2016 is a tough one to let go for the Cosmopolitan Soccer League, for the league had one of its most prestigious year of the past decade. As we're going through the 90th minute mark of 2016 today, let's take a look back at the top five stories of the year. CSL might want to ask the referee for added time for such a year.
Shamrock SC players celebrating Alejandro Fritz's game-winning goal against Doxa SC at St. Michael's Playground on Nov. 19th. Photo by Dennis Schneider/ NY Shamrocks Images
The only ENY cup CSL failed to win this year is the Rapaglia Cup as Cedar Stars Academy was edged by Polet 3-2 in the final on September.
NY Pancyprian Freedoms player James Riley in his days with D.C.United in 2013. Rantsports Images.
Riley won the MLS Cup in 2014 with Los Angeles Galaxy, the U.S Open Cup with D.C United, three more Open Cups with the Seattle Sounders and one with New England Revolution.
3. Lansdowne's threepeat
Winning your division is never easy, doing it for two years in a row is remarkable, doing it for three years in a row is frightening. The Bhoys won three CSL titles in row, defeating Cedar Stars (they went by Everton FC Westchester Eagles then) 3-0 in the final last season. The Irish based-club outscored their opponents 9-0 in the last three finals.
Lansdowne Bhoys celebrating after defeating Cedar Stars Academy in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League final on June 5th. Lansdowne Bhoys Images
Lansdowne is also on an outrageous 43-game unbeaten run in the league.
2. Rocks top of the table in their second year back in D1
Shamrocks wrote an incredible Cinderella Story in the CSL toward the end of 2016, topping the league before the winter break in their second season back in the elite division and after missing the playoffs last year.
Alejandro Fritz celebrating after scoring Shamrock SC's game-winning goal against Doxa SC on Nov. 19th.
Shamrock SC Images
1. Lansdowne's monstrous run in the Open Cup
An amateur team racking wins against a semi-pro and a professional side in its first spell in the most competitive soccer cup in the country-- you can't top that.
Ovan Oakley on the ball during Lansdowne Bhoys' 2-0 victory over Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Photo by Daviid
Harris/ Lansdowne Bhoys Images
It does seem like it happened last year as Lansdowne already failed to qualify to this edition of the Open Cup, falling to FC Motown 2-1 in the qualifying round on October. But it was only six months ago when the Bhoys were strolling in the Open Cup, defeating semi-pro side Long Island Roughriders 2-1 and professional team from the USL Pittsburgh Riverhounds, 2-0. Unfortunately their run ended in the third round, losing to Rochester Rhinos 2-0 on June 1st.
Seven things from the first half of the season worth pondering on during the break
Seven things from the first half of the season worth pondering on during the break
By Ralph Chery
December 30th, 2016
Shamrock SC's halftime talk during their 3-1 pre-season win over Central Park Rangers at Randall's Island on
Aug. 28th. Photo by John Riordan/ Shamrock SC Images
The electrifying 2016-17 Cosmopolitan Soccer League season came to a halt last week to give way to the three-month winter break. We've seen about everything in the first half of the season: an unlikely team in first place, a prolific 1.2 goal per game striker, a team that won both Eastern New York cup competitions etc. A three month break is just what we need to take a breather and process the wonders of this entertaining season. Let's take a look at the top seven things to ponder on about the Fall season during the break.
1. The most decorated active team is fighting to stay in Division 1
NY Atlethic Club logo.
NY Athletic Club, alongside NY Pancyprian Freedoms, won more CSL titles than any other active teams, seven. They're the last team that won the league before Lansdowne Bhoys' threepeat, in 2012-13. They're one of the seven teams that won the league for three seasons in a row, doing it from 1994 to 1996 and from 1998 to 2000... They're in the relegation zone now, sitting in ninth place on a 1-4-5 record.
2. From Division 2 in 2015 to top of Division 1 now
Shamrock SC was in Division 2 just last year-- in the Spring season of 2015. They finished in fifth place in their first spell back in the top flight last season. After making several great signings before their second season back in D1, such as Kwesi Mills-Odoi and Jamie Clarke, they created the best CSL team of this past Fall season, sitting first in the standings.
Kwesi Mils-Odoi (right) celebrating his goal against Zum Scnheider FC 03 on Sept. 11 alongside Jamie Clarke. Photo by Dennis Schneider/ NY ShamrockSC
3. Two out of two ENY cups for the Bhoys
Lansdowne mesmerized amateur soccer in the U.S last year by winning the CSL three times in a row; they dragged their astonishing winning form in cup actions this season, snatching both Eastern New York cups before the winter break. The Bhoys defeated NY Polet 8-1 in the ENY Fricker Cup final and won the ENY Amateur Cup by conquering the Freedoms 3-1 in the final. Our eyes will be on them when they compete in the regional stages of the Fricker and the National Amateur Cup in the Spring.
Lansdowne Bhoys players and coaches after winning the ENY Amateur Cup on Dec. 15 at St. John's Belson University Stadium. Lansdowne Bhoys Images
The Irish based-club has the opportunity to make it three ENY cups out three as they're scheduled to play in the Manning Cup final on June 17th. They will play either NY Greek Americans or Shamrocks.
4. CSL is no longer a bully zone against the newcomers
Promoted side Zum Schneider FC 03 defending against league leaders Shamrock SC. Photo by Dennis Schneider/ NY Shamrock SC
From 2011 to 2015, five out of the seven teams that were promoted to the CSL's first division were relegated in their first season in the top flight. But last season, promoted sides Shamrock and Polonia NY managed to escape relegation. This season, newcomers Zum Schneider FC 03 and Doxa SC are performing even better than Shamrock and Polonia from last year as they sit far above the dropzone, Zum Schneider in sixth place and Doxa in fifth.
Zum defeated last year finalists Cedar Stars Academy 3-1. Doxa drew with Cedar, 3-3, and with three-time defending champions Lansdowne, 1-1.
"We [Doxa SC] are putting up a statement that we are not a team that was promoted from Division 2 to come here and let these teams get away with whatever they want to do to us and push us back down into the second division," Doxa head coach Paul Grafas said after his side tied with Lansdowne. "We are a team to be taken seriously."
5. Oakley won't stop scoring
Lansdowne striker Ovan Oakley missed the first month of the season as he was playing for his school, Concordia College. The Jamaican expressed how much he missed the league by scoring a brace in his second game back against Polonia on Nov. 20th and since then he hasn't stopped scoring. Oakley netted 12 goals in 10 games in all competitions.
Striker Ovan Oakley has a 1.2 goal per game ratio for Lansdowne Bhoys this season. Hess Boys Photography
Oakley scored four goals in the ENY Fricker Cup final against NY Polet.
6. NY Pancyprians are underperforming
NY Pancyprian Freedoms goalkeeper Nicholas Tarkany Jr. during his side's 6-0 loss against Cedar Stars Academy on Oct. 23rd at Randall's Island Field 75. Photo by DeVaughn Clasp.
Being in a playoff spot, making it to the ENY Amateur Cup final, scoring the second most goals in your division, sounds like a pretty good season, right? No, not for a team in NY Pancyprian's caliber-- a team that won the league seven times. The Freedoms are going through their worst season since the 2013-14 campaign. For the past two seasons, Pancyprian didn't lose a single league game going into the winter break. They lost four league games so far this season.
The reason of their underperformance is that they’re not getting results against the other giants of the league. They drew with Lansdowne and defeated CSA in Fall 2015 but this season, the only losses they suffered were against the top three teams in the table.
Pancyprians' results against the top three teams
3. Cedar Stars Academy
6-0
4. NY Pancyprian Freedoms
League Game
1. Shamrock SC
5-2
4. NY Pancyprian Freedoms
League Game
4. NY Pancyprians
0-2
2. Lansdowne Bhoys
League Game
4. NY Pancyprians
0-2
2. Lansdowne Bhoys
Manning Cup semifinal
4. NY Pancyprians
1-3
1. Shamrock SC
League Game
4. NY Pancyprians
1-3
2. Lansdowne Bhoys
ENY Amateur Cup final
7. NY Greek Americans are pulling off 2014 NY Greek Americans' performances here and there
After the Greeks made their return to the CSL in 2003, they were the most successful team until 2014, winning four league titles and one National Amateur Cup. But they hit a sudden downfall last season, finishing in eighth place in the table. They're currently in eighth place again but they've been showing signs of a potential reestablishment of their glory days. They drew with Lansdowne 1-1 and made it to the semifinal of the Manning Cup by defeating Forrest Park, 4-3, and Cedar Stars, 5-3.
The main reason of these results is their plethora of new signings, 18 in total.
Lansdowne rallies back for 3-2 win over CSA in last 15 minutes
By Ralph Chery
Lansdowne rallies back for 3-2 win over CSA in last 15 minutes
By Ralph Chery
December 21, 2016
Lansdowne Bhoys players celebrating after scoring against Southie FC on April 30th. Hess Boys Photography
In his first game for Lansdowne Bhoys, Yannick Reyering scored a 91st minute goal to give the champions a 3-2 victory over Cedar Stars Academy after they went two goals down in the 61st minute on Sunday night at Randall’s Island Field 75.
Lansdowne were down by two goals for the first time in the league this season, and all of last CSL season, as Andreas Chronis converted from the spot in the 54th minute before Jordan Ayris slotted a shot in the net ten minutes later for CSA.
Substitute Jean-Ismael Voltaire started the Bhoys’ comeback in the 75th minute with a low shot inside the penalty area. Ciaran McGuigan leveled the scoring, netting a penalty kick nine minutes before regulation.
Former NY Pancyprian Freedoms player, Reyering, one-touched a low-cross from Ovan Oakley in the net in the first minute of added time to send Lansdowne to the winter break on a winning note.
“Everybody fought, nobody gave up even after going down 2-0 in the second half, that shows morale, shows why Lansdowne has been the best team in the league for so many years now,” Reyering said about Lansdowne’s comeback.
This result puts Austin Friel’s side closer than they ever been this season behind league leaders Shamrock SC, by one point. Meanwhile Cedar Stars close their fall season behind the Bhoys in third place with 17 points.
Lansdowne Bhoys players and coaches after their win against Cedar Stars Academy. Lansdowne Bhoys Images
After a scoreless but animated first half—Chronis hit the post in the 30th minute for CSA—the Stars were rewarded a penalty kick nine minutes into the second half after McGuigan clipped Josue Ortiz just inside the box. Superstar goalkeeper Abdoukarim Danso chose the right side—dove toward the right post—when Chronis hit the PK but was unable to make the save.
CSA scored again on the current best defensive team as Ayris collected a pass from Emerson Lawrence in the box before tucking the ball in the bottom left corner with a low drive.
Lansdowne hasn’t been down by two goals in the CSL for over a year, although the team does not lack the state of mind to fight back from a two-goal deficit.
“Every single guys on the team has confidence, has the character to dig deep and fight back,” Reyering said after the game. “No matter how many goals we go down by I don’t think there’s any doubt in anyone’s mind that we should lose to any team in the league.”
Voltaire arrived to the game in the second half, however when he subbed in for an injured Michael Holzer, he was the first goalscorer for Lansdowne.
The left back’s initial header from Craig Purcell’s free-kick was parried away by goalkeeper Ryan Linder. The rebound fell straight back at Voltaire, who fired a shot to the bottom left corner.
Left back Jean-Ismael Voltaire defending against NY Pancyprian Freedoms. Photo by Dinos Avlonitis
The former Haiti U-20 international player explained his struggle to find the pitch before getting in the game and scoring his first goal for the club.
“After a long way, I just came from Jersey to come here and then the problem is I didn’t know the field,” Voltaire said. “I got lost, I had to pay the bridge four times. Then when I got here they put me in the game and then I scored the first goal.”
Chronis went from scoring a penalty to conceding one. The 27-year-old couldn’t get his hand out of the way when Purcell shot the ball in the 80th minute. Ciaran, on the flip side, made up for conceding a spot kick earlier in the game by scoring that one as he dragged the ball low and hard to the bottom right corner to even things up.
The Bhoys needed to lead the scoring for only one minute in the whole game to bag the three points as the game-winning goal came in the 91st minute.
Oakley sped his way to Daryl Kavanagh’s through ball down the right flank on a breakaway before sweeping a low-cross to Reyering. Unmarked, Reyering tapped the ball in the middle of a vacant net.
“That’s why I’m here for, scoring goals,” the big striker said. “It was a rusty start, my touch wasn’t there, it wasn’t right where it was supposed to be but I’m just glad we got the goal and got the team a win. Scoring a game winning goal is always fun but I’m just happy we came back and won the game.”
Statistics
Cedar Stars AcademyLansdowne Bhoys
Shots (on target): 14 (6) 20 (8)
Saves: 6 5
Fouls: 21 16
Corner kicks: 1 3
Yellow cards: 2 1
Red cards: 0 0
Offsides: 3 3
Fun Stats
Last time Cedar Stars Academy and Lansdowne Bhoys met in the league at Randall’s Island Field 75, the Bhoys also won that game 3-2 on Oct. 26, 2014.
Lansdowne’s Ciaran McGuigan and Cedar’s Andreas Chronis both gave away and scored a penalty.
Lansdowne’s Jean-Ismael Voltaire netted after getting to the game over an hour late.
The referee blew his whistle for a foul 11 times in the opening 19 minutes, once every 1.7 minute.
Shamrock's road to their Leicesterous season
By Ralph Chery
Shamrock's road to their Leicesterous season
By Ralph Chery
December 17, 2016
Shamrock SC players celebrating Alejandro Fritz's game-winning goal against Doxa SC at St. Michael's Playground on Nov. 19th. Photo by Dennis Schneider/ NY Shamrocks Images
Leicester City did the unthinkable last season in the Premier League, winning the title in their second season back in the top flight. On their way there, they had the most points after the first half of the season.
A year later, 3, 399 miles away, four flights down from the United States' top soccer division, Shamrock SC pulled off a Leicester after the first half of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League. They tallied the most points in the CSL's top division during their second season back there going into the winter break--in a league where, in the past five years, only one team didn't finish last in the standings in their sophomore season back in the top flight, Manhattan Celtic.
Shamrock team administrator John Riordan views the team's position as an indicator of the arduous work of the coaches and the players.
"We're only halfway through the season so the current position of the first team in the standings is nothing more than a fair reflection of all the work put in by the coaches and the players," Riordan said.
Before making it to Division 1 last season, Shamrock spent 10 years in the lower divisions, one year in Metro 2 (2005-06), three seasons in Metro 1 (2006-2009) and six years in the second division.Riordan is one of the few current club members who was with the Rocks when they were in Division 2.
Shamrock SC first team administrator and second team head coach John Riordan. Photo by Dennis Schneider/ NY Shamrocks Images
Riordan credited the club's president and the former coaches for Shamrock's rise to Division 1.
"It's very much down to the hard work of coaches such as the late Robbie Walsh and also Glen Wrafter, who took us up from Division 2 before very graciously handing the reins over to Kevin Grogan," the administrator said.
Walsh had the idea of dropping the team to the last division, Metro 2, when the club didn’t have enough players to compete in Division 2 in 2005. Although some members left the club, Walsh led the team to a Metro 2 title and a promotion to Metro 1.
"There was also huge work behind the scenes from the likes of our club president Sean McMullan, vice president Pat Burke," Riordan continued, "our previous president Kevin McPartland and all the rest of the committee members who have worked tirelessly over the course of a decade to get the club back into the top flight."
Before the Rocks reached the first division in 2015, four of the last seven times a team was promoted to Division 1 the team was relegated that same season. Riordan understood the difficulty of staying in the top flight last year.
"Gaining promotion was not easy but the challenge to stay up was always going to be ten times harder," Riordan said. "The gap between the divisions is enormous and many teams have gone up and back down in quick succession. We were determined to not let that happen so in the summer of 2015, Glen Wrafter and I discussed our plans with Kevin [Grogan]. His expertise and experience is unmatched and he was our number one choice to meet this challenge."
Not only did the former Manchester United youth player, Grogan, managed to keep the Rocks in the CSL's elite league but he also led them to the best season a promoted side had since 2010 as Shamrock finished last season in fifth place with 21 points.
After finishing fifth last year, the Irish based club has been on top the league since Week 2 this season. Center back and team captain, Zachary Gosse--the Wes Morgan of Shamrock--explained that the experience they gained from playing together last year and the adding of new players are the main reasons of their current success.
"Last year was our first season playing together for most of us," Gosse said. "Now with a year of top flight football under our belts, the addition of several quality players, and the resounding support of our club, we've really come together as a unit."
Shamrock SC skipper Zachary Gosse. Photo by Dennis Schneider/ NY Shamrocks Images
The league toppers added seven players to their roster this season. 75 percent of the Rocks' goal tally this season were scored by their new signings.
Shamrock SC Topscorers 2016-17
Player
Year
Goals scored
1. Jamie Clarke
1st
7
2. Kwesi Mills-Odoi
1st
5
3. Ibrahim Diaby
1st
5
4. Alejandro Fritz
2nd
2
5. Damian Lopez
3rd
2
6. Zachary Gosse
2nd
1
7. Aex Wasilewski
2nd
1
8. Guiseppe Barone
1st
1
Source: NY Shamrocks SC
Leicester ended up winning the Premier League last season. More odds are in favor for Shamrock to snatch their first CSL title, in two of the past three seasons, the team who was at the top of the table going into the break won the league, Lansdowne Bhoys in 2015-16 and 2013-14. When asked if Shamrock will repeat history this season and win the league, Riordan emphasized that at this point of the season, they're focused on making the playoffs first.
"Lansdowne are three-in-a-row champions for a reason and the rest of the teams in the division must focus on trying to make the playoffs. It really doesn't matter who is where in December," the administrator said. "Coach Grogan has told his players that reaching the playoffs is the goal and every team in the top four - whether they are first or fourth - must try to stay ahead of the other six teams. There is a lot of competition which makes it very enjoyable to be involved in. So far, so good but the real test of where we are starts in March."
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2016 is a tough one to let go for the Cosmopolitan Soccer League, for the league had one of its most prestigious year of the past decade. As we're going through the 90th minute mark of 2016 today, let's take a look back at the top five stories of the year. CSL might want to ask the referee for added time for such a year.
Shamrock SC players celebrating Alejandro Fritz's game-winning goal against Doxa SC at St. Michael's Playground on Nov. 19th. Photo by Dennis Schneider/ NY Shamrocks Images
The only ENY cup CSL failed to win this year is the Rapaglia Cup as Cedar Stars Academy was edged by Polet 3-2 in the final on September.
NY Pancyprian Freedoms player James Riley in his days with D.C.United in 2013. Rantsports Images.
Riley won the MLS Cup in 2014 with Los Angeles Galaxy, the U.S Open Cup with D.C United, three more Open Cups with the Seattle Sounders and one with New England Revolution.
3. Lansdowne's threepeat
Winning your division is never easy, doing it for two years in a row is remarkable, doing it for three years in a row is frightening. The Bhoys won three CSL titles in row, defeating Cedar Stars (they went by Everton FC Westchester Eagles then) 3-0 in the final last season. The Irish based-club outscored their opponents 9-0 in the last three finals.
Lansdowne Bhoys celebrating after defeating Cedar Stars Academy in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League final on June 5th. Lansdowne Bhoys Images
Lansdowne is also on an outrageous 43-game unbeaten run in the league.
2. Rocks top of the table in their second year back in D1
Shamrocks wrote an incredible Cinderella Story in the CSL toward the end of 2016, topping the league before the winter break in their second season back in the elite division and after missing the playoffs last year.
Alejandro Fritz celebrating after scoring Shamrock SC's game-winning goal against Doxa SC on Nov. 19th.
Shamrock SC Images
1. Lansdowne's monstrous run in the Open Cup
An amateur team racking wins against a semi-pro and a professional side in its first spell in the most competitive soccer cup in the country-- you can't top that.
Ovan Oakley on the ball during Lansdowne Bhoys' 2-0 victory over Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Photo by Daviid
Harris/ Lansdowne Bhoys Images
It does seem like it happened last year as Lansdowne already failed to qualify to this edition of the Open Cup, falling to FC Motown 2-1 in the qualifying round on October. But it was only six months ago when the Bhoys were strolling in the Open Cup, defeating semi-pro side Long Island Roughriders 2-1 and professional team from the USL Pittsburgh Riverhounds, 2-0. Unfortunately their run ended in the third round, losing to Rochester Rhinos 2-0 on June 1st.
Seven things from the first half of the season worth pondering on during the break
Seven things from the first half of the season worth pondering on during the break
By Ralph Chery
December 30th, 2016
Shamrock SC's halftime talk during their 3-1 pre-season win over Central Park Rangers at Randall's Island on
Aug. 28th. Photo by John Riordan/ Shamrock SC Images
The electrifying 2016-17 Cosmopolitan Soccer League season came to a halt last week to give way to the three-month winter break. We've seen about everything in the first half of the season: an unlikely team in first place, a prolific 1.2 goal per game striker, a team that won both Eastern New York cup competitions etc. A three month break is just what we need to take a breather and process the wonders of this entertaining season. Let's take a look at the top seven things to ponder on about the Fall season during the break.
1. The most decorated active team is fighting to stay in Division 1
NY Atlethic Club logo.
NY Athletic Club, alongside NY Pancyprian Freedoms, won more CSL titles than any other active teams, seven. They're the last team that won the league before Lansdowne Bhoys' threepeat, in 2012-13. They're one of the seven teams that won the league for three seasons in a row, doing it from 1994 to 1996 and from 1998 to 2000... They're in the relegation zone now, sitting in ninth place on a 1-4-5 record.
2. From Division 2 in 2015 to top of Division 1 now
Shamrock SC was in Division 2 just last year-- in the Spring season of 2015. They finished in fifth place in their first spell back in the top flight last season. After making several great signings before their second season back in D1, such as Kwesi Mills-Odoi and Jamie Clarke, they created the best CSL team of this past Fall season, sitting first in the standings.
Kwesi Mils-Odoi (right) celebrating his goal against Zum Scnheider FC 03 on Sept. 11 alongside Jamie Clarke. Photo by Dennis Schneider/ NY ShamrockSC
3. Two out of two ENY cups for the Bhoys
Lansdowne mesmerized amateur soccer in the U.S last year by winning the CSL three times in a row; they dragged their astonishing winning form in cup actions this season, snatching both Eastern New York cups before the winter break. The Bhoys defeated NY Polet 8-1 in the ENY Fricker Cup final and won the ENY Amateur Cup by conquering the Freedoms 3-1 in the final. Our eyes will be on them when they compete in the regional stages of the Fricker and the National Amateur Cup in the Spring.
Lansdowne Bhoys players and coaches after winning the ENY Amateur Cup on Dec. 15 at St. John's Belson University Stadium. Lansdowne Bhoys Images
The Irish based-club has the opportunity to make it three ENY cups out three as they're scheduled to play in the Manning Cup final on June 17th. They will play either NY Greek Americans or Shamrocks.
4. CSL is no longer a bully zone against the newcomers
Promoted side Zum Schneider FC 03 defending against league leaders Shamrock SC. Photo by Dennis Schneider/ NY Shamrock SC
From 2011 to 2015, five out of the seven teams that were promoted to the CSL's first division were relegated in their first season in the top flight. But last season, promoted sides Shamrock and Polonia NY managed to escape relegation. This season, newcomers Zum Schneider FC 03 and Doxa SC are performing even better than Shamrock and Polonia from last year as they sit far above the dropzone, Zum Schneider in sixth place and Doxa in fifth.
Zum defeated last year finalists Cedar Stars Academy 3-1. Doxa drew with Cedar, 3-3, and with three-time defending champions Lansdowne, 1-1.
"We [Doxa SC] are putting up a statement that we are not a team that was promoted from Division 2 to come here and let these teams get away with whatever they want to do to us and push us back down into the second division," Doxa head coach Paul Grafas said after his side tied with Lansdowne. "We are a team to be taken seriously."
5. Oakley won't stop scoring
Lansdowne striker Ovan Oakley missed the first month of the season as he was playing for his school, Concordia College. The Jamaican expressed how much he missed the league by scoring a brace in his second game back against Polonia on Nov. 20th and since then he hasn't stopped scoring. Oakley netted 12 goals in 10 games in all competitions.
Striker Ovan Oakley has a 1.2 goal per game ratio for Lansdowne Bhoys this season. Hess Boys Photography
Oakley scored four goals in the ENY Fricker Cup final against NY Polet.
6. NY Pancyprians are underperforming
NY Pancyprian Freedoms goalkeeper Nicholas Tarkany Jr. during his side's 6-0 loss against Cedar Stars Academy on Oct. 23rd at Randall's Island Field 75. Photo by DeVaughn Clasp.
Being in a playoff spot, making it to the ENY Amateur Cup final, scoring the second most goals in your division, sounds like a pretty good season, right? No, not for a team in NY Pancyprian's caliber-- a team that won the league seven times. The Freedoms are going through their worst season since the 2013-14 campaign. For the past two seasons, Pancyprian didn't lose a single league game going into the winter break. They lost four league games so far this season.
The reason of their underperformance is that they’re not getting results against the other giants of the league. They drew with Lansdowne and defeated CSA in Fall 2015 but this season, the only losses they suffered were against the top three teams in the table.
Pancyprians' results against the top three teams
3. Cedar Stars Academy
6-0
4. NY Pancyprian Freedoms
League Game
1. Shamrock SC
5-2
4. NY Pancyprian Freedoms
League Game
4. NY Pancyprians
0-2
2. Lansdowne Bhoys
League Game
4. NY Pancyprians
0-2
2. Lansdowne Bhoys
Manning Cup semifinal
4. NY Pancyprians
1-3
1. Shamrock SC
League Game
4. NY Pancyprians
1-3
2. Lansdowne Bhoys
ENY Amateur Cup final
7. NY Greek Americans are pulling off 2014 NY Greek Americans' performances here and there
After the Greeks made their return to the CSL in 2003, they were the most successful team until 2014, winning four league titles and one National Amateur Cup. But they hit a sudden downfall last season, finishing in eighth place in the table. They're currently in eighth place again but they've been showing signs of a potential reestablishment of their glory days. They drew with Lansdowne 1-1 and made it to the semifinal of the Manning Cup by defeating Forrest Park, 4-3, and Cedar Stars, 5-3.
The main reason of these results is their plethora of new signings, 18 in total.
Lansdowne rallies back for 3-2 win over CSA in last 15 minutes
Lansdowne rallies back for 3-2 win over CSA in last 15 minutes
By Ralph Chery
December 21, 2016
Lansdowne Bhoys players celebrating after scoring against Southie FC on April 30th. Hess Boys Photography
In his first game for Lansdowne Bhoys, Yannick Reyering scored a 91st minute goal to give the champions a 3-2 victory over Cedar Stars Academy after they went two goals down in the 61st minute on Sunday night at Randall’s Island Field 75.
Lansdowne were down by two goals for the first time in the league this season, and all of last CSL season, as Andreas Chronis converted from the spot in the 54th minute before Jordan Ayris slotted a shot in the net ten minutes later for CSA.
Substitute Jean-Ismael Voltaire started the Bhoys’ comeback in the 75th minute with a low shot inside the penalty area. Ciaran McGuigan leveled the scoring, netting a penalty kick nine minutes before regulation.
Former NY Pancyprian Freedoms player, Reyering, one-touched a low-cross from Ovan Oakley in the net in the first minute of added time to send Lansdowne to the winter break on a winning note.
“Everybody fought, nobody gave up even after going down 2-0 in the second half, that shows morale, shows why Lansdowne has been the best team in the league for so many years now,” Reyering said about Lansdowne’s comeback.
This result puts Austin Friel’s side closer than they ever been this season behind league leaders Shamrock SC, by one point. Meanwhile Cedar Stars close their fall season behind the Bhoys in third place with 17 points.
Lansdowne Bhoys players and coaches after their win against Cedar Stars Academy. Lansdowne Bhoys Images
After a scoreless but animated first half—Chronis hit the post in the 30th minute for CSA—the Stars were rewarded a penalty kick nine minutes into the second half after McGuigan clipped Josue Ortiz just inside the box. Superstar goalkeeper Abdoukarim Danso chose the right side—dove toward the right post—when Chronis hit the PK but was unable to make the save.
CSA scored again on the current best defensive team as Ayris collected a pass from Emerson Lawrence in the box before tucking the ball in the bottom left corner with a low drive.
Lansdowne hasn’t been down by two goals in the CSL for over a year, although the team does not lack the state of mind to fight back from a two-goal deficit.
“Every single guys on the team has confidence, has the character to dig deep and fight back,” Reyering said after the game. “No matter how many goals we go down by I don’t think there’s any doubt in anyone’s mind that we should lose to any team in the league.”
Voltaire arrived to the game in the second half, however when he subbed in for an injured Michael Holzer, he was the first goalscorer for Lansdowne.
The left back’s initial header from Craig Purcell’s free-kick was parried away by goalkeeper Ryan Linder. The rebound fell straight back at Voltaire, who fired a shot to the bottom left corner.
Left back Jean-Ismael Voltaire defending against NY Pancyprian Freedoms. Photo by Dinos Avlonitis
The former Haiti U-20 international player explained his struggle to find the pitch before getting in the game and scoring his first goal for the club.
“After a long way, I just came from Jersey to come here and then the problem is I didn’t know the field,” Voltaire said. “I got lost, I had to pay the bridge four times. Then when I got here they put me in the game and then I scored the first goal.”
Chronis went from scoring a penalty to conceding one. The 27-year-old couldn’t get his hand out of the way when Purcell shot the ball in the 80th minute. Ciaran, on the flip side, made up for conceding a spot kick earlier in the game by scoring that one as he dragged the ball low and hard to the bottom right corner to even things up.
The Bhoys needed to lead the scoring for only one minute in the whole game to bag the three points as the game-winning goal came in the 91st minute.
Oakley sped his way to Daryl Kavanagh’s through ball down the right flank on a breakaway before sweeping a low-cross to Reyering. Unmarked, Reyering tapped the ball in the middle of a vacant net.
“That’s why I’m here for, scoring goals,” the big striker said. “It was a rusty start, my touch wasn’t there, it wasn’t right where it was supposed to be but I’m just glad we got the goal and got the team a win. Scoring a game winning goal is always fun but I’m just happy we came back and won the game.”
Statistics
Cedar Stars AcademyLansdowne Bhoys
Shots (on target): 14 (6) 20 (8)
Saves: 6 5
Fouls: 21 16
Corner kicks: 1 3
Yellow cards: 2 1
Red cards: 0 0
Offsides: 3 3
Fun Stats
Last time Cedar Stars Academy and Lansdowne Bhoys met in the league at Randall’s Island Field 75, the Bhoys also won that game 3-2 on Oct. 26, 2014.
Lansdowne’s Ciaran McGuigan and Cedar’s Andreas Chronis both gave away and scored a penalty.
Lansdowne’s Jean-Ismael Voltaire netted after getting to the game over an hour late.
The referee blew his whistle for a foul 11 times in the opening 19 minutes, once every 1.7 minute.
Shamrock SC players celebrating Alejandro Fritz's game-winning goal against Doxa SC at St. Michael's Playground on Nov. 19th. Photo by Dennis Schneider/ NY Shamrocks Images
Leicester City did the unthinkable last season in the Premier League, winning the title in their second season back in the top flight. On their way there, they had the most points after the first half of the season.
A year later, 3, 399 miles away, four flights down from the United States' top soccer division, Shamrock SC pulled off a Leicester after the first half of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League. They tallied the most points in the CSL's top division during their second season back there going into the winter break--in a league where, in the past five years, only one team didn't finish last in the standings in their sophomore season back in the top flight, Manhattan Celtic.
Shamrock team administrator John Riordan views the team's position as an indicator of the arduous work of the coaches and the players.
"We're only halfway through the season so the current position of the first team in the standings is nothing more than a fair reflection of all the work put in by the coaches and the players," Riordan said.
Before making it to Division 1 last season, Shamrock spent 10 years in the lower divisions, one year in Metro 2 (2005-06), three seasons in Metro 1 (2006-2009) and six years in the second division.Riordan is one of the few current club members who was with the Rocks when they were in Division 2.
Shamrock SC first team administrator and second team head coach John Riordan. Photo by Dennis Schneider/ NY Shamrocks Images
Riordan credited the club's president and the former coaches for Shamrock's rise to Division 1.
"It's very much down to the hard work of coaches such as the late Robbie Walsh and also Glen Wrafter, who took us up from Division 2 before very graciously handing the reins over to Kevin Grogan," the administrator said.
Walsh had the idea of dropping the team to the last division, Metro 2, when the club didn’t have enough players to compete in Division 2 in 2005. Although some members left the club, Walsh led the team to a Metro 2 title and a promotion to Metro 1.
"There was also huge work behind the scenes from the likes of our club president Sean McMullan, vice president Pat Burke," Riordan continued, "our previous president Kevin McPartland and all the rest of the committee members who have worked tirelessly over the course of a decade to get the club back into the top flight."
Before the Rocks reached the first division in 2015, four of the last seven times a team was promoted to Division 1 the team was relegated that same season. Riordan understood the difficulty of staying in the top flight last year.
"Gaining promotion was not easy but the challenge to stay up was always going to be ten times harder," Riordan said. "The gap between the divisions is enormous and many teams have gone up and back down in quick succession. We were determined to not let that happen so in the summer of 2015, Glen Wrafter and I discussed our plans with Kevin [Grogan]. His expertise and experience is unmatched and he was our number one choice to meet this challenge."
Not only did the former Manchester United youth player, Grogan, managed to keep the Rocks in the CSL's elite league but he also led them to the best season a promoted side had since 2010 as Shamrock finished last season in fifth place with 21 points.
After finishing fifth last year, the Irish based club has been on top the league since Week 2 this season. Center back and team captain, Zachary Gosse--the Wes Morgan of Shamrock--explained that the experience they gained from playing together last year and the adding of new players are the main reasons of their current success.
"Last year was our first season playing together for most of us," Gosse said. "Now with a year of top flight football under our belts, the addition of several quality players, and the resounding support of our club, we've really come together as a unit."
Shamrock SC skipper Zachary Gosse. Photo by Dennis Schneider/ NY Shamrocks Images
The league toppers added seven players to their roster this season. 75 percent of the Rocks' goal tally this season were scored by their new signings.
Shamrock SC Topscorers 2016-17
Player
Year
Goals scored
1. Jamie Clarke
1st
7
2. Kwesi Mills-Odoi
1st
5
3. Ibrahim Diaby
1st
5
4. Alejandro Fritz
2nd
2
5. Damian Lopez
3rd
2
6. Zachary Gosse
2nd
1
7. Aex Wasilewski
2nd
1
8. Guiseppe Barone
1st
1
Source: NY Shamrocks SC
Leicester ended up winning the Premier League last season. More odds are in favor for Shamrock to snatch their first CSL title, in two of the past three seasons, the team who was at the top of the table going into the break won the league, Lansdowne Bhoys in 2015-16 and 2013-14. When asked if Shamrock will repeat history this season and win the league, Riordan emphasized that at this point of the season, they're focused on making the playoffs first.
"Lansdowne are three-in-a-row champions for a reason and the rest of the teams in the division must focus on trying to make the playoffs. It really doesn't matter who is where in December," the administrator said. "Coach Grogan has told his players that reaching the playoffs is the goal and every team in the top four - whether they are first or fourth - must try to stay ahead of the other six teams. There is a lot of competition which makes it very enjoyable to be involved in. So far, so good but the real test of where we are starts in March."
The New York Red Bulls Training Programs and Regional Development School are always looking to add qualified and experienced soccer coaches to our player development staff. The positions available are within our community based training programs, travel programs or our Regional Development School (pre-academy). Our community based programs are of all ages and ability levels ranging from ages 5-14 both boys and girls. Opportunities for exceptional coaches exist within our travel programs or our Regional Development School programs which cater for advanced level players.The positions available are part-time contracts with the majority of work between March through November.
Winter work is available but limited. Winter work is provided to high performing staff or staff whose fall club continues to train in the winter.
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