Every game in ACFC's new top division experience sees the squad making huge steps towards former Div. C glory.
Meeting their third straight top table team Wednesday night at the newly reconditioned John Ferraro sports park, Angel City took on Glendale United, which sported two wins, two shutouts and a goal differential of +14 thus far this season.
Coach Billy Alarcon changed things up for the game, playing a 4-3-3 formation and a much more aggressive lineup to produce some much needed goals.
The game started on a scrambled note though as half the squad arrived minutes before kickoff due to traffic congestion on the 405 (go figure ... yes we hate the early playing slot).
Lateness aside, ACFC took the game to Glendale United for most of the match with early tackles and tight marking on the back line and in midfield, where captain and eventual game MVP Brandon Cole controlled distribution.
Chances were end to end with David Woirhaye and Leo Wallach tearing up the right flank, but it was Glendale who struck first late in the second half off a muddled free kick outside the box. The incident which saw Rahoul Ghose and a Glendale striker awarded yellow cards, gave Glendale the FK, even though the initial foul was against ACFC. The goal came after a scramble in the box, which narrowly missed being cleared.
The second half saw Peter Marlenga trading off with Dave Styles between the posts and a renewed effort to get the tying goal. Glendale appeared to slow down a bit, changing up their first half three to four striker formation for just two men forward. And chances came for ACFC, on several successive passes through the United defence, which played a fairly successful offside trap, aided by some questionable calls from the sideline officials.
Success came mid-half at the creative feet of Woirhaye, who found himself surrounded deep in Glendale territory by no less than five defending players. Undeterred, Worihaye held on to the ball and passed it forward on to himself -- and out of trouble -- before slotting a perfect cross into the box. JC Salinaszelaya met that cross with a looping header which cleanly beat the Glendale keeper.
For the rest of the match, ACFC kept the forward pressure on to get that second goal. Marlenga made at least two incredible saves off the Glendale counterattack ... including one just minutes from the final whistle.
End result ... a hard-earned point for Angel City ... Glendale United, no longer in first place.
Angel City hopes to continue its upwards rise next week at Griffith Park against Dinamo Spartak Feb. 10 with a 7:10 PM kickoff.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment