S of I Lions vs Sokol at Vince Leah sunday.

[Cheeta]

Five o'clock kickoff.

As it stands so far this season Canada's ameture Champions are undefeated including in their collection of scalps a two-nil win over Lucania (former Canadian champions) last week. Sokol (wannabe Canadian champions) have added a couple of new faces up front to a club that had allready won all 16 of their matchs last year and are scoring at will this season, looking good doing it, and not shy about running up the scores.

Sokol drew their first match (against Polonia I think), but apparently played the 2nd half with 9 men, and are undefeated since.

Should be an exciting match. The pre-season Charity Shield played between the two clubs finished 4-3 Lions victory. Now, while three of the Lions' four goals were (in my humble oppinion) ****, confused penalty area scrambles, they did look the more polished club on the day. (By the way, Sokol's strikes were all really quite nice. The side has to be the best ameture side attacking in the air that I've seen anyways). But that was then, this is now, and fully expect both sides to be approaching their mid-season form so we'll see.

As a side note, weather co-operating thinking this could be the crowd of the year. The Charity shield on an awful day drew by my count a little better than 100 hardy adult spectators which for MMSL at Vince Leah isn't too bad at all.

"Minority of one"

[Cheeta]

Long winded report. (Heyyy, I could be a footy reporter. Really.)

SoI Lions continued their MMSL unbeaten streak in the first half rain with a 3-1 victory over Sokol sunday evening.

An intense, pace filled match which produced two of the four match goals from the spot, one at each end, a handful plus of yellow cards, and the ejection of Sokol's Nano Ramero after some dramatics early in the 2nd half. Sokol have to be wondering what they've done to receive the extra critical eye of the referees this season even as the Lions seem to live a charmed life.

In the alternating drizzel and rain of the first half the Lions were more than happy to take advantage of the nerves of Sokol's young keeper Tony Lupinetti, who was alas left to shoulder the blame for the allowance of both of the Lion's 1st half goals. It would be easy to blame the rain but the majority in attendance would rightly point to Mr. Lupinetti's nerves, inexperience, or both for the goalkeeping shortcomings. Sokol's "man mountain" Kevin Krause would come on at the half in place of Lupinetti. (P.S. Lads, keep an eye on this fellow. He's fu'king huge! Young, young, and if he can hook up at a higher level might have the potential to develop into something.)

Excellent coaching again by the Lions. High energy. Aggressively attacking the ball and the ability to adjust on the pitch to the ebb and flow of the match paid their dividends at the end of the day as a well placed, hard hit strike by the Lion's deKorampay (?) from 18 yards with 10 minutes remaining sealed the victory. The previous half hour had produced some excellant attacking play initiated by Sokol with their 10 men to the point where the Lions had to resort to putting all 11 men behind the ball for periods. The Lions did well to escape that first 1/2 hour of the second frame surrendering only the one spot kick. A Blackwood post and a beautiful set up for a Greg Gustowski (?) breakaway, disappointing put into the side netting measuring the thinnest of lines which seperated the two sides on the night.

The Lions used their bench to good measure, withstood the tides of Sokol's offensive aggresion & reclaimed the initiative for the last quarter hour to claim the full points.

The Lion's energetic, aggresive attacking of the ball sunday night, as is their habit, provided at times a dangerious adventure which on less fortunate nights could have cost the Son's of Italy dearly. As it were, the Lion's play was exploited for one goal, a post, and but for the width of a blade of grass, a half dozen dangerous Sokol opportunities. Against the less skilled sides of the MMSL this tactic must show it's benefits but Sokol, 10 men and all, were little troubled and luckily only casualy interested in exploiting it.

The lack of a midfield General for Sokol was painfully evident. With the two big lads up front, Sanchez and Blackwood more than a match for any single Lion's marker the use of more midfield offensive support would likely have proved fatilely, troublesome to the Lions. As it was, the Lion's midfield adapted very well to Sokol's long balls to their strong front men. Well enough to contain their largely, and too often, individual advances.

Full credit for a hard won and entertaining victory. A high speed, skillfull, chess match played out on the slippery green of Vince Leah.

P.S. Tragic refereeing. Sokol's Nobby Sanchez and Herby Blackwood while two strong, powerful, skillful strikers who're proud enough to dish out as good as they get were far too often the victoms of some blatant abuse. Most nights these lads are the biggest men on the pitch and happily well play a physical game, but on sunday night by far and away the Lions seemed to have won the ref's favor. I suppose, it isn't allways true that those who complain the loudest seem to win the least favor.

P.S.S. Rain and drizzle for the first half, beautiful evening for the 2nd half and calm winds throughout. I counted just over 130 adult noggins at sundays clash.

"Minority of one"