Photos

2007 ALDC

Summary

Austin Labor Day Cup

Tournament Summary

Overall, this was a great weekend of soccer for the boys, we had some really good games against some tough competition during a long weekend in Austin, but we came away with the Championship Cup.  The results were 4 wins and a loss, with 11 goals for and only 4 goals against, so some great attacking and defending by the whole team.  My thanks to all the boys for playing at the 110% level, using their individual skills, but most of all playing well as a team. 

Game 1 - Fusion vs. Boca Jrs. - Fusion loses 1 to 2

This was our first game and we were playing a team from East Houston, that we had played at least part of the team in Super 2 qualifying last summer, when they were playing as the Scopions.

We started the first half very strong and after 10 minutes, as we are pressuring them, we get a corner.  Jamie takes the corner and drops it into the goal box and Lewis shoots it into the back of the net - Fusion 1 - Boca 0.  We continue to dominate, but then after a while the play gets very even.

In the second half Boca comes out strong and pressuring our defense, there are a number of shots, the ball bounces out of the goal area straight to a Boca player, who shoots from the 18 yard line and equalizes - Fusion 1 - Boca 1.  The game then goes both ways and we are looking at a tie, when with a minute to go,  Boca gets a free kick close to the halfway line. They shoot, a Fusion defender goes up to head it out, but it bounces off the top of his head backwards and over our keeper into the net - Fusion 1 - Boca 2.  30 seconds later the referee blows the whistle, and we start our tournament with a loss.

Over not a bad performance by the boys, mixed with some bad luck, but we are off to a bad start in the points.

Game 2 - Fusion vs. DS Stars - Fusion wins 5 to 0

This is our second game and a completely new team for us to play. The DS Stars are from Dripping Springs outside Austin.  But we need to do well, as we only have 1 point after our loss in the morning.

The first half started out great as the boys are playing really well and are dominating the other team.  After about 10 minutes we get on the scoreboard with a great cross from Aldo on the right hand side of the field and Kyle is on the back side of the goal to head it into the net -  Fantastic Goal! - Fusion 1 - Stars 0. Then about 8 minutes later we strike again, as Luciano passes the ball to Jamie who dribbles 3 defenders and slots the ball low and hard and in the corner  - Fusion 2 - Stars 0.  Well we are ahead by 2 goals, but do we let up? No we hit them again, as Lewis chips the ball over the defenders to an open space on the right, Alex runs in and the keeper comes way out and Alex manages to chip the keeper, before the keeper hits him (keeper gets a card) and the ball is in the net, another great goal - Fusion 3 - Stars 0.

Well the Fusion boys come out strong in the second half, and after 5 minutes Aldo makes a great cross into the box, Jamie heads it over a defender and it drops to Brandon who is right by the goal, Brandon is cool as a cucumber and cuts the ball away from a defender and as the keeper comes out, Brandon slots the ball calmly past the keeper and into the net - Fusion 4 - Stars 0. Then about 10 minutes later Aldo is fouled in the goal area PK!! Aldo puts the ball low and hard to the left, the keeper guesses and dives and gets a hand on it, but it is too powerful for him - Fusion 5 - Stars 0.  We have a lot more chances, but nothing else went in the net.

Overall, a great game by the boys, who dominated the other team and made up for a spotty performance in the morning.  Suddenly we are back in the hunt. Great game!!!

Game 3 - Fusion vs. IFC - Fusion wins 1 to 0

With the great result of the last game we needed a win or a tie to go to the semi-finals.

We started hard the first half and after about 5 minutes, as we put pressure on them the ball bounces out to Esteban, who took a rocket of a shot at the goal, but it is deflected away from the goal by a defenders hand - PK.  Lewis takes the PK and put the ball in the net and we are up - Fusion 1 - IFC 0.  The rest of the half is more us them IFC, and the half ends with us still ahead 1 to 0.

The second half is more of the same, we dominate, but cannot get the ball in the net. So the final score is 1 to 0, which gets us 2nd place in the points and are in the semi-finals. Well done boys and what a change from our position after the first game.

Semi-Final - Fusion vs. Boca Jrs. - Fusion wins 2 to 1

Well we made the Semi-Finals and we get to play Boca Jrs. again. We lost to them 2 to 1 in our first game, on an unlucky goal in the last minute of the game. The Referee advises us that as the boys are at the age to play the game hard he will not call much, but will allow them to play.  This we find out is code for let everyone play dirty and not call anything.

The first half starts out hard as Boca seem to be pressuring us, more than us them. They have some chances and things are tough, but after about 30 minutes it is Fusion that gets on the score board.  Mikey is on the field, which is always dangerous, and he is playing like a madman, he passes the ball off to Lewis, who takes the ball forward and slots it past the keeper - Fusion 1 - Boca 0.   The game is really heating up and getting dirty, but the half ends with Fusion in the lead.

The second half is looking to be tough, the Referee, after letting the boys play!, is now getting upset!   About 10 minutes in Fusion increases the score, as Esteban takes a corner and with a lot of confusion in the goal box Ryan Swenk puts the ball in the net - Fusion 2 - Boca 0. However, Boca does not give up and about 20 minutes into the half they have a free kick from about 35 yards out, as it shoots into the goal area it deflects off a Boca player and past Mikey and into the net, another lucky goal!  After that, Boca get a new wind, but the play is still very even and we hold them to win - Fusion 2 - Boca 1.

Overall a very physical game with lots of fouls and dirty plays, but we come away with a place in the Finals.

Championship Game - Fusion vs. IFC - Fusion win 2  to 1

This was the Championship Game against IFC, who we beat before, but they got here by beating the team that was in 1^st place in the points, so we were not sure what to expect

The first half was all Fusion, as we dominated the game, and finally at about 20 minutes we go the ball in the net.  Jamie took a corner, there is confusion in the box and Ryan Swenk gets another goal by putting the ball in the net - Fusion 1 - IFC 0.  Then at about 40 minutes Lewis has the ball, he passes to Aldo, who back heels it to Lewis who has run between the defenders, Lewis is on the right hand side of the goal and he slots the ball low and hard past the keeper on the left side - Beautiful play by our team - Fusion 2 - IFC 0.   It should have been a lot more goals.

Our boys came out strong in the second half and we dominated, but could not get a goal, then IFC came back and put us under pressure, there is a shot, and in the confusion in the box, it is in our goal - Fusion 2 - IFC 1.   IFC try to put pressure on us again, but the boys step it up and start dominating again, but again no balls in the net, so the game end with a final score of - Fusion 2 - IFC 1 and we are Champions. 

Overall, this was a great game for the boys, who showed that they could get the lead and keep it.  Overall a great team performance and our new players fit in really well and helped make this weekend Championship a reality.  Well Done to All!!!

Fusion U17 Boys vs. Rice University

Preseason Friendly

Fusion U17 Boys vs. Rice University - Fusion loses 1 to 5

This was a preseason friendly to just warm the team up for the season and to give the boys a chance to see what it is like to play at the college level.  Rice University like many colleges in Texas (UT, A&M, Baylor, etc.), only has a Men's Club Team, but the Club teams in Texas are very good.  So our U17 Boys, who are 15 and 16 years old, would be playing men who are 18, 19, 20 and 21 years old.  The Rice men were generally bigger, stronger and faster, plus add a few more years of experience and it was going to be a tough game.  Also, we had a bit of a delay with the start, when the Campus police came and then the fields people and we had to fill out forms, etc. but all was OK in the end.

The first half started with Rice coming on strong and with some early pressure they got a nice cross into our box, and someone connected for a header into the goal, and at 5 minutes they jumped ahead - Fusion 0 - Rice 1.  After a while the game settled down and our boys started playing and getting more control of the game, and while Mikey made some good saves on our end, our Mid-field and Forwards started making opportunities on the Rice end of the field.  Then after about 30 minutes, Aldo makes a nice pass off to Jamie who is running down on the right side, Jamie gets a great cross in and Alex is there to finish it off into the goal, and we are tied up - Fusion 1 - Rice 1.  We had some other great opportunities, but the Rice defense and keeper kept us from getting ahead.

The second half started off fairly even, but Rice then began to dominate and after about 10 minutes they got ahead with a nice cross and an unmarked player in the box finished it into the net - Fusion 1 - Rice 2.   So being down by a goal we were still in the game, but the Rice Men took advantage of some changes from substitutions and a loss of focus for about 5 to 10 minutes, and sealed the game up with 3 quick goals, all from passes or crosses to unmarked players in the box.  So while the game went back to a more even balance the damage was done and the final score was - Fusion 1 - Rice 5. 

Overall, not a bad performance, especially if you take out those 5 to 10 minutes in the second half.  Also, the boys can see that they can play at the college level and give them a couple of more years and they will be really ready.  Great job Boys!!!