Houston Soccer Club (HOFSL)

[billmatic]

You could use the old NASL names, some of them are pretty cool. I think Miami and Denver are the only 2 cities you have that weren't represented in it.

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Stress for Giresse as own goal foils Klinsmann brace

Friday, Nov 16th - On a night where Emmanuel Petit became the HOFSL’s 50th individual goalscorer and Juergen Klinsmann went to the top of the scoring charts, Alain Giresse was the headliner with a catastrophic own goal that unltimately decided the game. Denver remains undefeated as they clinched a 3-2 road win at LA’s Memorial Colisseum, temporarily moving to second on the ladder. Klinsmann’s double was not enough to prevent LA continuing their 3-game winless streak.

Just as they did in the nation’s capital last week, LA went two goals down inside the opening quarter of the match and were forced to play catch up for the remainder. Petit got the ball rolling in the 9th minute, writing himself in the record books in the process – he became the HOFSL’s 50th different individual goalscorer (not including own goals). And the Frenchman did it some style too, controlling a Jorge Burruchaga cross with his chest before finishing in the bottom left corner without the ball ever touching the ground. The 11-yard left foot effort would make any striker proud. Petit almost added to his and Denver’s tally in the 21st minute with a more conventional 18-yard ground strike, but the Frenchman was denied by Claudio Taffarel. However the visiting supporters were soon cheering again on the resulting corner kick. Although Taffarel made another fine save to deny Bobby Moore’s header, fellow central defender Franco Baresi was on hand to tap the rebound into an empty goal. It was the Italian’s third goal in as many games, asserting himself as Denver’s top goalscorer.

LA started with Ruud Gullit in defence today ahead of regular Patrick Battiston who was ill and the Dutchman seemed unsettled in their three-man backline. Following the early collapse, they reverted to a 4-3-3 formation by pushing Antonio Cabrini into a fullback position, while allowing Gullit to overlap more often in offense. By the 36th minute, LA had found the goal to get back into the contest, when Gullit’s lob forward was flicked on by Eric Cantona. Klinsmann beat the Denver offside trap to latch onto the ball and beat the advancing Ed de Goey from 16 yards. But any hope of equalising before the break was dashed in the 41st minute when Giresse couldn’t clear off his own line. Claudio Caniggia’s initial shot was not held by Taffarel and as the ball trickled towards the goal-line, Giresse came sliding in only to help it into the net. His misery was compouned in the following when he picked up a booking, and was subsequently replaced at the break.

After the interval, LA started to control the game in search of the goals to at least claim a point on home soil. Gullit’s header from a 63rd minute David Beckham corner was a sign of things to come when it beat de Goey but not defender Manfred Kaltz on the front post - the German had no clue what he had accomplished based on the pace of the header. Beckham himself was denied in the 76th minute when his fierce 24-yard free kick was met with an incredible diving save at the left upright. But the hosts were given a lifeline on Beckham’s resulting corner with Klinsmann heading in his second of the game. In the 88th minute, it was de ja vu for Beckham as another set piece blast, this time from 30 yards, was again saved at the left post by de Goey. It was to be LA’s last chance too as they couldn’t complete the comeback in front despite the valiant effort.

De Goey’s performance in the second half ensured Denver snatched just their second win of the season, though they remain only one of two undefeated teams. They will be expected to continue that streak during next week’s visit by Washington in Colorado. LA meanwhile are without a win in their last three games, and face a difficult road trip to take on in form Chicago next week.


LOS ANGELES ... 2 Klinsmann 36’ 77’
DENVER ........ 3 Petit 9’, Baresi 22’, Giresse (own goal) 41’

from the Memorial Colisseum, Los Angeles


Line-ups
LA (3-1-3-3): Taffarel, Gullit (Overath +80’), Blind, Passarella, Giresse (Clodoaldo +45'), Beckham, Cabrini, Okocha (Muller +68’), Cantona, Conti, Klinsmann
DEN (4-1-2-3): de Goey, Moore, Baresi, Kaltz (Ruggeri +68’), Brehme, Dunga, Petit, Ancelotti, Caniggia (Erwin Koeman +86’), Burruchaga, Lineker (Edmundo +56')

Shots
LA: 17 total, 11 on target (Klinsmann 4-3, Cantona 3-2, Gullit 3-1, Beckham 2-2, Conti 2-1, Cabrini 1-1, Giresse 1-1, Muller 1-0)
DEN: 17 total, 9 on target (Caniggia 3-2, Lineker 3-1, Petit 2-2, Moore 2-2, Burruchaga 2-0, Brehme 1-1, Baresi 1-1, Edmundo 1-0, Ancelotti 1-0, Kaltz 1-0)

Possession: 55-45 Denver
Fouls: 6-3 Los Angeles
Corners: 5-4 Denver


3 Stars
3 - Ed de Goey (DEN); made eight saves on ten shots including some very crucial ones late on to ensure his side took all three points.
2 - Juergen Klinsmann (LA); scored twice on three shots to take his season total to a league-high five goals.
1 - Emmanuel Petit (DEN); made history by scoring a well-taken opener and almost added to it soon after.

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Hassler frustrates Miami in another comeback win

Saturday, Nov 17th - For the second time in as many road games, Chicago came from behind to steal all three points. Second half goals by Luis Pereira and Thomas Hassler overcame a Roberto Baggio opener for the visitors, downing Miami 2-1 to move back to second place.

It was a first half dominated by Chicago, where Miami's constant fouling posed set piece problems throughout - Hassler was denied an early chance when his 24-yard free kick was well saved by Emerson Leao. Dennis Bergkamp failed to continue his scoring streak when he missed two glorious chances soon after. First off the Dutchman shot across goal in the 20th minute after meeting a Roberto Donadoni cross at the near post. Then just four minutes later his one-timer from 14 yards went inches wide after latching onto a Zinedine Zidane through pass. They all proved to be pivotal misses as Miami took the lead on their first real thrust forward in the 33rd minute. Chicago keeper Bodo Illgner was guilty of poor positioning when Baggio nodded home a Bernd Schuster cross from six yards, the end result of a Miami break down the right. A minute before the break Miami almost increased their lead but Diego Maradona's low strike from the edge of the area flashed just wide of the far post. The diminutive Argentine has still yet to open his account this season.

The home team were made to rue that missed opportunity when Chicago levelled the game just two minutes after the break. It was from an unexpected source too, as defender Luis Pereira headed in Hassler's corner after making the journey up from the back. Just ten more minutes had passed when another Miami foul - one of 11 by the team in the game - proved to be the hosts' undoing. Hassler made no mistake with the 20-yard attempt, dipping it over the wall and into the right side of goal to complete the turnaround. Miami struggled to get back into the match even with three men up front, as it was Chicago who looked more likely to add to the scoreline. They were denied twice by Leao in four minutes - firstly substitute Rai setting Ian Wright up with a cutback, but his fierce 16-yard shot was saved by the Brazilian's legs in the 78th minute. Then Rai was denied himself by another reflex save inthe 81st minute when his five-yard header from Hassler's corner was turned away. But Miami's sole effort in the closing moments failed to make Illgner work as Jairzinho's 22-yard half volley couldn't hit the target.

With the victory, Chicago extend their undefeated streak to five as they lie just two points behind Boston, and finally neutralised their goal differential. They are back in action next Friday when they host Los Angeles. Miami conversely are without a win in three and face fellow stragglers Detroit in Week 7.


MIAMI ......... 1 Baggio 33'
CHICAGO ....... 2 Pereira 47', Hassler 57'

from Dolphin Stadium, Miami


Line-ups
MIA (4-4-2): Leao, Sensini (Jonk +65’), Bergomi, Vogts (Jairzinho +76’), Amoros, Ince, Ginola (Miura +85'), Schuster, Rep, Maradona, Baggio
CHI (4-1-3-2): Illgner, Adams, Pereira, Breitner, Tardelli, Simeone, Donadoni, Hassler, Zidane (Rai +45'), Bergkamp (Galvan +85'), Wright

Shots
MIA: 15 total, 8 on target (Rep 5-2, Baggio 3-2, Maradona 3-1, Jairzinho 2-1, Schuster 1-1, Ginola 1-1)
CHI: 19 total, 10 on target (Wright 6-2, Hassler 4-3, Bergkamp 4-2, Rai 2-1, Pereira 1-1, Donadoni 1-1, Adams 1-0)

Possession: 54-46 Chicago
Fouls: 11-5 Miami
Corners: 5-1 Chicago


3 Stars
3 - Thomas Hassler (CHI); set up the equaliser then scored the winning goal in a ten-minute spread.
2 - Emerson Leao (MIA); made some key saves to keep Miami in the game even after they lost the lead.
1 - Ian Wright (CHI); made an explosive start to the match was very unlucky not score late on.

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Cruyff claims #100, point in eight-goal thriller!

Saturday, Nov 17th - Johan Cruyff’s stoppage time goal stole a point for Washington in an astonishing 4-4 draw at Houston. It was a remarkable ninety minutes of football that saw the hosts come from 1-3 down at the break to take the lead, only to cough it up at the death. The match set a few records too along the way, with the eight goals setting a new mark for most goals in a game, needing a record seven different goalscorers to do so. Cruyff’s all important equaliser also set a league milestone – the Dutchman’s third of the campaign was the 100th goal in HOFSL competition.

Washington started with the same 4-3-3 formation that got them two early goals in the draw with LA last week. History repeated itself when the visitor’s struck twice in the opening ten minutes tonight. Just seven minutes had passed when a Chris Waddle cross from the left was headed in by Roberto Rivelino at the back stick. Paolo Rossi doubled the lead just three minutes later, when Lothar Matthaus split the defence with a pinpoint pass, giving the Italian an easy 11-yard finish into the bottom left corner. But Houston, retaining a 4-1-3-2 formation that shut out Detroit last week, were not fazed and pulled a goal back by the half hour. Not surprisingly, it was via a Pierre Littbarski inswinging corner that picked out Gianfranco Zola at the far post to head into the roof of the net – it puts Littbarski atop the assist rankings with five helpers in six matches. However, Washington reinstated their two-goal advantage just three minutes later – Rossi became goalscorer, converting Julio Olarticochea’s right side cross with a ten-yard half volley. That capped off the goalscoring in the first 45, with Washington seemingly on track to claiming their first win of the season…

Houston had other plans though and in the second minute after the break, the home team pulled it back to 2-3 - Gabriel Batistuta heading an the rebound after Littbarski’s initial shot was not held by Ubaldo FIllol. Littbarski almost equalised in the 64th minute when he cut in from the right, but his low drive beat the far post. Only four minutes had passed though when Houston completed an improbable turnaround – half time sub Bryan Robson applying the finishing touch from 12 yards after Christian Karembeu slipped him through. With the momentum in hand, Houston went for the winner and they looked to have found it in the 76th minute when Zola stole the ball off Marcel Desailly and made a break on the left flank. The Italians drilled in a low cross to the back stick that was duly converted by Batistuta making the score 4-3.

The boisterous home crowd were stunned however in the second minute of stoppage time when Cruyff popped up with the eighth goal of the game, also capitalising on a mistake by a central defender in Lucas Radebe. The former Barcelona superstar driving into the roof of the net from 16 yards to clinch a point in an exhilarating 4-4 draw, easily the best game of the young season. Both teams only have themselves to blame four giving up their respective leads, though a point a piece was probably the deserved result for both clubs. Washington remain bottom claiming just their second point of the team, and their first away from home. Houston would be disspointed not to overcome the team at the foot of the table at home, and fail to jump into the top four as a result.


HOUSTON ....... 4 Zola 29’, Batistuta 46’ 76’, Robson 68’
WASHINGTON .... 4 Rivelino 7’, Matthaus 10’, Rossi 32’, Cruyff 90+’

from Robertson Stadium, Houston


Line-ups
HOU (4-1-3-2) Chilavert, Radebe, Buchwald, Tassotti (Rocheteau +74'), Pearce (Mauro Silva +59'), Winter, Littbarski, Karembeu, Lizarazu (Robson +45'), Zola, Batistuta
WAS (4-1-2-3): Fillol, Gentile, Desailly, Olarticochea, Leonardo (Sampson +66'), Deschamps, Matthaus, Cruyff, Rivelino, Waddle (Hughes +82’), Rossi

Shots
HOU: 18 total, 9 on target (Zola 4-2, Batisuta 3-2, Robson 3-2, Karembeu 2-2, Littbarski 3-1, Winter 1-0, Pearce 1-0, Littbarski 1-0)
WAS: 16 total, 10 on target (Rossi 4-3, Cruyff 4-2, Matthaus 3-2, Waddle 2-1, Rivelino 2-1, Deschamps 1-1)

Possession: 51-49 Washington
Fouls: 3-2 Washington
Corners: 6-3 Washington


3 Stars
3 - Gabriel Batistuta (HOU); scored twice to trigger, and then complete, an improbable comeback.
2 - Johan Cruyff (WAS); scored the game-tying goal at the death to keep Washington undefeated in two games.
1 - Gianfranco Zola (HOU); scored Houston’s first, and eventually set up their go-ahead goal.

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Papin's 3 from 3 makes it 6 from 6 for Boston

Sunday, Nov 18th - Jean-Pierre Papin scored three goals on as many shots as Boston romped to an easy 3-0 vistory at home to Detroit, keeping their perfect start to the season alive. In a dominant performance by the home team, Patrick Mboma set up the first two and Paul Gascoigne chipped in to assist the third to help Papin complete the first hat-trick in the HOFSL, sending him back to the top of the scoring charts in the process.

Jurgen Kohler signalled Boston's intent as early as the 12th minute with a 10-yard header that grazed the crossbar on a Ronald Koeman corner. Just three minutes later, and Papin had opened his account to give Boston the lead, netting an acrobatic diving header from eight yards after meeting Mboma's cross from the left. By the 25th minute, Papin had added to his and Boston's tally when Mboma provided the set up once again. This time the Cameroonian played a sublime chip ahead to his team-mate to control and slot into the bottom right corner from 16 yards on his touch. Bebeto almost made it 3-0 ten minutes later with a break down the right followed by a cut into the box, but his powerful ground drive went wide of the far post. Detroit's only notable chance in the first period came in the 41st minute when Gerd Muller was one-on-one with David Seaman, but the 19-yard shot was struck straight at the Boston goalkeeper - it was one of only four shots on target for Detroit, compared to Boston's eleven.

Detroit had started the match with a 4-1-3-2 formation in order to contain the Boston offense that had scored 18 goals in their five previous games. With that strategy failing miserably, they reverted back to their usual 3-1-3-3 system with Ciro Ferrara sacrificed for third striker Alan Shearer. But it failed to make any difference, as Papin sealed his hat-trick by the hour mark, effectively killing off the game. This time Gascoigne provided the deep cross from the left side after turning back onto his right foot, and Papin peeled off his marker to header into the roof of the net from seven yards - it was the Frenchman's seventh goal of the season.

With the points in the bag, Boston experimented with a 4-4-2 system in the final quarter of the match as Papin and Mboma were given a deserved rest. Detroit simply couldn't put any moves together and they were restricted to trying long range efforts that failed to test Seaman, as the Englishman secured his second clean sheet of the season. The result sees 6 and 0 Boston re-establish a five point lead atop the standings, and they would be expected to keep their perfect record going next week when they play New York, again at home. Detroit fall to 1-1-4 on the season after being shutout for the second week in a row. They will be looking to end that drought when they host Miami next week.


BOSTON ........ 3 Papin 15' 25' 57'
DETROIT ....... 0 -

from Gillette Stadium, Foxboro


Line-ups
BOS (3-1-3-3) Seaman, Brown, Kohler, Rijkaard, Fernandez (Giusti +66'), Berti, Koeman, Gascoigne, Bebeto, Mboma (Almeyda +66'), Papin (Voller +66')
DET (4-1-3-2): Maier, van Tiggelen, Ferrara (Shearer +45'), Bossis, Tarantini, Tigana (Albertini +80'), Ball, Moller (Falcao +75'), Keizer, Vialli, Gerd Muller

Shots
BOS: 17 total, 11 on target (Koeman 4-3, Papin 3-3, Kohler 3-1, Bebeto 3-0, Gascoigne 2-2, Mboma 1-1, Rijkaard 1-1)
DET: 13 total, 4 on target (Shearer 2-2, Gerd Muller 2-1, Keizer 2-1, Moller 2-0, Vialli 1-0, Falcao 1-0, Ball 1-0, van TIggelen 1-0, Bossis 1-0)

Possession: 51-49 Boston
Fouls: 8-4 Boston
Corners: 6-6


3 Stars
3 - Jean-Pierre Papin (BOS); three shots, three goals...'nuff said.
2 - Patrick Mboma (BOS); set up the first two goals in brilliant fashion, showing he is more than capable of just scoring them.
1 - Ronald Koeman (BOS); the defender played the entire 90 as an attacking midfielder and displayed why he should continue playing there in the future.

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Helper hat-trick for Keegan as Pele sees red in New York

Sunday, Nov 18th - Just two hours after Jean-Pierre Papin registered the first hat-trick of goals in HOFSL league play, Kevin Keegan became the first player to record three assists in a single game. The Englishman was one of three stars along with compatriot David Platt and Marco van Basten, who both scored doubles, as Atlanta got back to winning ways with a comprehensive 4-1 win in New York. The home team ended the match with ten men, when their goalscorer Pele was given a straight red card as New York imploded in the final half hour.

The visitors got off to bright start, showing no signs of spillover of the team that suffered two straight losses at home in the previous fortnight. Nine minutes in and the home crowd had goalkeeper Dino Zoff to thank for making a double save in a goal mouth scramble to keep Atlanta out. The first was a 17-yard drive by Platt hit straight at him with considerable force, and the Italian number one recovered to prevent van Basten's follow up. His defender Laurent Blanc almost capitalised on those let offs in the 25th minute at the other end, but his six-yard header was somehow denied by Gianluca Pagliuca - Zoff's opposite number and fellow Italian making an incredible reflex save to deny Frenchman Blanc. It was a watershed moment as just two minutes later, Atlanta took the lead through Platt. The midfielder blasted into the roof of the net from six yards, after connecting with Keegan's cutback from the left.

Another goalmouth scramble, this time in Atlanta's box, signalled the start of the second half when the ball fell to Pele about 15 yards out. The Brazilian's low sidefooter was blocked by countryman Junior and the ball trickled inches wide of the goal as Pagliuca was wrong-footed by the deflection. Again, Atlanta were triggered into action at the other end but were denied twice by the woodwork in three minutes. Keegan's 53rd minute one-timer from Michel Platini's cutback shaved the left post, while van Basten's 20-yard chip over a stranded Zoff also hit the same upright just two minutes later. Once more, the misses acted as a turning point for the opposition as New York found an equaliser through Pele in the 58th minute. It was a carbon copy of Atlanta's goal but from 16 yards out, with Johan Neeskens providing the lay off from the left.

Atlanta's resolve was called into question following that crazy start to the second half, and they responded emphatically when van Basten single-handedly took it upon himself to restore their lead. The Dutchman made run from just inside the NY half in the 63rd minute, held off Blanc in the box and finished to Zoff's left to stun the home support - it was van Basten's first goal of the season. Eight minutes later, the visitor's established a two goal lead when Keegan and Platt combined for the latter's second. This time the finish was a grounded sidefooter to Zoff's right after Keegan slipped Platt through one-on-one.

Youri Djorkaeff was introduced as NY literally through everything at Atlanta to salvage something - the sub along with Franz Beckenbauer picking up bookings. It all fell apart however in the 83rd minute when Pele's two-footed slide on Zico earned him a straight dismissal, meaning he will miss New York's next two games. To add insult to their hosts, van Basten scored three minutes later when Keegan set him up after drawing three defenders. The unmarked Dutch striker made no mistake with the easy 12 yard finish to double his personal tally in the match and on the season, and seal a morale-boosting 4-1 victory on the road. At the other end of the scale, New York were booed off their home pitch following their late collapse that keeps them without a win since the opening night. Its the worst possible preparation ahead of next week's trip to runaway leaders Boston.


NEW YORK ...... 1 Pele 58'
ATLANTA ....... 4 Platt 27' 71', van Basten 63' 86'

from Giants Stadium, East Rutherford


Line-ups
NY (4-1-3-2): Zoff, Beckenbauer, Blanc, Keown, Cuicuffo (Netzer +60'), Ardiles (Djorkaeff +78'), Rummenigge, Hoddle (Rensenbrink +60'), Neeskens, Mancini, Pele (-83')
ATL (4-1-3-2): Pagliuca, Sammer, Butcher, Suurbier, Junior (Gianni +73'), de Boer, Zico (Valdano +86'), Platt, Keegan, Platini, van Basten (Bierfhoff +86')

Shots
NY: 13 total, 7 on target (Pele 3-3, Rensenbrink 3-2, Blanc 2-1, Cuciuffo 1-1, Hoddle 1-0, Netzer 1-0, Keown 1-0)
ATL: 17 total, 10 on target (van Basten 7-4, Platt 4-3, Keegan 4-2, Platin 1-1, Suurbier 1-0)

Possession: 50-50
Fouls: 9-4 New York
Corners: 8-3 New York


3 Stars
3 - Kevin Keegan (ATL); puppeteered Atlanta's late dominance, becoming the first HOFSL player to assist three goals in a single match.
2 - Marco van Basten (ATL); scored two goals in his return from oblivion, including a stellar individual effort to crown his season opener.
1 - David Platt (ATL); scored two well taken goals of his own, doubling his season tally.

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Goal Stats
24 Total Goals
4.8 Goals Per Game

18 Assisted Goals
4 Unassisted Goals
1 Direct Free Kick Goal
0 Penalty Goals (none awarded)
1 Own Goal


Goals per 15 minute period
01'-15' = 4 (16.67%)
16'-30' = 4 (16.67%)
31'-45' = 4 (16.67%)
46'-60' = 5 (20.83%)
61'-75' = 3 (12.50%)
76'-90' = 4 (16.67%)

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


Disciplinary Stats
9 Yellow Cards
1 Red Card

[calcutta]

Goals
7 - Jean-Pierre Papin (BOS)
5 - Juergen Klinsmann (LA)
4 - David Platt (ATL), Dennis Bergkamp (CHI)


Assists
5 - Kevin Keegan (ATL), Pierre Littbarski (HOU)
4 - Patrick Mboma (BOS), David Beckham (LA)
3 - Ronald Koeman (BOS), Paul Gascoigne (BOS), Thomas Hassler (CHI), Andreas Brehme (DEN), Leonardo (WAS)


MVP Points
9 - Jean-Pierre Papin (BOS)
8 - Gabriel Batisuta (HOU)
7 - Juergen Klinsmann (LA), Dino Zoff (NY)