Rob Friend

[Desigol]

He's just scored twice today. Do u think he should get called?

[Luis_Rancagua]

Man, this is one guy that's really starting to impress me more-and-more. Rob Friend has scored twice today, thus giving his club Moss a huge boost in the standings of the Norwegian 1st Division. The club is somewhat crawling away from the relegation zone. Rob, you're the MAN. I am pretty convinced that Rob will be playing in some huge Europen club next year. He's already catching the attention of other major European clubs.

Please see the game report:

http://www.tv2.no/sport/fotball/fakta/match.jhtml?xTournamentId=2&xSeasonId=325&xMatchId=47270

[marcl_19]

any rumoured clubs to mention?

[Luis_Rancagua]

According to my contacts in Norway, they have mentioned to me that several clubs in Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, and even in the UK have expressed great interest in his service. Unfortunately, they have not enveiled to me exact names as to who are these clubs. If Rob keeps up scoring the way he's doing, he is surely making himself very marketable for these clubs of which he already is without a doubt. The Prairie kid from Saskatchewan has surely demonstrated that a Prairie kid could actually play in Europe and compete with the best. Way to go Rob!!! I love you Rob!!! Don't cry for me Rob Friend!!!!

[Luis_Rancagua]

Latest News in English:

21.09.2003 Three in a row!

Moss has under LO Mattsson's coaching won three games in a row. In today's match against Hødd, our very own Rob Friend showed us all what a brilliant head-player he is. During 10-15 minutes in the first half he scored twice, and almost a third goal. Rob was everywhere on the field today, and he alone virtually won all three points for Moss today. Let us hope that this was Rob's big breakthrough-match for Moss.

Please see the Interlink to the interview:

http://www.mossfk.no/video/rob_low.wmv

[Guest Jeffery S.]

Friend featured in FIFA article

from http://www.fifa.com/en/display/article,71999.html

Men's Olympic Football Tournament

Raining “Olympic” goals

(FIFA.com) 17 Sep 2003

REUTERS - Bernardo de Niz

The CONCACAF Olympic qualifying competition, which takes the form of an immense tournament, is now underway. Though the first round is not fully concluded, eight teams have already won through to the second round to join Mexico, who are already qualified for the third phase. Meanwhile, twelve other nations are still locking horns, with the final return games taking place on 12th October. Read on for a full update.

Twenty-five teams entered the first round of the CONCACAF zone Olympic qualifiers. Mexico, as final round hosts, are exempted from the first and second rounds, while the United States and Honduras also skip the first round. Canada, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Panama have qualified, while Saint Lucia benefited from Antigua and Barbuda’s suspension and El Salvador from Puerto Rico’s withdrawal. Those who negotiate these first two rounds will take part in a mini-championship between 2nd and 12th of February in Mexico, from which two nations will emerge to compete at Athens 2004.

Avalanche of goals

The award for most goals scored goes to Canada. It was the Virgin Islands who bore the brunt of the Canadian deluge, picking the ball out of their own net no less than 24 times in two matches… 10-0 in the away match at Fredericksted, then 14-0 at St-John in New Brunswick. The islanders returned home laden with gifts and with lasting memories of a certain Rob Friend, who notched up seven goals, including six in the home match in Canada. With “friends” like Rob, Canadian coach Bruce Twamley remained low-key after this drubbing: “We’ve got through this qualifier without suffering any injuries and now we’re keen to take on El Salvador.”

Costa Rica too were quick to dispense with any niceties, putting the ball past the Belize keeper no less than 23 times in two days (13th and 15th September)… Their 15-0 success in the away leg at the Estadio Rosabal Cordero de Heredia allowed the young hopefuls to equal the largest score ever achieved by a Costa Rican national team. In 1974, the U17s recorded an identical tally against the Cayman Islands. After such a feat, the 8-0 trouncing in the return match had a somewhat mundane look about it. Erick Scott, meanwhile, signalled his designs on finishing top scorer in the competition, notching six goals (four in the away game and two at home).

Compared with these “cricket scores”, the performance of Trinidad and Tobago might seem a tad run of the mill, but the T&Ts nevertheless chalked up six goals in their two clashes with the Bahamas, who could manage just a single strike. Successes 3-0 away and 3-1 at home gave them the decisive edge, but it should be noted that these wins were hard fought, with all the goals coming in the second half, and the majority of these in the final 15 minutes.

Panama no pushover

Panama put up a spirited struggle against their Nicaraguan neighbours. Gary Stempel, the Panamanian’s English coach, had predicted beforehand, “It’s bound to be tough going against Nicaragua”, and, sure enough, in the away leg in Managua, Stempel’s soldiers were constantly chasing the game. Behind as early as the 10th minute courtesy of a David Martinez strike, Panama levelled the tie before the break through José Garcés (41’) and seemed to have done the hard part. However, Ruder Calero restored his side’s advantage in the 80th minute, before a Luis Tejada goal at the death (88’) salvaged the draw. The return leg in Panama City went much more according to plan for the Panamanians. Cheered on by a crowd of 12,000, they led 2-0 at the break and were finally able to relax when Garcés popped up again to score their third with an hour gone. Eventually running out 4-1 winners, Panama earned the right to face Saint Lucia in the second round.

Everything still to play for

Five encounters could still go either way in the return legs on 12 October, although two teams will be up against it: Surinam, having lost at home to Guatemala with Julio Enriquez (9’) and Fredy Thompson (44’) getting on the scoresheet for the visitors, will have their work cut out in Guatemala. Barbados have also made things difficult for themselves after losing to Guyana in Blairmont. Though the latter opened the scoring through Devon Millington (24’), Fabian Forde hit back for Barbados after the break (55’). Some staunch resistance followed before Shawn Beveney (68’), Gregory Richardson (71’) and Jonathan Peters (86’) all found the net for Guyana.

For Haiti too, it was mission accomplished in some style. Jude Maceus scored the only goal of the encounter with the Dominican Republic just before the interval. A slender margin, admittedly, but it was obtained away from home in Santo Domingo, and is therefore likely to prove decisive. The scenario is the same for Saint Kitts and Nevis, homeland of the world 100m champion Kim Collins, who won 1-0 in Dominica courtesy of a 30th-minute Jevon Francis strike.

But there is still all to play for in the tie between Cuba and Jamaica, two of the Caribbean’s big hitters. In Havana, the Cubans came out all guns blazing, but despite raucous backing from 9,000 passionate spectators, Rufino Sotolongo Reyes’ men could never quite gain the upper hand over the Reggae Boyz. In fact, it was the Jamaicans who opened the scoring through Desmond Breakenridge (74’), and they looked to have secured all three points before Jenssy Munoz snatched a draw for his side in the very last minute. Cuba’s Peruvian coach Miguel Company was far from happy at sharing the spoils. “This was a poor match in terms of both the score and the performance”, he declared after the game. The return leg in Kingston promises to be a little bit lively.

Some sides have all the luck

Two teams did not even have to kick a ball in anger to gain their places in the second round. Saint Lucia were scheduled to play Antigua and Barbuda, but the latter were suspended by FIFA on 20th May, because of “the chaotic situation of the country’s football administration”. El Salvador, meanwhile, benefited from the withdrawal of Puerto Rico. Saint Lucia will face Panama in the second round, while El Salvador will take on Canada.

The second round matches will be played on the 15th, 16th and 17th November. Upon completion of the round, seven teams will join Mexico for the final round, to be held in the aforementioned country in early February.