LAUDERDALE SOCCER CLUB WINS THE 2017/2018 PRE WORLD CUP SEASON
Lauderdale Soccer Club (LSC) went back to the roots ( the famous “Homeless” charisma from the South Florida players) and with the assistance of long-time members such as Roee Blicher, Ico de Oliveira, Conner Rezende and Efran Escobar among others, manage to come back from a mediocre season to win them all in the play offs. They whitewashed School of Soccer in the quarterfinals, by a score of 7-0, then they defeated PB Elite Inter in the semifinals by a score of 1-0 and in the finals they crushed PB Spartans, a squad that was undefeated in the last two seasons, by a score of 4 to 1. LSC roster included the following players: Daniel Aguirre, Roee Blicher, Alex Bidos, Douglas Bonilla, JS Davalos, Sebastian Desir, Ico de Oliveira, Alex Eden, Efren Escobar, Nicolas Ezcurra, David and Benjamin Florez, Armando Garzon, Manuel Leiva, Stefan Marston, Andres Neira, Julian Penagos, Oscar Perez, Conner Rezende, Daniel Ruiz, Jeffrey Sedano, Ross Scianimanico, and Andrés Watson. The team is coached by Manny Leiva and JC Meeroff. Also in the team but not present in the final game were, Gabriel Alarcon, Moises Cedeno, Ruben Decius, Aleph Franzin, Johan Mejia, Diego Meeroff (also team manager) and Jacob Testa. The final game vs. undefeated PB Spartans was very well played. Two different styles of play were confronted. The PB team, strong and physical, fast counterattack style vs. a “ball on the carpet”, danubian, latin American, ball possession style. LSC populated midfield using a (1)-3-5-2 tactical formation and proceed with initial high pressure. They score very early in the match (goal scored by midfielder Daniel Ruiz, assisted by Nicolas Ezcurra) and persisted dominating the match but PB Spartans was very dangerous on fast counterattacks. LSC had several opportunities to score but they missed the net at least in three occasions. Finally before the end of the first half, Efren Escobar, who substituted Alex Bidos, scored the second goal for the Homeless. It was LSC 2-Spartans 0 at half time. The second half showed a different game. The Spartans attacked strongly trying to score early. LSC modified his playing structure to a classic (1)-4-4-2. A defensive mistake before the 60 minute mark was well handled by the Palm Beach squad: LSC lost a ball in midfield and the Spartans were able to score (goal by Marc Ouroslak). With a few adjustments in midfield, the “Homeless” recovered control of the match and had again several opportunities to increase the difference but they missed the net. At minute 70, a quick counter by LSC ended up in a one v one situation forcing Spartans GK to take down Efren Escobar from LSC inside the penalty area. A PK was called and Manny Leiva Jr with a perfect shot scored to increase the difference in favor of LSC to 3-1. From then on the Spartans attacked furiously but LSC defended well and also created several dangerous counterattacks. LSC GKs Andre Neira and Andres Watson, who sub for Neira at minute 70 made excellent saves denying the Spartans the possibility to reduce the difference. LSC counter were dangerous and in two occasions forward Nicolas Ezcurra had the chance to mark but the ball went wide. Finally on one of those counters, Jeffrey Sedano, the last sub for LSC, assisted by Oscar Perez scored with a long distance perfect shot to make the score 4-1 in favor of the Homeless. The match was very clean, with no disciplinary problems neither on nor out the field. It was a great day for soccer in South Florida The MVPs of the match were LSC keepers Andres Neira and Andres Watson.
LSC celebrating after the match
