Today was an “exhibition” game against another team. There wasn’t a scheduled game for today so the coach found someone else to play against. Like the local university team starting a season it was supposed to be an easy match against 4th graders. Instead, it was a rather hard fought game.
Corwin’s team seemed a bit off to me, especially in the first quarter. They are missing several of their better players from last year due to families moving, players getting too old, and the transition to middle school. Most of the ones remaining just didn’t seem very on, although Keith did well and Colin in particular was better than normal. Corwin was average Corwin, getting in some good saves and kicks but not hustling as much as he could (he missed a couple of stops he would have had if he’d just been willing to move before it was obviously necessary).
Still, by the second quarter the team was definitely improving. They managed to pull ahead 2-0 on a good goal play and a free kick, both right over the opposing goalie’s arms. The other team came back with a score late in the third quarter. That the last score leaving the team with a win of 2-1. I thought the other team played a good game. Corwin’s team did OK, but definitely needs to tighten up their playing. But I suppose that’s the point of a pre-season game.
There was a controversial save by the other team, and one of Corwin’s team mates got a yellow card, the first I have seen in a game. Click the text to see mind numbing details about the former.
On this play, the ball came in from the left and one of the opposing players kicked it out away from the goal to the left, where it went quickly out of bounds. I think it was an impressive kick, given the snap nature of it and that the kid is facing the wrong way to make it easy. The question was, did the ball pass the plane of the goal? The referee said not but it wasn’t obvious. Looking at the picture, however, I think the referee got it right. You can see the shadow of the goal cross beam on the left. Looking at the angle between the left most player’s rear shoe and the shadow of it, we can make a good guess as to where the shadow of the ball would be, and there it is, with the shadow of the kicking player right behind it. The key point is that the ball’s shadow is outside of the crossbeam’s shadow, and because the latter is in front of the white goal line, we can be confident that makes the ball in front of the goal line as well.
Who is that good-looking little red head behind Corwin??
