Majors Cup Week Two

Week Two features the Commissioner's own Union SC who the Flyers are 5-1-0 all time against. Will this be the usual beatdown or will a Union team that has looked stronger this season fight for their first piece of hardware in a long time? Expect this one to be a fun ride. Hold on.

Starters
Eric Alexander
Giles Barnes
DaMarcus Beasley
Marco Di Vaio
Diego Fagundez
Jeff Larentowiz
Peguy Luyindula
Lamar Neagle
Jaime Penedo (GK)
Maxi Urruti
Rodney Wallace

Subs
Jordan Harvey
Jair Benitez
Aurelien Collin


Reserve
Drew Moor

Week 22: Does It Matter or Too Little Too Late?

With Gateway two points up and playing the freebie in Ohio this week, this likely doesn't matter for anything more than pride and potentially Majors Cup seeding. Missing the lineup last week was a boneheaded move (brought on by a busy schedule) but the way it turned out it would have been worth one point and still not enough. The games that really sunk any shot at the Playoffs this year were weeks seven and eight. Who would have guessed at the time? Still, this team has had a remarkable comeback and that's something to celebrate. Di Vaio's the captain for one last run.

Starters

Giles Barnes

DaMarcus Beasley

Aurelien Collin

Marco Di Vaio (C)

Diego Fagundez

Jordan Harvey

Drew Moor

Lamar Neagle

Jaime Penedo (GK)

Maxi Urruti

Rodney Wallace 

Subs

Jeff Larentowicz

Jair Benítez

Eric Alexander

Reserves

Peguy Luyindula

Flyers Push Majors Cup Advantage

Rose City 5 - 3 Gold Coast

The Flyers took another major step toward some sort of post season appearance this week with another win. This time, they defeated Gold Coast and, in the process, put themselves four points clear of their nearest playoff rival and took first place in Majors Cup Qualifying. This was also the Flyers 30th win all time and tenth this season.

"We're in our third year in the league and we're averaging ten wins a season at the moment. That's pretty good if you ask me," the Flyers general manager said when asked. "We've still got four weeks to go too. There's a lot of room to add to the team's reputation as a top club in the league."

Next week, Rose City faces Gateway United who sit exactly four points back in the Honors Trophy table. Winning there could go a long way toward earning the Boys in Red their first simultaneous appearance in both post-season tournaments.

Week Seventeen: The Rebound

The Flyers were absolutely destroyed last week by the Commissioner's Own Union SC by a score of 9-1. It can't really be helped. The Union had been averaging 2.1 ppg for the season and suddenly, every role player on their squad found their form at the same time.

"It happens in this game," Rose City's manager said after the game. "It was impressive. I wish it hadn't happened to us in the middle of a playoff chase, but what can you do? You've got to keep your highs low and your lows high and focus on the game in front of you."

And boy what a doozy it is. This week's matchup against the Spartans is a six pointer for the Flyers. 1612 sits just one place above Rose City in the league table and while a win last week would have made this the go-ahead game, three points paired with denying the Spartans three at the same time would go a long way toward buying the Boys in Red a playoff spot for the second straight year. For that matter, Alamo City could have finished them off last week too, but no. Make no mistake about it, the results this week could make or break Rose City's drive to once again find the playoffs. In addition Majors Cup Qualifying has been tight this season and the loss last week did no favors there either.

Finally, expect something of a "B" squad from the Flyers this week. Sure, a lot of the top names are there, but Gold Cup callups and a couple of injuries have made things more awkward than they need to be.

EDIT: In addition, given league approval, the team would like to acquire Jalil Anibaba (CHI) and drop Eric Hassli (DAL). If the transaction is approved, Anibaba will hold Hassli's assigned spot in the lineup.

Starters
Patrice Bernier (MTL)
Teal Bunbury (SKC)
Jaime Castrillon (COL)
Aurelien Collin (SKC)
Danny Cruz (PHI)
Marco Di Vaio (MTL)
Alan Gordon (SJ)
Eric Hassli (DAL)
Daniel Paladini (CHI)
Luis Robles (NY)
Mauro Rosales (SEA)

Subs
Martin Rivero (COL)
Rodney Wallace (POR)
Marvin Chavez (SJ)

Reserve
Zach McMath (PHI)

Flyers Win! Flyers Win!

Rose City 4 - 2 Pennsylvania

Rose City wins! The Flyers claimed the BSL Cup this weekend through their trademark combination of good play and good luck. There was No Pity on the Stoners this time as the Boys in Red doubled up for a score of 4 - 2. Points came from all sorts of places including goals from Marco Di Vaio and Mauro Rosales, an assist off of the streaking Darlington Nagbe, and a clean sheet for Josh Saunders. Pennsylvania got a Save Point from Gspurning and an assist from Robbie Keane but players who are normally dangerous like Kei Kamara and Emilio Renteria were strangely quiet.

This is the second playoff game that Rose City has dominated against a team they failed to beat in the regular season. Both Pennsylvania and the vanquished Gateway United got maximum points off of the Flyers during regular season play. Rose City remains undefeated in Playoff play at 2-0-0.

It truly has been a dream season for the expansion club. The Flyers went all season without losing two in a row and finished 15-7-2 including Playoff play. The club got started slowly following a 3 - 1 loss and a lineup failure in week one but strong play and even stronger luck to finish the first half of the season with several 2 - 0 and 1 - 0 wins kept the Flyers in the midst of the Playoff hunt the whole time. It's hard to say which half of the season was better. The team ended the period before Majors Cup Qualifying in first place. Ultimately the team's APG would be much stronger in the second half of the season but stronger play by the rest of the league as well would deny Rose City a spot in the Majors Cup. They're the first team since the BSL's inaugural 2009 season to win the BSL Cup while not qualifying for the Majors Cup. Asked about it, the teams coach had this to say:

"We went out this weekend and did what we could. Are we disappointed that we didn't qualify for the Majors Cup? Sure. Everybody wants to play as much football as possible and now our season's over. We would have liked to win the Honors Trophy too. But to come into an established league like this and win a major piece of hardware in your first season? That really speaks to the quality of the organization and the types of players we have playing for this team. I'm proud to coach them. I'm proud to lead them. Thanks."

The team also wanted to make clear that they're very open to trade talks and negotiations on the off season. The coach and front office insisted that there was still room for improvement in the Rose City and that this year's champions would be back even stronger next season.

"We know what it takes to play in this league now. We're not just scrabbling in the dark like we were at the beginning of the year. You can be we'll be back and back with a vengeance," the coach offered when asked. "We made do with the tenth spot in the draft order last season. Something tells me we'll make it work again."

BSL Cup Champions - Rose City 2012

BSL Cup Final Lineup

What it's all about.

As much rollicking fun as the semifinal game was this week, it's really a means to an end. This team has been after one thing since their inception into the BSL at the beginning of the season, and that's hardware. One more win for a team that already has fourteen this season and they can put that star above the newly redesigned badge. However, there's one big hurdle before that. That hurdle's name is the Pennsylvania Stoners.

The Stoners are a club that has given everyone fits all season. With twelve regular season wins of their own and a 5-1 win over Alamo City in the semis that was almost as convincing as Rose City's own semi result, this club doesn't give up. Past history (what little of it there is for the Flyers) doesn't look good either. Pennsylvania won both regular season meetings between the clubs including a brutal Week Seven 8-0 thrashing. But that sort of hurdle is one the Boys in Red are familiar with clearing already. Gateway United won both of their regular season meetings with the Flyers this season too. It didn't help them much in last week's semifinal.

Keeping all this in mind, you wouldn't expect too many changes from last weeks killer starting squad. You'd be right.

Starters
Steven Beitashour
Marvin Chavez
Marco Di Vaio
Kosuke Kimura
Mike Magee
Darlington Nagbe
Mauro Rosales (Captain)
C.J. Sapong
Josh Saunders (Keeper)

Subs
Adam Moffat
Justin Braun
Hamdi Salihi

Rose City Crashes Honors Trophy Winners' Party

Rose City 7 - Gateway United 0

The Saints may be holding the 2012 Honors Trophy, but the Flyers were on a quest for some hardware of their own this week in their Semifinal match. Not only did the Boys in Red put up a season record seven points, but the usually potent Gateway offense laid a goose egg. In what can only be described as  an overt romp, Rose City put the hurt on a stumbling and unprepared Saints team.

"We've been telling people all season that we're the real deal," the Flyers' coach offered at the post game press conference. "Everyone goes on and on about how we don't put up enough points. But truly, we've got it when and where it counts. I couldn't be prouder of the team. Now excuse me. I have to go wash some Powerade out of my hair."

Saunders dives for a Save

For Rose City's offense, it started early and didn't stop. Marco Di Vaio, the most recent big addition to the squad, put up a point early in the week. Little did he know it was already the game winner. Later that same night Mauro Rosales came alive offering three assists in Seattle's own 6-2 romp over MLS side Chivas USA. Darlington Nagbe came in for his third point in as many games after that. Finally, Josh Saunders put the cherry on the top of the sundae with both a Clean Sheet and five Save Points versus an FC Dallas offense that couldn't seem to find the back of the net. With the win, Rose City has officially pushed past a Semifinals game that has been a stumbling block for many BSL teams.

Next week is the Finals and the Flyers will face a Pennsylvania team that is rapidly becoming a natural rival. Like Gateway before them, Pennsylvania managed to down Rose City twice during the regular season including a first time meeting even more lopsided (8-0) than the Flyers' win this week. You can bet that Rose City will be looking for a little retribution. But more importantly, they'll be looking for some hardware.

Lineup: Semi-finals vs. Gateway

This is it. The Semis kick off tomorrow and Rose City will have another go at Honors Trophy winners Gateway United. They lost both games this year to the club so there's no doubt it'll be a tough road. However, there are some things on the Flyers side. As the Commissioner so kindly pointed out, the boys in red haven't lost two games in a row all season. Granted, week 22 was a win so that might not mean anything. Likewise, Honors Trophy winners are 1-2 all time in their campaigns to take the BSL Cup as well. The really important statistic here however is APG. The Saints average roughly two points more per game than Rose City. It's really going to come down to what sort of night the Flyers have. Will they score one or two points, like they so often have? Or will it be the five or six we know they're so capable of? A lot of that comes down to contributions from middle of the pack guys. In order to snatch a win from the league's top team, Rose City will need production from guys like Mike Magee, Darlington Nagbe, and C. J. Sapong who've been spotty at best all year.

"We've got to put up points, and lots of them. There's no way around that," the Flyers coach said after Monday practice. "We've done it before this year. Six points in week four, five in weeks fifteen and nineteen. We can't leave any points on the bench or allow anybody to come on for the other guys. One thing we've been this year is a pretty clean team. I think we can take this with a lot of effort and a bit of luck."

Starters
Steven Beitashour
Marvin Chavez
Marco Di Vaio
Kosuke Kimura
Mike Magee
Darlington Nagbe
Mauro Rosales (Captain)
C. J. Sapong
Josh Saunders (Keeper)

Subs
Justin Braun
Adam Moffat
Hamdi Salihi