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Premier [VMSL Premier] Predictions, Results & Banter 2018/2019
- Thread starter Canucks4Ever
- Start date
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Soccer Coach
Well-Known Member
1) Yes, it would be good if someone post the history. I checked the website of the club, and I could not find anything. It is important for the most stablished and bigger clubs to trace their roots and try to figure out the meanings of their logos and names.
2) I would be curious to see what is the connection of the name of the club to the current base of players and coaches. The name "Pegasus" and the image of "White Flying Horse" has been loaded in European History with all kinds of ideologies and philosophical underpinnings. Perhaps they are not aware. For example, the Discobolous, Aphrodite, and Pegasus where images used by people closely linked to Third Reich.
"The Austrian city of Linz has removed a statue of Aphrodite from a park after learning that it was a present from Hitler, officials said on Friday."
“Without the Classical tradition, the Nazi visual ideology would have been rather different,” says Professor Rolf Michael Schneider of the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. “Like all hunters, they hunted for a priceless object – and as the statue could not say no, they used the Discobolus for their perverse ideologies. The perfect Aryan body, the white colour [of the marble], the beautiful, ideal white male: to put it very bluntly, it became a kind of image of the Herrenrasse or ‘master race’ – that’s what the Nazis called themselves and the Germans.”
Werner Peiner, one of the official artists of the Third Reich used the Pegasus as a powerful symbol.
Please do not take me wrong, as I am not equating the club to Nazism. US carriers have the name Pegasus and so many British Infrantry. Even Barbie, likes, Pegasus.
On a more deeper level, Pegasus is linked to memory and the hippocampus, so the thought patterns that are part of the human psyche or consciousness that eventually manifest into the physical realms are represented by the Muses. Pegasus is supposed to awaken the muses (artistic form).
At least, Barbie seems to be going on this route.
The question would be why the chose the name Pegasus and what they are trying to represent currently?
Please understand. I am not trying to offend. I am genuinely curious on the origins of the club name and whether people in the club understand the different meanings of Pegasus in European History and what it means to them currently.
Soccer Coach
Well-Known Member
Campo Atletico 0 - Club Inter-Chile 5
or Three Steps Forward and Two Steps Backward
or Giants are difficult to Beat
or Canada is the land of the Soccer Amazons
Amazon, in Greek mythology, member of a race of women warriors.
As part of their journey home, Odysseus and his band of soldiers sailed towards their homeland of Ithaca. During that journey, they become shipwrecked on an island. After they arrived on the island, they decided to seek shelter in an eerie cave, which belonged to a Cyclops.
Because the Cyclops was a fearsome creature, he decided to prevent the band from leaving the cave by blocking its entrance. Because the crew ate his sheep, he decided to eat the crew.
The sun shines is our faces, and the crepuscular rays fills our spirits with confidence.
Our warm up takes place in an uneventful way. Little did we know of what awaited us.
Cold rain falls and our bodies start to shiver as the whistle blows.
The balls rolls slowly, and it is passed around with little urgency.
Our confidence is high given the events of the last game.
The Inter-Chileans lose the ball, and we start a lightening and furious counter attack.
The ball travels with speed to the attacking third and clean cross finds it way to the top of the six.
Our midfielders extends his leg after fantastic sprint, but does not manage to make contact with the ball.
The ball continues its past and our winger kicks the ball towards the net.
A defender intercepts it, but the ball refuses to leave the penalty area.
Another shot and this time the keeper manages to deflect it. It is enough for the ball to go over the cross bar.
The keeper is livid and furious. The coach on the sidelines roars in anger.
Indeed what a mistake this was because we woke up a giant.
Inter-Chile comes at us with vengeance. Marello with brilliance re-arrange his troops.
Time after time they manage to bombard our penalty area with crosses and long balls.
Habib as a giant emerges every time winning every single cross.
We do not have any practical or tactical defense against the mountain attacks.
His headers hit the post, the side of the net, the goalie, everything but the inside of the net.
Exhaustion starts to mount. One of younger mishears the advice of the veterans. The ball is lost and the giant finishes with class.
Our spirits deflate. A few minutes later the giant wins the ball and scores. This time is a well placed header to the upper corner.
Our defenders get displaced by the giant with terrifying ease.
It could have been 3-0 as our keeper makes another fantastic save.
The referee flows the whistle and we are grateful to the soccer gods. This starts to feel like one of the earlier games.
Players who have not played yet since the re-structuring of the club have been given a chance.
Others too will be given their opportunity as well during the second half. This will be their test.
This was not their day to be as we have lost them forever. Premier is a demanding battle that is not for everyone.
The third goal was a bit of a fluke as another weak cross was given and the soccer gods have by fortune rebound to the Inter-Chilean forward.
The fourth goal was a superb finish for their winger. A deflected cross that he masterfully volley to the lower right post.
A wonderful display of soccer technique.
But not everything is a loss in this defeat. Our back line has learnt to contain the giant of Habib in the air.
Once they figure it out, he does not win a single cross again.
The Inter-Chilean try now on the ground and a fifth one sneaks bye.
Tempers start to flare. Play starts to get nasty. Not our finest moment.
But the referee crew, all made of women, control the situation with masterfully ease.
This is the best refereeing that we have seeing in a very long time.
Something that seems natural in these lands, but indeed is a rarity in the world.
Perhaps many do not realize that it has taken us more than 2,000 years to reach to this point.
Namely, a situation where women in a social situation manage brave and angry men and put their in their place with stern confidence.
Something that the ancient Amazons would have approved.
Which begs many questions.
Why is that female soccer players and referees out perform their male counterparts here in Canada?
We do have Sinclair, Tancredi, and Rosse and many others soccer heroines.
We do have many medals and trophies from the females, but almost nothing from the males.
What have we done to our male soccer players and referees?
When will they rise to their rightful place in the soccer world?
The game ends.
Another loss that in an strange way feels like an step forward to the new horizon.
Something that the next game will confirm.
Last edited:
One of the more...interesting and honest match reports I've ever read. Not often does a coach praise officiating after a lopsided loss. Nicely done.
The rest, the amazon stuff, I had to skim through, though I like me some Wonder Woman. Oh yes. I've made love to her several times in my dreams, and she likes her some Dude.
To your last question: why do female soccer players in Canada outperform their male counterparts? Easy answer: a long and strong tradition of visits to get ice cream after games. Duh.
The rest, the amazon stuff, I had to skim through, though I like me some Wonder Woman. Oh yes. I've made love to her several times in my dreams, and she likes her some Dude.
To your last question: why do female soccer players in Canada outperform their male counterparts? Easy answer: a long and strong tradition of visits to get ice cream after games. Duh.
Soccer Coach
Well-Known Member
@Dude....I think that this might be the first post that you write something positive about a post of @soccercoach....I am not sure if I am awake or this is just a dream....anyway...thank you...it is appreciated...as for wonder woman...you are not alone...Wonder Woman is no only beautiful but one of the most well developed characters....which makes her the ideal woman...
have you been a bad dude and she tied you with her rope and given you a couple of spanks?
have you been a bad dude and she tied you with her rope and given you a couple of spanks?
Soccer Coach
Well-Known Member
Croatia 2 - Campo Atletico 0
or Campo encounters Tintilinic in a cold rainy night.
Tintilinić (alternatively Pimpilić,[1] Tintilin or Malik) is a figure in Croatian folklore. He is typically described as a demon child wearing a red cap, soul of an unbaptised child which strolls through houses and fields at night.
The shadows of the cold night engulf the fields of Burnay Lake.
There is silence. We are alone in the entire complex.
Not a soul can be found during the beginning of our warmup.
For a moment, we think that we might be in the wrong place or time.
Croatian players emerge. They walk slowly and dreadly, as the zombies from ancient tales. One of them, tells us: "Move out. This is our area and bench".
We refuse to move.
A brief carfuffle takes place, but we refuse to get thrown from our bench and area. Their coaching staff is indignant for our insolence. One of them tells us with a deep sentencing voice: "You will see what happens to you tonight".
This was one of the first strange events in this cold night. As we continue our warm up, we realize that two our key players have not been seen.
We call their phones and their relatives and there is no answer. It is like they have vanished. Even minor items like pens or pinnies are found in strange places. It is like someone is playing with us.
As kick off approaches the two players arrive with livid faces. They were in a car accident a few blocks from the field. They can not explain what happened. A red figure ran in front of the car. They stopped and got rear-ended.
The ball rolls. The game starts with furious speed. There is little time to even realize what is going on as the ball is moved fast by the Croatian players.
To our surprise, they cannot penetrate. In fact, we are having more scoring opportunities than them. They are making errors in their distribution, and we are capitalizing on them.
We can hear their players bickering. A midfielder tells the forward:
"What is wrong? We are supposed to be beating these guys easily?".
Their central defenders fumble the ball. Our forward gets the ball and is facing their keeper alone. The keeper comes out well and bravely. The ball goes by the post. It was close.
Too close for the liking of the Croatian coach who is losing his patience.
A long ball goes over our back line. It is a clear offside. To our surprise and terror, the flag goes up and then inexplicable down. Our defenders rushed back to protect the net. It is three forwards versus the keeper. The ball is crossed on the ground. The net is empty. The Croatian forward is about to tap the ball into the net, but our defender slides like 5 meters to disrupt the play. We think that a goal was scored, but it is an optical illusion. The ball did not go into the net.
Our defenders are furious with reason and cards start to fly for dissent.
Tintilinic is playing for Croatia.
The game becomes relatively even, which is a victory in itself for us, as they are very good players and clearly have been well coached.
One of their forwards, who is very skilled, dribbles by two of our midfielders. He displays mesmerizing talent and moves, but our defense is well placed. He kicks the ball with force. The first defenders blocks it. The ball continues with less speed. The second defender blocks it too. The ball is now merely rolling towards the keeper. We feel relief.
But inexplicably the balls roles by the leg of the keeper. He has been having a fantastic game. He still himself cannot explain what happened. A trick by Tintilinic has been played.
The second half is a mirror of the first half. We feel confident and have the sense that we could find the equalizer.
It is the 90th minute of the game. We recover the ball in our end. We are in the counterattack. Our forward is tired and Tintilinic plays another trick on us. To our terror, our forward out of fatigue gets disoriented, and passes the ball back. A player from Croatia makes a through ball. Another clear offside, but the flag stays down. The Croatian forward finishes with class and composure.
They do celebrate that goal as if they have won the World Cup. Good for them as they battled it hard, but perhaps this was the biggest compliment that we could have received. They did not have it easy.
Tempers were high among some of our players, but everybody calms by the time that we reach the locker room. It just felt that the 1-1 was within our reach even if it was not completely deserved.
It was a good game for us and we are thankful for another night of soccer for what we would be doing without this unique game.
or Campo encounters Tintilinic in a cold rainy night.
Tintilinić (alternatively Pimpilić,[1] Tintilin or Malik) is a figure in Croatian folklore. He is typically described as a demon child wearing a red cap, soul of an unbaptised child which strolls through houses and fields at night.
The shadows of the cold night engulf the fields of Burnay Lake.
There is silence. We are alone in the entire complex.
Not a soul can be found during the beginning of our warmup.
For a moment, we think that we might be in the wrong place or time.
Croatian players emerge. They walk slowly and dreadly, as the zombies from ancient tales. One of them, tells us: "Move out. This is our area and bench".
We refuse to move.
A brief carfuffle takes place, but we refuse to get thrown from our bench and area. Their coaching staff is indignant for our insolence. One of them tells us with a deep sentencing voice: "You will see what happens to you tonight".
This was one of the first strange events in this cold night. As we continue our warm up, we realize that two our key players have not been seen.
We call their phones and their relatives and there is no answer. It is like they have vanished. Even minor items like pens or pinnies are found in strange places. It is like someone is playing with us.
As kick off approaches the two players arrive with livid faces. They were in a car accident a few blocks from the field. They can not explain what happened. A red figure ran in front of the car. They stopped and got rear-ended.
The ball rolls. The game starts with furious speed. There is little time to even realize what is going on as the ball is moved fast by the Croatian players.
To our surprise, they cannot penetrate. In fact, we are having more scoring opportunities than them. They are making errors in their distribution, and we are capitalizing on them.
We can hear their players bickering. A midfielder tells the forward:
"What is wrong? We are supposed to be beating these guys easily?".
Their central defenders fumble the ball. Our forward gets the ball and is facing their keeper alone. The keeper comes out well and bravely. The ball goes by the post. It was close.
Too close for the liking of the Croatian coach who is losing his patience.
A long ball goes over our back line. It is a clear offside. To our surprise and terror, the flag goes up and then inexplicable down. Our defenders rushed back to protect the net. It is three forwards versus the keeper. The ball is crossed on the ground. The net is empty. The Croatian forward is about to tap the ball into the net, but our defender slides like 5 meters to disrupt the play. We think that a goal was scored, but it is an optical illusion. The ball did not go into the net.
Our defenders are furious with reason and cards start to fly for dissent.
Tintilinic is playing for Croatia.
The game becomes relatively even, which is a victory in itself for us, as they are very good players and clearly have been well coached.
One of their forwards, who is very skilled, dribbles by two of our midfielders. He displays mesmerizing talent and moves, but our defense is well placed. He kicks the ball with force. The first defenders blocks it. The ball continues with less speed. The second defender blocks it too. The ball is now merely rolling towards the keeper. We feel relief.
But inexplicably the balls roles by the leg of the keeper. He has been having a fantastic game. He still himself cannot explain what happened. A trick by Tintilinic has been played.
The second half is a mirror of the first half. We feel confident and have the sense that we could find the equalizer.
It is the 90th minute of the game. We recover the ball in our end. We are in the counterattack. Our forward is tired and Tintilinic plays another trick on us. To our terror, our forward out of fatigue gets disoriented, and passes the ball back. A player from Croatia makes a through ball. Another clear offside, but the flag stays down. The Croatian forward finishes with class and composure.
They do celebrate that goal as if they have won the World Cup. Good for them as they battled it hard, but perhaps this was the biggest compliment that we could have received. They did not have it easy.
Tempers were high among some of our players, but everybody calms by the time that we reach the locker room. It just felt that the 1-1 was within our reach even if it was not completely deserved.
It was a good game for us and we are thankful for another night of soccer for what we would be doing without this unique game.
So he's the Croatian Donald Trump?
Soccer Coach
Well-Known Member
I do not know about it, but Croatia is certainly an interesting place when it comes to suspense and horror stories. They have plenty of strange and evil characters in their folk and urban tales.
Canucks4Ever
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #373
And were back. It has often been said that the VMSL is a new league come the New Year and we will see if that holds true once more this season. The standings are so tight at the top that moving from seventh to first only requires picking up six points, so it is certainly all to play for in 2019. Also, it was confirmed that the VMSL will once more have only six entries for the Provincial A Cup, therefore the fight to finish in the top four, which will guarantee a spot, as well as the top six, which will give a team the best chance of qualifying without needing to reach the Imperial Cup final, should be even further intensified. Plus there is still the matter of relegation to sort out. It should be a wild ride to the finish, so let's get back at it!
Completely Baseless Predictions - Week 16
Club Inter EDC v Rino's Tigers
This one is the MOTW by default as it is the only clash this week between two teams from the top half. Plus these teams also don't exactly like each other, so that usually spices things up. Rino's went through a pretty solid slump in November, but bounced back to win all three of their matches in December and once again sit atop the table. However, their first place standing is somewhat artificial at the moment given that they are currently sharing it with West Van and that defending champions Rovers, as well as CCB, are capable of overtaking them with their games in hand. Still, on the good news front for Rino's, while they once expected that the new CPL might ravage their ranks of good young players who still dream of playing football as a career, it now seems as though that league is looking for a higher calibre of player who already has professional playing experience. That's not to say that Rino's won't lose anybody to this new endeavour once training camps open when the spring approaches, but the mass exodus they once feared come Provincial Cup time looks less likely. In the short term though, the Tigers may be slightly caught out by this fixture as, with most major campuses still on winter break through this weekend, they may be short staffed if some players are still on holidays. This potentially opens the door for Inter to avenge their 5-1 loss from earlier in the season and the "Italian"-Chileans could do with the points. If the season ended today, Inter would find themselves in a playoff for the final Provincial Cup spot (assuming there were no Imperial Cup implications) against Coquitlam. The Burnaby based side have seen their fortunes go as their talisman Mohammed Habib goes, as he as accounted for just under a third of their 35 goals as a club, having 11 to his name. As usual, if Habib can find his way into the soft underbelly of "Chinter's" opponents then they can beat any team on any day. If he is contained, then, as least to this point in the season, Inter has not shown that their supporting cast is regularly able to pick up the slack. Rino's are favourites here based on the their league position and the way they picked Inter apart in their first meeting. I certainly would not expect the home side to go gentle into that good night however, I am sure they will be kicking and screaming (both literally and figuratively) the whole way.
Pegasus v Croatia
While Croatia sit just a point out of first place as the table currently stands, you would certainly be hard pressed to describe their form as rampant. They have been made to work hard for their results, even last time out against lowly Campo, and a look at their results so far on the season belies their shortcomings. They have only three wins so far this season against their fellow teams in the top seven and if they cannot change that form come this New Year, it is likely that they could see themselves slip further down the table as opposed to climbing it and challenging for the title. Their offense, which last season distinguished itself as one of the most potent in the VMSL's top flight lead by Golden Boot winner David Malamura, has been average at best so far this campaign, with only defensively stalwart West Van and Metro Ford having less goals for among the top seven. With their next three games against opponents from the bottom half, Croatia cannot afford any slip ups as they will close out their league schedule with four matches against opponents in the top half, from whom they only managed to take three points off of the first time around. The problem is, given Croatia's penchant for not burying teams it is likely that the lower table side they are about to encounter will have at least a look at getting something out of these fixtures. Enter Pegasus who, after a couple of strong performances to distance themselves from the drop zone, went rather flat ahead of the winter break, losing back to back matches without scoring. Their most important stretch of fixtures begin in earnest next week as they face the three teams below them in succession and can guarantee themselves safety with maximum points, a feat they failed to accomplish the first time through the schedule. They will want to head into that run on the front foot, but that likely depends on which Pegasus team turns up for this one; the side that looked all of their former stature as title contenders in beating Rino's 1-0 or the group that slumped into the holidays with a wimper following a 3-0 beat down at the hands of West Van. Based on Croatia's history I expect this one to be close, but given Pegs struggles so far this season, if one side is to be more motivated coming out of the break it is likely to be the Europeans, so I'll tip Croatia to take the points.
Richmond Hibernian v West Van
It has been a solid season for the North Shore club who went into the holidays tied atop the table and with title ambitions in this New Year. As usual, the former Trollers have used their expert defensive record as a foundation for their strong campaign. They are welcomed back with a trek through Vancouver and across a pair of bridges to Richmond to face Hibs. The boys from below sea level have not fared nearly as well so far this campaign. In truth the cracks had appeared last season after a mid-season stretch that saw them lose six straight while scoring only a single goal. They pulled their finger out in time thanks to some solid veteran leadership and were able steer clear of the drop well before the end of the season. However, this year saw many of those veterans call time on their Premier careers and the new crop of youngsters taking up the mantle were handed a harsh reality check on opening day when they were eviscerated to the tune of 6-1 by CCB. A bolt of lightning struck the next week when they beat Rino's 2-1 but that was not to be a sign of things to come as Hibs lost 10 of their next 11 with their only respite being a win over last place Campo. Just as things were looking bleak though, Richmond caught our West Van's North Shore cousins, NorVan, two weeks before the break, notching a much needed 3-0 win. This result, along with a collapse from relegation rivals Guildford after they seemed to be getting their feet under them at this level, means the two sides went into the break tied on nine points and ready to settle the second relegation place come this New Year. It certainly won't be easy for Richmond as they have a string of difficult fixtures ahead before a three week run against lower table sides, including their fellow relegation candidates, that will likely define their season. That being said, they have proven themselves capable of a shock result before and even a single point could entirely reshape their fight to stay in the league. West Van were easy 4-0 winners the first time these two sides met and will be favourites again here, but Richmond will surely be up for this one and things may not be quite as straight forward this time around for the Ambleside crew.
Campo Atletico v CCB LFC
Despite all the fanfare an bluster, the "new" era at Campo has only been able to produce the same results as the one that preceded it. Three games with no points and no goals to show for their efforts has left the boys with the famous striped socks staring relegation square in the eyes. Campo need a minimum of ten points over their final seven games to have even a chance at survival and that is only if every other result goes their way. Realistically they are looking at more likely 12 to 15 points being required to have a shot at safety, which means they will need to find four wins somewhere. While there has by all accounts been an uptick in play and much better organization both on and off the pitch for the Burnaby side, moral victories can only go so far in a results based business. While their new found dedication to, and passion for, their craft will surely serve them well moving forward, it seems as though it has come too late for this season. They may yet return to the heights they have previously achieved, but the path back to that level is looking more and more likely to run through Division 1. That being said, it no longer seems a forgone conclusion that Campo will concede in excess of 100 goals on the season and finish the season without a point to their name. The group will now be targeting a single win, which would see them avoid the moniker of "worst Premier record ever" currently held by Rino's who in their first foray into the big time failed to win a single match and recorded a mere two points. Indeed, it seems increasingly likely that Campo will find that win somewhere and it could well condemn whichever team that win comes against to joining them in relegation. Those games upcoming against Guildford and Richmond will certainly be worth keeping an eye on, but for this week they face CCB and their band of mercenaries. The Surrey boys were sitting atop the table before their final match ahead of the winter break was called off after an assistant referee failed to turn up. They now sit two points off the pace but hold a game in hand. CCB have seemingly shed their Jekyll and Hyde reputation that has seen them become renowned for unpredictable performances over previous seasons and have put together a strong campaign after brief wobble early in the year. While there is always a chance that old habits rear their ugly head and catch the Surrey boys out this week, given that they have a chance to be major players in the title race down the stretch I would expect them to be at full strength this week and come away with the win.
Guildford v Rovers Tigers
The reverse fixture between these two sides was postponed earlier in the season when Rovers were headed to Nationals so this will be newly promoted Guildfords first chance to get a look at the defending VMSL, Provincial Cup and, now, National champions. Things had begun to look up for Guildford as they followed up a 0-0-9 start to life in Premier with a stretch of very positive result that, for a time, lifted them to safety. However, somebody has seemingly pulled the rug out from under the Surrey boys as they posted a forfeit followed by taking a pummeling at the hands of Rino's before their campaign ended for the winter break early when their match away to NorVan was stopped before halftime. During all this Richmond caught up to them at the edge of the drop zone and now both teams go into 2019 on nine points with survival all to play for. True, Guildford do have the benefit of having a game in hand, in addition to the remainder of that match against NorVan, however, that game is of course against Rovers. While the defending champions may have eased into the VMSL campaign back in the fall as their focus was understandably on Nationals, the fact that no other side emerged as title favourites means that the Surrey side are now in pole position to maintain their title. They sit three point back of top spot, but hold a pair of games in hand. With nothing to take away their focus now in the New Year, they will surely be motivated to defend their championship. This may be unfortunate for Guildford who did not have a chance to play Rovers when they may have be slightly less driven but will now have to face them twice with their local neighbours very much having something for which to play. Not to mention the fact that, traditionally, Guildford have developed a reputation for losing interest themselves down the stretch, an attitude that, if repeated, will surely seal their fate. Add all that up and it points to a relatively straight forward outing for Rovers this week.
Coquitlam Metro Ford v NorVan
A rare Sunday fixture in the division this season as Coquitlam have shifted from their usual Friday night kickoff to host NorVan at lunchtime two days later. This could be down to field availability but, presumably Metro Ford are able to muster a stronger squad in terms of personnel come Sunday, as presumably key members are still away on holiday through the start of the weekend. It looks set to be a battle right down to the wire for the final Provincial Cup spots this season and, having ended up being the team on the outside looking in last year, the Tri-Cities boys will no doubt be keen to ensure that their ticket to the dance is well and truly booked this season, without needing to rely on results elsewhere to get them in. Metro Ford headed into the holidays on the back of a pair of defeats and currently sit tied for sixth with Inter, though they hold a game in hand. Dropping further points, especially to a team outside the top seven, would really be flirting with disaster. For a time it looked as though newly promoted NorVan would be in shock contention for the Provincial tournament as well, however, their form has taken what can perhaps most eloquently be described as a nosedive over the last two months. They have picked up just a single point since a win over last place Campo at the very start of November, though it is impossible to know exactly how their fixture against Guildford from right before the break would have ended as it was cut short and will need to be completed later. If they are to have any chance of climbing back into the Provincial Cup conversation, a win this week against Coquitlam is a must. They did manage a draw in their first meeting, so it is not entirely outside the realm of possibility, but given NorVan's recent form Metro Ford have to be favourites in this one.
Completely Baseless Predictions - Week 16
Club Inter EDC v Rino's Tigers
This one is the MOTW by default as it is the only clash this week between two teams from the top half. Plus these teams also don't exactly like each other, so that usually spices things up. Rino's went through a pretty solid slump in November, but bounced back to win all three of their matches in December and once again sit atop the table. However, their first place standing is somewhat artificial at the moment given that they are currently sharing it with West Van and that defending champions Rovers, as well as CCB, are capable of overtaking them with their games in hand. Still, on the good news front for Rino's, while they once expected that the new CPL might ravage their ranks of good young players who still dream of playing football as a career, it now seems as though that league is looking for a higher calibre of player who already has professional playing experience. That's not to say that Rino's won't lose anybody to this new endeavour once training camps open when the spring approaches, but the mass exodus they once feared come Provincial Cup time looks less likely. In the short term though, the Tigers may be slightly caught out by this fixture as, with most major campuses still on winter break through this weekend, they may be short staffed if some players are still on holidays. This potentially opens the door for Inter to avenge their 5-1 loss from earlier in the season and the "Italian"-Chileans could do with the points. If the season ended today, Inter would find themselves in a playoff for the final Provincial Cup spot (assuming there were no Imperial Cup implications) against Coquitlam. The Burnaby based side have seen their fortunes go as their talisman Mohammed Habib goes, as he as accounted for just under a third of their 35 goals as a club, having 11 to his name. As usual, if Habib can find his way into the soft underbelly of "Chinter's" opponents then they can beat any team on any day. If he is contained, then, as least to this point in the season, Inter has not shown that their supporting cast is regularly able to pick up the slack. Rino's are favourites here based on the their league position and the way they picked Inter apart in their first meeting. I certainly would not expect the home side to go gentle into that good night however, I am sure they will be kicking and screaming (both literally and figuratively) the whole way.
Pegasus v Croatia
While Croatia sit just a point out of first place as the table currently stands, you would certainly be hard pressed to describe their form as rampant. They have been made to work hard for their results, even last time out against lowly Campo, and a look at their results so far on the season belies their shortcomings. They have only three wins so far this season against their fellow teams in the top seven and if they cannot change that form come this New Year, it is likely that they could see themselves slip further down the table as opposed to climbing it and challenging for the title. Their offense, which last season distinguished itself as one of the most potent in the VMSL's top flight lead by Golden Boot winner David Malamura, has been average at best so far this campaign, with only defensively stalwart West Van and Metro Ford having less goals for among the top seven. With their next three games against opponents from the bottom half, Croatia cannot afford any slip ups as they will close out their league schedule with four matches against opponents in the top half, from whom they only managed to take three points off of the first time around. The problem is, given Croatia's penchant for not burying teams it is likely that the lower table side they are about to encounter will have at least a look at getting something out of these fixtures. Enter Pegasus who, after a couple of strong performances to distance themselves from the drop zone, went rather flat ahead of the winter break, losing back to back matches without scoring. Their most important stretch of fixtures begin in earnest next week as they face the three teams below them in succession and can guarantee themselves safety with maximum points, a feat they failed to accomplish the first time through the schedule. They will want to head into that run on the front foot, but that likely depends on which Pegasus team turns up for this one; the side that looked all of their former stature as title contenders in beating Rino's 1-0 or the group that slumped into the holidays with a wimper following a 3-0 beat down at the hands of West Van. Based on Croatia's history I expect this one to be close, but given Pegs struggles so far this season, if one side is to be more motivated coming out of the break it is likely to be the Europeans, so I'll tip Croatia to take the points.
Richmond Hibernian v West Van
It has been a solid season for the North Shore club who went into the holidays tied atop the table and with title ambitions in this New Year. As usual, the former Trollers have used their expert defensive record as a foundation for their strong campaign. They are welcomed back with a trek through Vancouver and across a pair of bridges to Richmond to face Hibs. The boys from below sea level have not fared nearly as well so far this campaign. In truth the cracks had appeared last season after a mid-season stretch that saw them lose six straight while scoring only a single goal. They pulled their finger out in time thanks to some solid veteran leadership and were able steer clear of the drop well before the end of the season. However, this year saw many of those veterans call time on their Premier careers and the new crop of youngsters taking up the mantle were handed a harsh reality check on opening day when they were eviscerated to the tune of 6-1 by CCB. A bolt of lightning struck the next week when they beat Rino's 2-1 but that was not to be a sign of things to come as Hibs lost 10 of their next 11 with their only respite being a win over last place Campo. Just as things were looking bleak though, Richmond caught our West Van's North Shore cousins, NorVan, two weeks before the break, notching a much needed 3-0 win. This result, along with a collapse from relegation rivals Guildford after they seemed to be getting their feet under them at this level, means the two sides went into the break tied on nine points and ready to settle the second relegation place come this New Year. It certainly won't be easy for Richmond as they have a string of difficult fixtures ahead before a three week run against lower table sides, including their fellow relegation candidates, that will likely define their season. That being said, they have proven themselves capable of a shock result before and even a single point could entirely reshape their fight to stay in the league. West Van were easy 4-0 winners the first time these two sides met and will be favourites again here, but Richmond will surely be up for this one and things may not be quite as straight forward this time around for the Ambleside crew.
Campo Atletico v CCB LFC
Despite all the fanfare an bluster, the "new" era at Campo has only been able to produce the same results as the one that preceded it. Three games with no points and no goals to show for their efforts has left the boys with the famous striped socks staring relegation square in the eyes. Campo need a minimum of ten points over their final seven games to have even a chance at survival and that is only if every other result goes their way. Realistically they are looking at more likely 12 to 15 points being required to have a shot at safety, which means they will need to find four wins somewhere. While there has by all accounts been an uptick in play and much better organization both on and off the pitch for the Burnaby side, moral victories can only go so far in a results based business. While their new found dedication to, and passion for, their craft will surely serve them well moving forward, it seems as though it has come too late for this season. They may yet return to the heights they have previously achieved, but the path back to that level is looking more and more likely to run through Division 1. That being said, it no longer seems a forgone conclusion that Campo will concede in excess of 100 goals on the season and finish the season without a point to their name. The group will now be targeting a single win, which would see them avoid the moniker of "worst Premier record ever" currently held by Rino's who in their first foray into the big time failed to win a single match and recorded a mere two points. Indeed, it seems increasingly likely that Campo will find that win somewhere and it could well condemn whichever team that win comes against to joining them in relegation. Those games upcoming against Guildford and Richmond will certainly be worth keeping an eye on, but for this week they face CCB and their band of mercenaries. The Surrey boys were sitting atop the table before their final match ahead of the winter break was called off after an assistant referee failed to turn up. They now sit two points off the pace but hold a game in hand. CCB have seemingly shed their Jekyll and Hyde reputation that has seen them become renowned for unpredictable performances over previous seasons and have put together a strong campaign after brief wobble early in the year. While there is always a chance that old habits rear their ugly head and catch the Surrey boys out this week, given that they have a chance to be major players in the title race down the stretch I would expect them to be at full strength this week and come away with the win.
Guildford v Rovers Tigers
The reverse fixture between these two sides was postponed earlier in the season when Rovers were headed to Nationals so this will be newly promoted Guildfords first chance to get a look at the defending VMSL, Provincial Cup and, now, National champions. Things had begun to look up for Guildford as they followed up a 0-0-9 start to life in Premier with a stretch of very positive result that, for a time, lifted them to safety. However, somebody has seemingly pulled the rug out from under the Surrey boys as they posted a forfeit followed by taking a pummeling at the hands of Rino's before their campaign ended for the winter break early when their match away to NorVan was stopped before halftime. During all this Richmond caught up to them at the edge of the drop zone and now both teams go into 2019 on nine points with survival all to play for. True, Guildford do have the benefit of having a game in hand, in addition to the remainder of that match against NorVan, however, that game is of course against Rovers. While the defending champions may have eased into the VMSL campaign back in the fall as their focus was understandably on Nationals, the fact that no other side emerged as title favourites means that the Surrey side are now in pole position to maintain their title. They sit three point back of top spot, but hold a pair of games in hand. With nothing to take away their focus now in the New Year, they will surely be motivated to defend their championship. This may be unfortunate for Guildford who did not have a chance to play Rovers when they may have be slightly less driven but will now have to face them twice with their local neighbours very much having something for which to play. Not to mention the fact that, traditionally, Guildford have developed a reputation for losing interest themselves down the stretch, an attitude that, if repeated, will surely seal their fate. Add all that up and it points to a relatively straight forward outing for Rovers this week.
Coquitlam Metro Ford v NorVan
A rare Sunday fixture in the division this season as Coquitlam have shifted from their usual Friday night kickoff to host NorVan at lunchtime two days later. This could be down to field availability but, presumably Metro Ford are able to muster a stronger squad in terms of personnel come Sunday, as presumably key members are still away on holiday through the start of the weekend. It looks set to be a battle right down to the wire for the final Provincial Cup spots this season and, having ended up being the team on the outside looking in last year, the Tri-Cities boys will no doubt be keen to ensure that their ticket to the dance is well and truly booked this season, without needing to rely on results elsewhere to get them in. Metro Ford headed into the holidays on the back of a pair of defeats and currently sit tied for sixth with Inter, though they hold a game in hand. Dropping further points, especially to a team outside the top seven, would really be flirting with disaster. For a time it looked as though newly promoted NorVan would be in shock contention for the Provincial tournament as well, however, their form has taken what can perhaps most eloquently be described as a nosedive over the last two months. They have picked up just a single point since a win over last place Campo at the very start of November, though it is impossible to know exactly how their fixture against Guildford from right before the break would have ended as it was cut short and will need to be completed later. If they are to have any chance of climbing back into the Provincial Cup conversation, a win this week against Coquitlam is a must. They did manage a draw in their first meeting, so it is not entirely outside the realm of possibility, but given NorVan's recent form Metro Ford have to be favourites in this one.
Canucks4Ever
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- #374
Inter 1-1 Rino's FT
The first half of this one was essentially the Habib show. Lost count of his offsides but it was approaching double digits for sure. On one of the earlier ones he accidentally on purpose left a foot in on the keeper to lay down a marker. A few offsides later the flag finally stayed down and he calmly rounded the keeper and slotted to open the scoring. He had the ball in the net again a few minutes later but, in case you hadn't caught the theme yet, he was offside. Rino's didn't have much going forward in the first 45 to be honest, and handful of free kick opportunities were really the best they could muster.
In the second half Rino's made the tactical adjustment that was crying out to them and shift big Elie Gindo onto Habib. This more or less neutralized Inter's long ball threat and allowed the visitors to get on top. Rino's controlled the play for most of the second half with "Chinter" finding only the occasional counter attacking opportunity. They tied it with just under 20 on the clock off a stonewall penalty that was neatly converted. At this point you thought for sure Rino's would kick on and win it but they didn't have another gear. In fact all of a sudden it was Inter looking threatening as they picked off pass and took advantage of some sloppy defending to earn a handful of chances to win it late. The best two fell, of course, to Habib but this time when he found himself 1v1 with the keeper he was stymied and he saw his next chance go agonizingly past the far post.
The first half of this one was essentially the Habib show. Lost count of his offsides but it was approaching double digits for sure. On one of the earlier ones he accidentally on purpose left a foot in on the keeper to lay down a marker. A few offsides later the flag finally stayed down and he calmly rounded the keeper and slotted to open the scoring. He had the ball in the net again a few minutes later but, in case you hadn't caught the theme yet, he was offside. Rino's didn't have much going forward in the first 45 to be honest, and handful of free kick opportunities were really the best they could muster.
In the second half Rino's made the tactical adjustment that was crying out to them and shift big Elie Gindo onto Habib. This more or less neutralized Inter's long ball threat and allowed the visitors to get on top. Rino's controlled the play for most of the second half with "Chinter" finding only the occasional counter attacking opportunity. They tied it with just under 20 on the clock off a stonewall penalty that was neatly converted. At this point you thought for sure Rino's would kick on and win it but they didn't have another gear. In fact all of a sudden it was Inter looking threatening as they picked off pass and took advantage of some sloppy defending to earn a handful of chances to win it late. The best two fell, of course, to Habib but this time when he found himself 1v1 with the keeper he was stymied and he saw his next chance go agonizingly past the far post.
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- #378
They probably disabled it so certain other league execs couldn't study it and find something further to complain to BC Soccer about.
2019 is a new year, getting back to TTP basics and not giving a shite what others think
2019 is a new year, getting back to TTP basics and not giving a shite what others think
Haven't seen much of CCB this season but certainly an enjoyable team to watch. They knock the ball about very well and considering they weren't even at full strength yesterday, they should be right in the mix come the end of the season. Blasco is different quality when he's on.
Here's there seven goals, and to add to Campo's conspiracy theories, I didn't get theirs. Mainly because I'd stopped filming their attacks by that stage as there seemed little point! Their goal was a keeper fumble that was tucked away from nothing FWIW.
Here's there seven goals, and to add to Campo's conspiracy theories, I didn't get theirs. Mainly because I'd stopped filming their attacks by that stage as there seemed little point! Their goal was a keeper fumble that was tucked away from nothing FWIW.
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