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Challenging Day for Soccer Domain Academy Teams
Community submission,
10:43AM / Tuesday, May 17, 2016
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It was an action-packed Sunday with five Soccer Domain Academy teams in competition and four squads on the road. The club went 0-3-2 on the day.
 
U13 Girls
The under-13 girls were on the road for the first game of the day against GPS Rhode Island North Elite Girls. SDA started the game very slowly, giving its opponents too much time on the ball and allowing them to move the ball well with very little challenge. In the defensive third, the away side defended well and didn’t allow GPS to convert consistent pressure into shots on goal. 
 
As the half progressed the pressure paid off and slow reactions from the visitors allowed GPS to get a shot off with no pressure on the ball which dispatched well making it 1-0 to the home side. Throughout the remainder of the first half SDA found itself struggling to get out of its half of the field, when the ball went forward the hosts were able to play out of the back with ease due to a lack of pressure on the ball. Just before half-time,  GPS found its way through and made it 2-0.
 
The second half was a completely different story and SDA looked like a transformed team. Off the ball the visitor pressed high and forced several turn overs of possession. The pressure along with the work rate forced several turnovers in threatening areas. GPS were pinned in its own half for the majority as SDA dominated possession and piled pressure on its opponent with smooth passing and good combinations. The visitors won most one-on-one contests, isolated defenders and got in behind their back four on many occasions.
 
SDA outpaced GPS consistently and some smart movement resulted in a well taken goal  this highlighted the superior speed in the attacking third. Late in the game, SDA changed system to a 3-4-3 formation with the hope of getting another goal, however despite resilient pressure GPS managed to hold on to their 2-1 win.
 
U12 Girls 
The U12 girls travelled to GPS Massachusetts Boston Select Red for their fourth game of the season. The game started very brightly with SDA looking effective on the ball and trying to get into dangerous areas of the pitch. GPS were very physical and did not hesitate in challenges, when the home side had the ball SDA gave them no time and pressed well throughout the first half. Not many goal scoring opportunities were created but it was clear to see SDA controlled the pace of the game. 
 
At the beginning of the second half, GPS looked a real attacking threat moving the ball into dangerous areas of the field with ease, GPS used midfield rotation well to confuse the SDA players and find openings in the midfield and defensive lines. When SDA won the ball they were not composed and relaxed enough to keep hold of it for prolonged periods of time, this eventually cost the away team as they struggled to deal with persistent GPS pressure. Panic from the visiting player lead to a handball inside the box and a penalty awarded to the home team. This was dispatched well making it 1-0. An immediate reply from SDA was just what the spectators and coach wanted to see. Straight from kick off the ball was spread to a wide area of the pitch, the winger cut in for a shot that flew past the goalkeeper, making it 1-1. For the remaining 5 minutes of the game SDA used the momentum to put GPS under consistent pressure but were unable to find the pivotal goal, the game finished  in a 1-1 tie.
 
U15 Girls 
The only home game of the day saw SDA U15’s host FC Stars of Massachusetts Central Athletic. The game started out with SDA under a lot of pressure, a combination of the wind and the Stars team playing a very aggressive and physical style of play had SDA on the back foot. The home team battled hard but could not get a hold of the game, at times SDA were rushed in possession and the visitors won the ball back with ease.
 
With a very good strike and finish, SDA found itself down, 1-0, midway through the first half. As the game went on the girls started to get more joy in the final third which took some pressure of the defense by mounting some attacks, as the attacks got more regular the home team felt hard done by to not receive what seemed to be a penalty kick which was waved away by the referee. The visitors pushed back again and managed to get in behind the SDA defense by putting a great ball into the danger area which was bundled home the ball to make, 2-0,  FC Stars.
 
The home side continued to push hard and finally from a corner kick SDA was awarded a penalty for a hand ball. The kick wasn’t dispatched, and the teams went into half-time with the score at 2-0. 
 
With the wind now to the home side’s advantage, SDA had a lot more joy in the Stars of Mass half. It also displayed more of a physical threat, competing well with their opponent’s challenges. SDA continued to push and probe but struggled to create clear chances, different options were explored and players switched positions to potentially break down the Stars defense. With the half nearing an end, SDA continued to push hard and managed to break The Stars down to get themselves a goal through an excellent finish.
 
With the clock still ticking SDA continued to push everyone forwar,d and with the last play of the game the ball was played into the striker with back to goal, a great turn and strike resulted in the game being tied as the final whistle blew.
 
U12 Boys
A journey in excess of two hours travelling to Memorial Berlin School saw SDA U12 boys with only nine players hosted by FC Boston Bolts Central Elite. It was a very even start to the game, the teams found themselves cancelling each other out and not getting into many threatening positions.
 
As the game progressed, FC Boston started to look the more likely team to break the deadlock but struggled to break down a persistent SDA defense. A ball won in the midfield area from the bolts and a quick attack, allowed the Bolts to have a shot on goal which found its way into the back of the net making it Bolt 1-0 SDA midway into the first half.  The home team found themselves on the attack again minutes after, getting into the box the player was brought down for a questionable penalty decision. A very good penalty kick found its way past the outstretched keeper who done his utmost to keep it out. After the second goal the remainder of half happened to be very flat with both sides continuing the theme of the start of the game. 
 
After regrouping and evaluating the situation SDA realized it had nothing to lose and only points to gain from 2-0 down. The SDA camp discussed certain potential improvements at half time, their shape seemed much better at the start of the second half, the visitors looked more of a threat going forward, they also looked more compact and organized in defense. The SDA strikers and wingers began to find their way in behind the hosts backline and controlled possession throughout the early stages of the half.
 
SDA was aware the next goal could decide the game and had the desire to keep fighting although frustratingly for the players they couldn’t find their way past an outstanding Bolts goalkeeper who had made some amazing saves throughout and looked comfortable every time SDA found itself in a threatening area of the field. The referee had indicated to the home coach that there were three and a half minutes left, this brought realization to the SDA players that they needed to act quickly, within a minute of this some great play to get the ball wide had the defense panicking. The ball came back into the box and a miss hit shot fell at the winger’s feet who dispatched at the far post.
 
The determination of the players after the goal showed great character and they fought hard to win back every ball, goal scoring opportunities were created and another top save from the Bolts goalkeeper denied SDA the levelling goal and won, 2-1.
 
U14 Boys 
The U14 boys also travelled away from home to play Seacoast Benfica. At the start of the game, SDA looked flat, they failed to deal with our opponents passing and movement largely due to the space and time they were allowed on the ball. The visitors struggled to keep possession of the ball and only played short out from the back once, aerially SDA was not competing with Seacoast, so this approach could have been deemed as “too direct.”
 
When SDA won the ball, a narrow team shape cost them as the hosts were able to cancel out their attacks easily and early. Some good defending and goalkeeping denied Seacoast of more than a 2-0 lead at the break.
 
The second half saw a much improved SDA performance. In possession, it was much more proactive. They played short to feet from the GK to our fullbacks who were much more confident on the ball and some effective combinations in the midfield third helped SDA on their way to controlling possession. The visitors were much more organized and disciplined defensively and left an outlet up front to aid counter attacks. SDA scored well deserved goals that came from two pieces of individual brilliance and at 2-2 the visitors had the momentum to go on and win the game.
 
They had enough chances and possession in dangerous areas to do so, however with three minutes to go, a missed timed challenge resulted in a penalty which made it 3-2 to the home team. With not long left of the game SDA pushed players forward in order to salvage a point but conceded another late in the game, making it 4-2. SDA displayed some amazing character to fight their way back into the game but were unable to salvage anything at the end.
 
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