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  Academica

May 31st, 3:00 PM Southside Park
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 Aguias

W 3 - 0

 

In ‘Clash of the Titans’, Real Prevail

Probably the most anticipated game of the season, Real San Juan regained first place in a hard-fought 2-1 victory over AC Cruz Azul at Southside Park on Sunday afternoon. Both teams came in deadlocked on 16 points and judging from the past two weeks, it could be stated that Cruz came in as the favorites.

During last year’s two clashes, Cruz Azul came out with a victory and a draw against RSJ, 2-1 and 1-1 respectively. Cruz Azul are a side that play fluid football and are very well organized. Real started the game in a 3-5-2 formation, featuring two playmakers, Art Tremblador and John Jones and one defensive midfielder, Donnie Ribaudo. The starting wingers were Eliot Ricks-Chambers on the right and Ralph Cazel on the left flank, supporting strikers Jimmy Frazelle and Pat Nelle. Rounding out the team were the back three of Utodi Madu, captain Marcos Mercado and Kenyon Hill, protecting ‘keeper Conor McNulty.

Cruz Azul took the early lead when a through ball from Isidro Becerra found midfielder Rafa Sanchez, who slipped the ball past an advancing McNulty to put Cruz up 1-0. Both teams then traded opportunities with Cruz coming close to another goal when striker Carlos Carrillo saw his high-velocity shot glance off the crossbar. Towards the end of the first interval, RSJ created chances but saw their final ball poached by Cruz’s defense.

Strikers Dominic "Polish Teves" Jakubek and Oscar Sandoval added a different dimension to the Real attack and threatened the opponents’ defense. Alvaro Delgado, Tim Bystrowski and Alexis Maurtua came on in midfield to give RSJ a change a pace. A key point in the match came midway through the 2nd half when McNulty made an important 1 v. 1 save that would have put Cruz up 2-0 effectively ending the match. RSJ equalized when a Cruz defender appeared to handle the ball in the box, giving RSJ a penalty. "Man of the Match" John Jones stepped up and coolly converted the PK, knotting the game up at 1-1.

As time withered away, and the game appeared headed for a stalemate, RSJ took advantage of a long Jones throw-in that troubled the Cruz ‘keeper and allowed Frazelle to give the faintest of flicks that nestled in the back of the net; according the Cruz defense, a highly disputed goal. Nevertheless, RSJ held on to achieve an important 2-1 victory.

Next week, Real San Juan travels to Turlock to face Academica, the last game of the first half of the season.
 

 
© Real San Juan FC 2005