The key today was some dazzling ball distribution. Right out of the chutes/shoots, some 2 minutes in to the game, even before the chattiest of Force parents had found a comfortable seat in the charmed glare of the Winstar Dome, playmaker Rhea set up Sawyer who rolled in a shot to the left corner.
This was not a typical Sawyer goal, racing in on a break with a hard strike. The quick score seemed to leave Force players and parents a bit shocked. Did that count? Can we score that early? Is that legal? Yes we can -- to coin a political phrase heard round the world (well, not in Oakland County, come on).
A few minutes later, seemingly just to prove goal number one was not a fluke, Lauren lofted a great ball down the middle -- one of several terrific passes she made in the game -- to a streaking Christina who chased it down and tipped it at the Impact Keeper's far left side. The goalie -- a good one -- dove and got a piece of it with her hand but Kyra had hustled up the field to bang the ball into the empty net. Inspired, Kyra followed that up 2 minutes later with a great individual effort, taking the ball in her own end past three Impact players to get off a shot. It could have been 3-0.
But let's stay calm: 2-0 Force. The Impact keeper would bring us down to earth a bit with gravity defying punts.
Michigan Impact 99 really had only one offensive weapon -- the long punt -- but they used it effectively. A long ball put Force defenders back on their heels and an Impact player made a nice move and shot to cut the lead. Fair enough. The Impact were not as skilled as the Force or as mobile so giving up one goal on size and strength didn't seem too bothersome. When punts continued to fly well over mid-field, however, and thus over Force defenders, things got a bit frustrating. Impact Goal number 2 looked not that much different from goal number 1.
As George Michael sings, however, you have to faith in coaching methods.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO_-aw-BHQ8&feature=related The Force go ahead goal and game winner had to be satisfying to Coach Cookie. Good pressure kept the ball in the Impact end early in the first half. Rhea stopped and controlled the ball about ten feet north of the top of the box. She looked up and found Zoe's feet just inside the box. Zoe, in traffic, duplicated Rhea's control and deftly dished to Force (potential?) newcomer Jasmine who had stationed herself just to the left of the keeper. She had to play the ball quickly and send it across a sprawling goalie for a soft touch by Christina. 3-2 Force! And they didn't really have to shoot!!! A perfect Force goal.
A few minutes later Rhea, again, set up Jasmine for a solid shot to the corner. Ball distribution, ball distribution, ball distribution. Lauren provided great "stretch" passes all day and Rhea was picture perfect inside.
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