapping in a rebound after Gabriel Batisuta's shot was saved by Ed de Goey. Five minutes later, Denver had the chance to equaliser on a Brehme corner kick, but Gary Lineker's header was cleared off the line by fullback Stuart Pearce. Not surprisingly, it was another Brehme corner just before the break that did result in the equaliser - his deep cross finding an unmarked Dunga at the back post to nod in after ghosting in around the back.

Despite giving up that soft goal, Houston were hardly discouraged after the break, and goalkeeper Chilavert showed off his renowned free kick ability with a dipping 30-yard effort that forced a great diving save out of his opposite number. But the Paraguayan was undone in his own goal area just minutes after the break, Christophe Dugarry leading a counterattack down the left, picking out Jorge Burruchaga with a low cross to tap in from thirteen yards to complete the turnaround. Again the visitors were not phased, levelling things at 2-2 when Zola banged in his second from 17 yards, after Pierre Littbarski supplied the set up. And Littbarski was at it again with ten or so minutes to go, setting up his captain Christian Karembeu in similar fashion. The Frenchman drove in a 26-yard thunderbolt to complete Houston's own comeback.

But Denver were buoyed on by their home support and English captain Bobby Moore was the saviour with three minutes to play to ensure the two sides played out the first draw of the inaugural HOFSL. Denver travel to play Detroit next Sunday, while Houston entertain Chicago on the Saturday in their home opener.


DENVER ........ 3 Dunga 37', Burruchaga 49', Moore 87'
HOUSTON ....... 3 Zola 12' 66', Karembeu 79'

from INVESCO Field at Mile High, Denver


Line-ups
DEN (4-1-2-3): de Goey, Baresi, Moore, Kaltz, Brehme, Dunga, Petit (Erwin Koeman +71'), Ancelotti, Dugarry, Burruchaga, Lineker (Caniggia +71')
HOU (4-1-3-2): Chilavert, Radebe, Buchwald, Pearce (Tassotti +86'), Lizarazu, Winter, Karembeau, Littbarski, Overmars (Rocheteau +59'), Zola, Batistuta

Shots
DEN: 14 total, 10 on target (Dugarry 4-1, Lineker 3-3, Burruchaga 3-2, Dunga 2-2, Caniggia 1-1, Brehme 1-1)
HOU: 12 total, 7 on target (Zola 4-3, Batistuta 2-2, Karembeau 2-1, Winter 2-0, Chilavert 1-1, Littbarski 1-0)

Possession: 57-43 Denver
Fouls: 7-4 Houston
Corners: 7-3 Denver


3 Stars
3 - Gianfranco Zola (HOU); scored two goals on four shots in an impressive league debut.
2 - Andreas Brehme (DEN); his corners caused major problems in the Houston defence, resulting in two of Denver's goals.
1 - Pierre Littbarski (HOU); set up the second and third goals to momentarily put Houston back in front again.

[billmatic]

Bebeto gets a roster spot, but my man Romario doesn't? Blasphemy!

This is a pretty cool idea, interested to see what happens.

[Acid]

Awesome idea.

I want to see Jay-Jay Okocha own some people for LA.

[calcutta]

Defensive blunders gift Atlanta the points in derby

Sunday, Oct 14th - Embarrassing errors by goalkeeper Emerson Leao and midfielder Bernd Schuster cost Miami dearly, as they were stunned 3-1 at home to Atlanta in the South derby. The result means that the home team still hasn't registered a win in an HOFSL match yet...

After a quiet opening period, things livened up in the 21st minute when Leao fumbled a cross giving compatriot Zico an empty goal to open the scoring. It was Michel Platini's wicked cross from the left that forced Leao to make a diving save but his weak parry deflected off Zico's knee and ended up in the back of the net. Perhaps a more humiliating event led to Atlanta's second five minutes after the break, again 'set up' by Platini on the left. This time he overpowered his cross to find an unmarked Schuster under no pressure, but he inexplicably attempted to head back to his keeper, only to find the bottom right corner of Leao's goal.

The German was soon substituted by Johnny Rep as Miami, facing a two-goal deficit, started to apply pressure themselves. In the 68th minute, they were rewarded when a John Barnes cross found Roberto Baggio at the front stick to head home from a tight angle and halve the deficit. Barnes could've have become a goal-scoring hero himself five minutes later when he was left one-on-one with Gianluca Pagliuci, but he skewed his 15-yard drive wide of goal. It proved to be a telling miss when in the 86th minute, Englishmen Kevin Keegan and David Platt combined to seal the points. The former playing a delightful chip into the box allowing Platt to run onto it and sidefoot home from near the penalty spot.

Things don't get any easier next week for Miami, who face a testing trip at league leaders Boston next week. They will be looking to Diego Maradona and David Ginola to find form after disappointing debuts - the Argentine was restricted to tame long range efforts, while the latter was almost non-existant and was subbed at half time. Meanwhile Atlanta host Washington hoping to continute their winning start to the season.


MIAMI ......... 1 Baggio 68'
ATLANTA ....... 3 Zico 21', Schuster (own goal) 50', Platt 86'

from Dolphin Stadium, Miami


Line-ups
MIA (4-4-2): Leao, Bergomi, Sensini, Vogts, Amoros (Antognoni +87'), Ince, Ginola (Jairzinho +45'), Schuster (Rep +55'), Barnes, Maradona, Baggio
ATL (4-1-2-3): Pagliuca, Sammer, de Boer, Suurbier (Butcher +78'), Junior, Redondo, Zico, Platt, van Basten (Bierhoff +66'), Platini, Keegan

Shots
MIA: 13 total, 6 on target (Barnes 5-3, Maradona 4-2, Baggio 2-1, Amoros 1-0, Ince 1-0)
ATL: 12 total, 6 on target (Platt 4-3, Zico 2-1, Platini 2-1, van Basten 2-0, Redondo 1-1, Keegan 1-0)

Possession: 51-49 Miami
Fouls: 5-5
Corners: 3-1 Atlanta


3 Stars
3 - David Platt (ATL); put into the line-up at the last minute and displayed why he should retain that spot next week.
2 - Michel Platini (ATL); had a big hand to play in each of the first two goals, though neither rewarded him assists.
1 - John Barnes (MIA); registered five shots and an assist in a losing effort, but did miss a chance for a game-tying goal.

[calcutta]

LA avoid paying penalty for spot kick miss

Sunday, Oct 14th - Despite a missed penalty by Daniel Passarella, Los Angeles opened their season with a 2-1 win, becoming the first home team to register a win in the HOFSL. Juergen Klinsmann was LA's hero, scoring one and setting up the winning goal.

All the game's key moments occurred within the opening half hour. It was Klinsmann himself who opened the scoring just five minutes in with a weaving run through Detroit territory, before drilling a low shot from 16 yards. But Detroit hit back soon after with a goal through their own star striker, Alan Shearer. The Englishman's grounded strike from the edge of the area heading in off the left post, after he collected a Jean Tigana pass. Continuing a crazy opening period, LA were given the chance to regain the lead in the 13th minute from the spot when Bruno Conti was scythed down by Maxime Bossis. However, Argentine defender Passarella blasted over the bar.

That may have disgruntled the home fans but they were soon cheering again when Klinsmann became the architect of what proved to be the winning goal, just before the half hour. The German supplied a low cross from the left which was calmly converted by Conti's left foot. Ironically, the remaining hour or so was much tamer in comparison to the opening. David Beckham forced a save out of Sepp Maier in the Detroit goal with a 30-yard free kick early in the second, while Gerd Muller wasted two aerial chances for the visitors, but there were no further goals.

LA will be looking to continue their momentum next Sunday when they travel to New York, while Detroit return home to take on Denver in Week 2.


LOS ANGELES ... 2 Klinsmann 5', Conti 28'
DETROIT ....... 1 Shearer 10'

from the Memorial Colisseum, Los Angeles


Line-ups
LA (3-4-3): Taffarel, Battiston, Blind, Passarella, Giresse, Beckham, Cabrini, Cantona (Overath +69'), Gullit, Conti (Muller +84), Klinsmann
DET (3-1-3-3): Maier, Bossis, van Tiggelen, Ferrara, Tigana, Keizer (Ball +72'), Falcao, Moller, Vialli, Gerd Muller, Shearer

Shots
LA: 12 total, 6 on target (Conti 2-2, Beckham 2-1, Giresse 2-1, Klinsman 2-1, Cabrini 2-0, Gullit 1-1, Passarella 1-0)
DET: 11 total, 3 on target (Gerd Muller 3-1, Vialli 2-1, Moller 2-0, Shearer 1-1, Falcao 1-0, Keizer 1-0, Bossis 1-0)

Possession: 54-46 Los Angeles
Fouls: 6-5 Los Angeles
Corners: 3-3


3 Stars
3 - Juergen Klinsmann (LA); scored the opener and set up the winner in a stellar debut.
2 - Bruno Conti (LA); drew the foul for the penalty kick on one of his runs, then scored the game winner on another.
1 - Jean Tigana (DET); anchored the Detroit midfield well in a losing effort and setup his team's only goal.

[calcutta]

Goal Stats
22 Total Goals
4.4 Goals Per Game

14 Assisted Goals
6 Unassisted Goals
1 Direct Free Kick Goal
0 Penalty Goals (out of 1 awarded)
1 Own Goal


Goals per 15 minute period
01'-15' = 4 (18.18%)
16'-30' = 4 (18.18%)
31'-45' = 2 (9.10%)
46'-60' = 4 (18.18%)
61'-75' = 4 (18.18%)
76'-90' = 4 (18.18%)

NOTES:
- First half stoppage time goals counted in 31'-45' range
- Second half stoppage time goals counted in 76'-90' range


Disciplinary Stats
7 Yellow Cards
0 Red Cards

[calcutta]

Thanks for all the comments

Quote: Originally Posted by billmatic

Bebeto gets a roster spot, but my man Romario doesn't? Blasphemy!

Is Romario actually in the game (as an unlockable)? He wasn't in the Brazil Classic team, probably because he's still an active player.

It sux that i have to win all the cups and leagues to unlock the other retired greats like Eusebio, Stoichkov, Rush etc, especially since you can't sim games nor shorten the League lengths. Even at 5-minute match lengths it'll take at least 6-7 hours just to win each league