Los Angeles 2, St. Louis 0: A Play-By-Play (And Other Miscellany)

(Photo courtesy of islphotos.com)

T-120 minutes to kickoff: Here we go with the first of three home games in nine days for the Los Angeles Sol. This is not going to be an easy contest against St. Louis Athletica, who are second in the Power Rankings I posted. The last meeting the Sol had at Ralph Korte Stadium in nearby Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Athletica reduced Abner Rogers's club to a scoreless draw.

Jorge Barcellos will be looking to be the second team to deal a defeat to LA, but home has been rather nice to blue, white and gold: three wins and a draw with Boston.

I am typing this story from a new laptop that I purchased at Fry's Electronics. No more of this Sony VAIO fluff for me. HP all the way.

I am realizing: that Andres Iniesta goal was no fluke. FC Barcelona went on  to win  the whole damn thing.

T-62 Congrats to Chelsea for winning the FA Cup. Have fun down in Putinstan-er, Russia, Guus Hiddink.

T-57: It's a battle of the keepers. After Karina LeBlanc was shown up in a 4-0 victory for the USA at BMO field, she returns with a defense that is arguably better than the one she was consigned with for Big Red in the Los Angeles Sol back line.

As for Athletica keeper Hope Solo, she was instrumental in the 0-0 shutout at Ralphie's house. Can she do it again, or will the adjustments pay off tonight?

Cloudy skies today. Little or no drizzle, surprisingly.

T-54: Sol and Athletica begin their preliminaries.

T-47: I'm in quite an upbeat mood today. Long Beach State won the Commmissioner's Cup (although we weren't able to tack back the Black & Blue surfboard beacause our men's teams SUCK), and the Lakers won.

T-42: St. Louis brings a 4-game unbeaten streak, and plenty of momentum. This is why it is second in my power rankings. Besides Solo, Lori Chalupny is going to be a key factor in the outcome for Jorge Barcellos's club.

T-40: After this match, the Los Angeles Galaxy will play. I will be making a rare play-by-play (with other miscellany) at that match. How about that. I'm gonna be working up an appetite.

T-37: A victory for Athletica could spell trouble for Boston, which is currently second in the table.

T-28: Aly Wagner is out for today's game with a groin injury, while Brittany Bock is questionable with a heel contusion.

T-26: Daniela is the only one out for Athletica. She is out indefinitely due to a cracked tibia.

T-25: I see some reserved seats down in the southwest corner. Hmmm. Must be a group of people which reserved this match or the Galaxy contest.

T-21: And Rachel Alexandra is given a rest. No Belmont for the wonder filly. Mine That Bird, it's all you!

T-20: The Sol and Athletica conclude warm-ups.

T-19: Our official today is Kari Seitz, who I passed by at the press box. At the end of the day, these players and officials are regular people doing extraordinary things. That's one of my precepts.

T-18: Linesmen are Veronica Perez and Bing Kongmebhol (Thai representation, brilliant!). Fourth official is Felisha Mariscal.

T-17: The lineups...as the drums are being banged in the distance:

LOS ANGELES SOL
Manager: Abner Rogers
Formation: 4-4-2

23 LeBlanc

3 Falk ---- 19 Franko ---- 14 Cox ---- 22 Makoski

7 Boxx (C) ---- 8 Miyama ---- 20 Abily ---- 11 Bock

9 Han Duan ---- 10 Marta

Substitutes:

1 Henderson
2 Sanchez
17 Bogus
21 Frisk
6 Zerboni
18 Larkin
5 Barnes

ST. LOUIS ATHLETICA
Manager: Jorge Barcellos
Formation: 3-5-2

1 Solo

4 Larson ---- 6 McNeill ---- 8 Ellertson

11 Woznuk ---- 17 Chalupny (C) ---- 21 Francielle ---- 24 Fletcher ---- 19 Cross

2 Hanks ---- 9 Aluko

Substitutes:

13 Loyden
12 Weber
7 Stoia
23 Welsh
15 Cinalli

T-13: "Tele Ok?" I see in one of the channels, Channel 10. That cracks me up. What the hell is that supposed to be; a bloody meme? Now the camera is zooming on the nylon, with some flashing, and now it is moving. Aaaaah, hyponisis, hypnosis, aaaaaah!

The goal...it is possessed...mercy!!!

T-10: And the lines for the Tunnel Team are filed up as I am typing this. Watch out for Eniola Aluko, formerly of the Chelsea Ladies. She could be a problem for the Sol defense. The midfielders will be key to Athletica's success against the Sol; after all it IS a 3-5-2 formation.

T-9: As I already mentioned, this will be the first of three straight home games in nine matches for the Sol. Home cooking time. After St. Louis, Chicago comes into town Wednesday night, and on Sunday we have the rematch with the Washington Freedom. My God, I am getting hungry.


T-4: Today, it's all the Irvine youth teams. Must be the fact that the baseball team is in action today. Not a lot of people out today. Some of them must be on their way.

T-3: Grahame Jones has been reduced to a soccer journalist unworthy of his position at the Los Angeles Times. Jonesy, please do the most honorable thing and resign. Thank you.

T-2: White tops and gree bottoms for St. Louis, all blue for LA. Santa Maria's Molly Stilts performing our national anthem. Missed a few of the lyrics, but then again, the sound system had some faults, too. It all evens out in the end.

Kickoff: 4:08 p.m.

1' - And here we go. Hey, the announcer pronounced Aya's name correctly. A little zooming in on a portrait of the Virginia 1989 national champion team, and L.A. Galaxy coach Bruce Arena, perhaps for the telecast later today. Seriously, I want to see these guys actually get a W. Otherwise, I fancy this state of affairs can't continue.

1' - Here comes Boxx, but Solo is able to clear. It's gonna be a possession game early.

2' - Early opportunity, but not a very good header. Han Duan, eager to continue her account. Good save from Solo, who was shafter late in their 2007 World Cup campaign by Greg Ryan. I think Ryan's decision cost him his job. Seriously.

3' Here comes Athletica...good marking by Falk leads to a goal kick for LeBlanc.

3' - Epic...now I can see the game from two angles...a MatchCenter rendition...and some drumming down by those guys in the southwest corner.

4' - Too far for Aya Miyama. Throw-in.

4' - Sol resets on defense. Franko, the coaching extraordinare, takes the lead.

5' - Here's Miyama...but the midfielders are doing their part. My gosh, Seitz is giving these throw-ins like candy.

6' - Another opportunity gone far, but it will be a corner. Miyama to take. It's short, and Falk should have done better.

7' - Nice try marking Boxx, but the Sol will take possession.

8' - Boy, the Athletica midfielders are just like the team name suggests, aren't they? Athletic with an "A".

8' - Throw in for Francielle.

9' - A transition play by LA is met by the St. Louis midfield.

9' - Easy scoop for LeBlanc. I fancy later on she will be tested.

9' - Heads-up, Shannon.

10' - Marta, setting up Cox. The St. Louis midfield and defense are holding firm against this calculated attack.

11' - You can call that foul with Braille, to paraphrase a Chickism.

12' - A one-timer by Cox just goes over the top. Can you say..."Warning Shot?"

13' - A pass from Marta to Han just misses.

14' - Here's Aluko, marked by Falk. Throw-in for LA, and a reset.

15' - The Sol seem to be passing in a minefield with the formation Barcellos has put out. Here comes St. Louis, but not a good shot by Aluko. Easy save for LeBlanc.

16' - Chippy foul by Marta. I see Han has tied her hair back. Heh. It must be a tradition to have a single ponytail bobbing up and down.

17' -  The only one without a tail is Miyama. Please. That shot was as wide as the Grand Canyon.

18' - Cadence from our drummers. Another corner for L.A. Let's see if they go long this time.

19' - Miyama does go long but it's cleared. Solo had to get that one; it was heading her way.

20' - The Sol defense are now doing some passing to set up the midfielders. St. Louis now on the counter.

21' -
Good clearance from Boxx. Textbook.

22' - We could use a little bit of the drum circle from Santa Clara.

23' - Clean tackle, says Seitz, play on.

24' - And the pigeons have come to town, while Solo makes another save. There's a curiosity for you.

25' - Good marking from the Athletica defense. Another corner. This old Irish guy could use some Nutralife.

25' - We call that parking the bus, St. Louis, and another save from Solo. Could it be a matter of time?

26' - Offisides Athletica. Man, Aluko was close to breaking the deadlock t here.

26' - High shot for St. Louis. Closely contested game.

27' - I thought that was Barcellos, but that was just the churro guy selling fried dough covered in cinnamon and crystallized glucose.

28' - Throw-in for Athletica. Too high a shot for Bock. Goal kick Solo.

29' - Offsides St. Louis. The girls in blue are biding their time.

30' - Counterattack off a bad pass by Captain Shannon, and a free kick.

31' - Here come those pigeons again. Ball going off Seitz? Get out of the way, Kari...

32' - Great save from LeBlanc. Solid clearance from Franko. Big Red reliability right there.

33' - Or your money back. I just love cracking up at these jokes. Sol resetting on defense. They have to do something about this tenacious St. Louis midfield. They have been stellar so far.

34' - Here's Aluko again...that's a bad challenge, free kick LA.

35' - GOAL! 20 Camille Abily Assist: 10 Marta
Marta tried to get that one, but it went into the feet of Abily, and she easily slotted it home. That's the third goal of her campaign. Athletica are now on their heels. Just like Joan of Arc at Orleans, the centerpiece of the visiting team's logo.

36' - Not a good clearance from Solo either. Poor clearance, to say the least.

37' - So let's see if LA can consolidate here or if Athletica can rebound from the pep talk and equalize, making this a game.

38' - Free kick St. Louis. Well-defended. Goal kick by LeBlanc. And there is a McDonald's logo in the lower right corner of the TV screen I am watching. Ah, if only they had breakfast around the clock...like Jack in the Box.

39' - Seitz maintaining order.

40' - I see what this promotion is. If the Sol score for the rest of this half, everyone gets McFlurries. Nah. I'll stick to my shakes from In-N-Out. Or  my yogurt of choice. Thanks for the offer though.

41' - Han Duan complaining she was held on that phase for Los Angeles, but Seitz will not try to be a Marge. (for all of you wondering, a Marge is a female version of a Homer. And a home is an official favoring the home team. Simpsons pun. I admit as much.)

42' - Another poor pass to Aluko. They have been doing this all half. Goal kick for Karina.

43' - The Angel City Brigade arrives and bangs their drums. Hello, ACB. No Riot Squad yet, but I will see those guys later.

44' - The ACB will be in their section for the LA Galaxy match, too.

45' - Marta is getting marked here. I guess the Riot Squad does not recognize the Sol as a footballing powerhouse. Or they are just not motivated from seeing the Galaxy play the role of TIE-Fighters.

45' - No stoppage time. How about that.

HALF-TIME

Los Angeles Sol 1
(Abily 36')

St. Louis Athletica 0

Let's see if Los Angeles can hold on to this lead. I have been told that I am typing this in a Spanish-commentary booth. I am going to hurry up in uploading this article and the other recap on b/r.

2nd Half Start: 5:11 PM

46' - Substitution St. Louis
IN 12 Elise Weber
OUT 24 Kendall Fletcher

46' - It's only a 1-0 halftime lead, but if Jorge Barcellos can't get his ladies to react accordingly, this will be a long night for the green and white.

46' - A little trivia. St. Louis does not play in St. Louis per se. It plays in nearby Edwardsville. The team plays its matches at Anheuser-Busch Center, a 6,000-seat stadium in Fenton.

47' - Would-be goal called back due to offsides. Boy, Athletica has been shooting itself in the foot with all these ridiculous offsides. The reason why it's playing its remaining home matches in Fenton is due to the MLS bid falling flat.

50' - GOAL!! 7 Shannon Boxx Assist: 9 Han Duan
That just landed at her feet. Solo had no chance of saving that one. Easy blaster. And Captain Shannon opens her account. Han also gets an assist on that one.

50' - Well, I did say that Athletica were going to have an uphill mountain to climb, and the climb just got a bit steeper.


51' - Great defending from Abily. She has done her job so far this game.

53' - Corner for the Sol...but Athletica clears. And Abner Rogers looks on, having switched into spectator mode.

54' - Miyama slipped on the turf. A little divet we have here on the pitch.

55' - Oh come on, I cannot believe there still are guys still clamoring for a package of makeup.

56' - Solo with a diving save off a shot from Miyama. Los Angeles have been going after her today.

57' - Sol resetting...while the pigeons get a birds-eye view of the action on the pitch...literally.

57' - Great save from Solo. She's had to do a lot of work, the US National Team keeper. It's as if she is facing Brazil all over again.

58' - Same angle. Replay angle. Marta has been walking a tightrope with all these attempts from the far left corner.

59' - Han Duan looks like Fa Mulan playing cuju, in a way, pun be gone.

60' - Falk, LeBlance, Miyama, and Falk again...it looks like a game of keep-away, as if they are content with this lead. The fans want more goals.

61' - Save from LeBlanc. She could be doing some work this stretch of the match.

62' - Hoobustank CDs? Oh dear...the only good song from them was "Foot In Your Mouth."

63' - That's a rough tackle on Marta...she's fine, though. Free kick. Time to bend it like Beckham. Miyama and Marta converse before the set piece...

64' - High shot. Aya Miyama, you are no Beckham...or Andres Iniesta for that matter. May need to let Number 10 do that next time.

65' - St. Louis Athletica substitution:

IN  7 Lisa Stoia
OUT 19 Niki Cross

65' - Corner St. Louis cleared by LA. Great reach for LeBlanc. And there are those pigeons again.

66' - Here's Miyama, but her run is stopped by the Athletica defense.

67' - Offsides Los Angeles, eliciting some boos.

68' - The cadence roars. Now all we need is the wave...here's Han. Brave heading attempt, but wide.

69' - St. Louis is now reduced to chippy play, the frustrations beginning to mount.

70'- What a save from Hope Solo! That was going to be number three, courtesy of Marta!

71' - Corner cleared by Athletica.

72' - This has been one of those days for St. Louis.

73' - I fear for those pigeons, they might get kicked by the Athletica players!

73' - Even Aluko is beside herself today.

74' - Transition for LA broken up by Lori Chalupny. She's put up a valiant fight against this sol attack.

75' - Good tackle from Abily. Solo had to clear that one out in a hurry.

75' - Substitution St. Louis Athletica:

IN 23 Christie Welsh
OUT 21 Francielle

76' - Athletica defense scraps it out again. This is a decent turnout. Hopefully we'll see more at the Galaxy game. Some inspiration is in order.

77' - KC's in the middle of the table in the East, while FC Dallas and San Jose have been having it worse.

78' - It's reduced to a mere possession game now for the Sol and Athletica. Chalupny trying to get something going, but it looks as if Los Angeles are set to consolidate their position at the top of the table.

79' - Not a good shot from Abily, looking for a brace.

80' - Time doesn't look to be on the side, as St. Louis is desperately looking for a score.

82' - Great save for Solo. The home fans can sense it.

83' - High shot from Kerri Hanks goes for naught. This just hasn't been their day.

84' - And those Thunderstix are banging as we speak.

85' - Blistering one timer for Captain Shannon...too high, Captain!

85' - All hands on deck, this team is not going to sit on their laurels. Rough tackles all around from St. Louis, the capital of Provel cheese, the bastard cousin of Swiss. Sort of.

86' - Substitution Los Angeles Sol:

IN 6 McCall Zerboni
OUT 11 Brittany Bock

86' - Really, the finishing has to be worked on, especially when a reeling Chicago Red Stars team comes to town.

87' - Substitution Los Angeles Sol:

IN 18 Katie Larkin
OUT 9 Han Duan

87' - Corner for St. Louis cleared. Marta tumbles, gets back up, tumbles again, and Miyama just wasted that opportunity after Larkin tried her luck at it.

88' - That sequence was worthy of a palm to the forehead, as far as I know.

89' - Rough tackle by Aluko, and in spite of the action late, as Chick Hearn would say, "This game is in the refrigerator! the doors are closed, the lights are out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard and the jello is jiggling.

90' - Two minutes of stoppage time added on.

90' + 1' Corner Los Angeles, but saved by Solo. Still working hard in spite of the losing effort. You gotta hand it off to her.

90' + 2' - That's a wrap.

FINAL

Los Angeles Sol 2
(Abily 35', Boxx 50')

St. Louis Athletica 0