So wow what a Euro Final result! Who would have believed Portugal could pull the upset without Renaldo on the pitch – but somehow they did with team spirit, great defense and FANTASTIC Goal keeper play. Rui Patricio was fabulous between the pipes – as he saved at least 3 balls that absolutely should have been goals on his 8 save performance on the day. I was rooting for Renaldo to finally win a trophy – and his team did with him passionately firing them up from the sideline after leaving in the 25th minute with a left knee injury. He got hurt in the 8th minute in a collision with Payett and came on and off 2 times after having work done on his knee – the crying Renaldo being taken off on a stretcher in the 25th minute looked to spell doom for the offensively challenged Portugal. But with some fantastic saves from Rui Patricio, a great defense led by Real Madrid teammate Pepe, and with Renaldo screaming, coaching and cajoling his team to victory – Portugal pulled off the improbable and Won it all for the first time ever!!
INDY 11
So I was at the Indy 11 game Sat Night – and can I just say this – Isn’t it AWESOME to have WINNING TEAM?!!? I mean seriously who would have thought Year #3 with a new coach, new GM, new Goalie and obviously more investment in better players would lead to a SPRING SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP and an undefeated season. This team just has heart and a belief that they aren’t going to lose. I mean the difference that new Goal Keeper extrodinaire Jon Busch has brought has been unbelievable –(this veteran of 10+ years in MLS might be THE Biggest difference certainly amongst the players). He organizes his defense, leads the team as captain and makes ALL of the SAVES – not the just tough ones or the easy ones but ALL of them!! The offense actually scores goals now with Braun (man bun) and Zayed working hard and being dangerous up front.
Huge kudos to Indy 11 Owner Ersal Ozdemir as after the trophy presentation he brought the trophy straight to the fans and walked it thru the Brickyard Battalion allowing pictures to be taken and fans to actually hold the trophy and touch it. I dare say I don’t think any Owner in Any Sport has ever done that. Congrats to our Indy 11 on the Spring Championship – now get out there and go to a game!! There is a Wednesday night special against Ft. Lauderdale at 7:30 pm (TV 8 and BeIn Sports) and another next Sat Night 7/23 vs Edmonton (TV 8). Carmel FC – Summer CFC Technical Training continues in July.
If you are a goalkeeper – I am beginning my personal Monday night GK trainings July 11, 18 + 25, + Aug 1 if interested RE:or email shanebestsoccer@gmail.com
Wednesday, July 13
Indy 11 vs Ft Lauderdale – @ H The Jake – 7:30 pm Wish TV 8, BeIn Sports
Saturday, July 16
Indy 11 @ Minn – 8 pm BeIn Sports
Sunday, July 17:
Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders, 2:30 p.m. (Fox, Fox Deportes)
Montréal Impact vs. New York City FC, 5:00 p.m. (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:00 p.m. (Fox Sports 1, Fox Deportes)
Fri, July 22
8 am – ESPN 3 Man U vs Borussia Dortmund
Sat, July 23
5 am – ?? ICC Melborne vs Juve
12:30 pm ESPN ICC Celtic vs Leicester City
3:30 p.m. (ESPN) Portland Timbers vs. LA Galaxy,
7:30 pm Wish TV 8 Indy 11 vs Edmonton – @ H The Jake
Sunday, July 24:
12:30 p.m. (Fox,) New York Red Bulls vs. New York City FC,
3:00 p.m. (ESPN,) Sporting Kansas City vs. Seattle Sounders,
5 pm ESPN ICC Inter vs PSG
Wed, July 27
7:30 p.m. (ESPN2 ICC Real Madrid vs. Paris Saint-Germain,
9:30 p.m. (ESPN2, ICC Bayern Munich vs. AC Milan,
11:30 p.m. (ESPN, ICC Liverpool vs. Chelsea,
Thur, July 28
(ESPN, UniMás) MLS All-Stars vs. Arsenal 7:30 p.m.
Sat, July 30
1:00 p.m. (ESPN Barcelona vs. Celtic,
3:00 p.m. (ESPN Chelsea vs. Real Madrid,
5:00 p.m. (ESPNews Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan,
(ESPN2, ESPN Deportes) Liverpool vs. AC Milan, 10:00 p.m.
(11:30 p.m., TV TBD) Paris Saint-Germain vs. Leicester City,
Indy 11@ Miami – 8 pm BeIn sports
Sun, July 31
1:00 p.m. Fox, Sporting Kansas City vs. Portland Timbers,
4:00 p.m. ESPN Seattle Sounders vs. Los Angeles Galaxy,
Wed, Aug 3
Sweden women vs. South Africa women, Olympics group stage, 12:00 p.m. (TV TBD)
Barcelona vs. Leicester City, ICC 2:00 p.m. (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
Canada women vs. Australia women, Olympics group stage, 2:00 p.m. (TV TBD)
Brazil women vs. China women, Olympics group stage, 3:00 p.m. (TV TBD)
Zimbabwe women vs. Germany women, Olympics group stage, 5:00 p.m. (TV TBD)
United States women vs. New Zealand women, Olympics, 6:00 p.m. (TV NBC?)
Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich, International Champions Cup 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2,
France women vs. Colombia women, Olympics 9:00 p.m. (TV TBD)
Chelsea vs. AC Milan, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
Portland Timbers vs. CD Dragon, CONCACAF Champions League 10:00 p.m. (TV TBD)
Sat, Aug 6
Liverpool vs. Barcelona, ICC 12:00 p.m. (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
Canada women vs. Zimbabwe women, Olympics , 2:00 p.m. (TV TBD)
United States women vs. France women, Olympics 4:00 p.m. (TV TBD)
MLS TV Schedule ‘ They Are Back
International Champions Cup – TV Schedule in July
Soccer Camps – Boys and Girls -Ages 6 – 14
Post2Post Soccer Camp
Former Pittsburgh Head Coach Sue-Moy Chin and Former Iowa Coach Carla Baker run their annual field player camp for players of all abilities July 25-28 — 9 am to 3 pm $195 each @ Badger
Carmel High Boys – Youth Soccer Camp –2nd to 6th Graders only
Run by CHS Boys team players – Thurs, Aug 4 (9:30 am till 12 noon) – CHS Practice Fields River Road and 126th . 2nd to 6th Graders only – Cost $35 to CHS –- First 100 players to sign up. Sign Up Here https://www.ticketracker.com/store/item?catalogItemId=8741 Email Shari if you have questions indyabbotts@hotmail.com.
Euros
Portugal’s Team Spirit afterRenaldo injury drives the Win – Marcotti ESPN FC
Renaldo gave moving ½ time Speech
France’s Coach Deschamps to blame for tactical Naivety – Delaney ESPNFC
Renaldo could never have imagined Winning Euros like this – Macintosh EPSNFC
Renaldo told Eder he would score
Portugal Grinds Way to Win – SI Jon Wilson
France Laments Broken Dream in Loss – ESPNFC
Top 10 Goals of Euro’s 2016
Golden Boot Winner France’s Antoine Griezmann
Portugal domintes Best XI voting
UEFA TOP PLAYER Antoine Griezmann, France: 6 goals (2 assists, 555 minutes)
UEFA EURO 2016 adidas Golden Boot: Antoine Griezmann, France: 6 goals (2 assists, 555 minutes)
UEFA EURO 2016 adidas Silver Boot: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal: 3 goals (3 assists, 625 minutes)
UEFA EURO 2016 adidas Bronze Boot: Olivier Giroud, France: 3 goals (2 assists, 456 minutes)
Golden Glove – Rui Patrício (Portugal);
EUROs BEST XI
The team (4-2-3-1): Rui Patrício (Portugal); Joshua Kimmich (Germany), Jérôme Boateng (Germany), Pepe (Portugal), Raphaël Guerreiro (Portugal); Toni Kroos (Germany), Joe Allen (Wales); Antoine Griezmann (France), Aaron Ramsey (Wales), Dimitri Payet (France); Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal).
INDY 11
Recap of the 1-0 win over Minnesota
Permanent Relegation Game Recap – Ft. Carroll – Aaron Gunyon
Earn Your Accredited College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools www.achievetestprep.com/shane
Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘unbelievable’ half-time speech inspired Portugal – Soares
Cristiano Ronaldo gave the Portuguese squad what has been described as an “unbelievable” half-time speech, telling his teammates he was “sure” they would beat France in their 1-0 Euro 2016 final victory despite having to go off injured after 25 minutes, Cedric Soares has revealed.The full-back also said that Portugal were “in shock” when their star captain had to be substituted but that, far from being dejected, a “fantastic” Ronaldo helped motivate the players.”It was a very tough moment,” Soares said. “I remember, for me and the team, everybody was a little bit in shock I think.”In half-time, Cristiano had fantastic words for us. He gave us a lot of confidence and said ‘listen people, I’m sure we will win, so stay together and fight for it.'”It was really unbelievable. I think all the team had a fantastic attitude. And we showed tonight when you fight as one you are much much stronger.”Asked whether Ronaldo was downbeat after having to go off, Soares said: “No, he was fantastic. His attitude was unbelievable. Always he helped a lot our teammates, he always had a lot of motivational words and all the team of course reacted to them, so it was very good.”Ronaldo spent much of the second half and extra-time acting as an effective assistant manager, giving instructions from the bench, and Soares praised this as beneficial to the players.”Yes, he had fantastic words for each player in each moment of the game … I’m really really happy to be part of this group and be champion.”Portugal won the game thanks to Eder’s 109th-minute long-range strike. After the game, as Soares spoke to ESPN FC, Ronaldo led a conga line through the mixed zone, although he interrupted his singing to hug any players who were talking to the media.Miguel Delaney is a London-based correspondent for ESPN FC
Portugal’s team spirit after Cristiano Ronaldo’s injury drives Euro 2016 win
SAINT-DENIS, France — Ederzito Antonio Macedo Lopes, aka Eder, is a 28-year-old Portuguese forward. In his eight seasons as a topflight footballer, he has scored 48 league goals for four different clubs in three different countries. Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, aka Cristiano, is a 31-year-old Portuguese forward who scored 48 league goals in a single season, just two years ago.On a muggy Sunday night in Paris, each was critical in helping Portugal win their first-ever major international trophy. And because football, like the bottomless coffee cup at your local diner, never runs out of surprises, it happened in the most unthinkable way.Ronaldo left the game in tears after just 25 minutes, taking with him (in the eyes of most observers) whatever residual chances Portugal might yet have harbored. Eder came on with 11 minutes to go in regular time. He had never scored in a competitive game for his country. Sending him on smacked of desperation, the choice you make when you have no alternative — a bit like Butch and Sundance deciding to burst out of their hut and take on the entire Bolivian Army.And yet it was Eder, big and lanky and unloved by the purists, who harpooned a loose ball and drove from left to right with 11 minutes left in extra time.You felt as if he was just going to run into somebody and maybe see if he could win a free kick. Laurent Koscielny approached but simply bounced off him, like the giant sponges at the drive-through car wash. Realizing he was in space, Eder then unspooled a low, nasty rocket that tucked inside Hugo Lloris’ near post.”He actually told me when I sent him on that he was going to score,” manager Fernando Santos said after the match. “I smiled. But then the ugly duckling turned into a beautiful swan.”As Eder turned to celebrate, he was mobbed as the entire Portugal bench cleared and streamed onto the pitch. All of them, bar one.Ronaldo, who had re-emerged from the tunnel with his left leg heavily bandaged as the game wound into extra time. Spending the previous 20 minutes at the edge of the technical area — serving as part-cheerleader, part-assistant coach, part-uberfan but mostly big brother — he took a moment for himself. He wandered down the touchline, head in hands, sobbing with emotion, and then he celebrated with his brothers.On this night, he and Eder were equals, as were the other 21 Portugal players. So too were the staff, kit men, physios and everybody else in Santos’ village. Because that’s what it took.The Portugal boss would say as much in the wake of their win. “Cristiano was the definition of teamwork. They all were.” It was a stark contrast on Sunday night between a team that was far greater than the sum of its parts and dealt with misfortune, versus a collection of individuals that added up to less than the sum total.Didier Deschamps’ decision to keep the same setup we’d seen against Germany (and, before that, against Iceland) came back to haunt him. It was a statement by the manager, forcing Paul Pogba to reinvent himself as some kind of next-gen Claude Makelele, and it would come to impact the whole match.Just as they had done against Germany, France came out of the gates very quickly, buoyed by a ferociously partisan crowd. Eight minutes in gave us the early turning point, perhaps a result of France’s furious tempo. Dimitri Payet went in hard on Renato Sanches, with referee Mark Clattenburg waving play on. The Frenchman then zeroed in on Ronaldo, who was receiving the ball by the touchline. Payet’s left boot nicked the ball away but his right knee caught Ronaldo’s planted leg and the Real Madrid star crumpled to the ground. Clattenburg again waved play on. Ronaldo struggled to get up, tears welling in his eyes, face contorted in a grimace.France had an excellent chance minutes later but Antoine Griezmann’s flicked header was pawed away by the immense Rui Patricio. Another clash and Ronaldo was back on the ground, this time sobbing. Something landed on his face, first on his eyebrow, then on the arch of his nose. Maybe it was a butterfly, maybe a moth, one of the many that infested the Stade de France on the night. He did nothing to shoo it away, seemingly not feeling it at all. Maybe it was the pain or the adrenaline. Maybe it was the sorrow. Maybe it was all of the above. He left the pitch for treatment and, in his absence, a powerful run from Moussa Sissoko resulted in a venomous finish that Patricio tipped over his bar.Ronaldo returned but could go no further. He gave the captain’s armband to Nani and limped off the pitch, applause from both sets of fans raining down around him. On came Ricardo Quaresma and at that stage, Portugal were very much on the back foot, particularly when Sissoko, operating somewhere between a runaway locomotive and an Ironhead Harley, roared through the Portuguese lines. The half ended with Cedric catching Payet with a knee to the back. It smacked of a classic revenge foul, but fortunately for both teams, things did not escalate.Without Ronaldo, Portugal switched to a 4-5-1 and tightened up in central midfield and here you realized just how Deschamps’ scheme wasn’t helping. Stuck deep in midfield, Pogba struggled to contribute offensively. With Griezmann swallowed up in traffic and Payet’s contribution waning, France became predictable. Deschamps sent on the fresh wheels of Kingsley Coman and his cross found Griezmann, whose header was just high. Coman again set up a great chance when he played in Olivier Giroud (a rare appearance on an otherwise anonymous night) but again, Patricio was heroic in palming it away.With extra time (and maybe penalties) looming, both managers turned to their bench. Santos turned to Eder for Renato Sanches, while Deschamps called upon Andre-Pierre Gignac (for Giroud). As it would happen, both replacements would get a chance to win the game. Only one would take it.Ten minutes from time, a Portugal counter saw Nani’s cross/shot force Lloris to punch away straight to Quaresma, whose overhead kick was saved again by the Tottenham keeper. It would have been a Hollywood ending, but instead, we saw two more gilt-edged French opportunities. Sissoko, in full-on beast mode, unleashed a frightening strike that Patricio somehow deflected. And then, deep into injury time, Gignac received the ball with his back to goal, turned Pepe inside and out with an agility you just don’t expect from a man his size and fired a shot that clipped Patricio’s post.With Eder on the pitch, Portugal switched to a more linear 4-3-3 to mimic France and the game seemed destined for penalties. Raphael Guerreiro sent a free kick (awarded for an incorrect handball when Clattenburg appeared to get Eder and Koscielny confused) thundering off Lloris’ woodwork. You thought it was the highlight of the game; little did you know what would come next.The final minutes saw Ronaldo and Santos stalking the edge of the technical area, Master and Commander. “Cristiano was crucial,” Santos said. “He was so important to us, he didn’t think of his misfortune. He talked to everyone, he incentivized them, he made them believe that tonight was our night.”Man of the match honors went to Pepe, but they could have easily gone to Patricio or Guerreiro. Or heck, the entire 23, because this was all about them and the man who molded them. “We were innocent as doves but also wise as serpents,” Santos said. And he meant it.”Right now, I want to go home and kiss my mother, my wife, my children, I’d like to hug everyone, every last one,” Santos added, before turning to his faith. “But I want to thank above all my best friend and his mother for making me so humble, for having allowed me to illuminate his name, because all that I do is for his glory.”Pepe dedicated the victory to the Portuguese diaspora around the world, a set of emigrants that included Santos in his three separate stints in Greek football. But the last word went to Ronaldo who, like Ricardo Carvalho, was there in 2004, the only other time Portugal played in a final and an occasion that ended in heartbreak.”Since 2004 I’ve asked God for another chance, another opportunity to win something for my people,” Ronaldo said. “Today I was unlucky personally, but it turned out as one of the happiest days of my career. I always believed we could do it as a team. I just wasn’t sure it would happen this way.”The fact that it did might make it all the sweeter.Gabriele Marcotti is a columnist for ESPN FC, The Times and Corriere dello Sport. Follow him on Twitter @Marcotti.
France’s Euro 2016 final agony down to Didier Deschamps’ tactical naivety
SAINT-DENIS, France — After one of the biggest disappointments in French football history, a clearly deflated Didier Deschamps tried to put it down to “tiny details.””It was a close match,” the France manager said after his side’s 1-0 defeat to Portugal in the Euro 2016 final. “We had chances, as did the Portuguese, but unfortunately they scored.”Or, more specifically, Eder scored. Fernando Santos’s decision to bring the striker on initially raised eyebrows, only for the player to then raise the roof with his 109th-minute long-range strike.It only reflected better on the Portuguese manager that Eder was supplied by another sub in Joao Moutinho. That in turn reflected badly on Deschamps. Santos’ subs did not just win this game; they also highlighted just how poor the French manager’s own decisions were.Deschamps’ attempts to put the defeat down to “tiny details” was understandable, but the reality was that France lost because he himself got too much wrong. That is what it boils down to.There is a lot of blame to go around with the hosts, but more must be placed at Deschamps’s feet than anyone else. He admitted afterwards that France “threw away a great chance to be European champions” but it looks even worse when you properly lay out why it was such a great opportunity.France had the fortune to play a final in their home stadium against a less talented team, whose biggest star had to go off after just 25 minutes.Everything was going the hosts’ way, but Deschamps got almost nothing right. He squandered it all, in a piece of mismanagement to rival Marc Wilmots’s poor work with Belgium.It was not just that Deschamps failed to maximise those ample advantages. It was really about how much his decisions actually minimised the effectiveness of his players. He made such talent look less than the sum of their parts.A distinctive feature of France’s entire tournament has been Deschamps getting his starting lineups wrong, only to fix it halfway through to see his side through. It happened in four of their six matches before the final, but was most notable in the round-of-16 game against Ireland, when he finally moved Antoine Griezmann into the centre.That initially seemed a sign of Deschamps’s impressively proactive approach, and decisiveness, his willingness to make necessary changes. Instead, it now just looks more like he was getting lucky, and never had a clear idea. He clearly couldn’t fix his problems when it mattered most. He had run out of ideas.The most damning thing was so much of what could be fixed seemed obvious. From the start of the tournament, it has been clear that Deschamps was struggling to find a balance in midfield given the type of players available to him. He still persisted, however, with some hugely puzzling configurations that were proven to not work in previous games.The final, illustrated that most; it seemed as if the midfield trio was set up to get the best out of the worst player in it, while also subduing the performances of the better ones.This is not to say that Moussa Sissoko is not a quality player, but he clearly hasn’t had the career or talent of Blaise Matuidi or — especially — Paul Pogba. While those two toiled, however, it was Sissoko who was released to express himself.That is utterly bizarre when you just stop and think about Pogba’s best qualities. The 23-year-old has been widely criticised for not doing more with his ability throughout the tournament, but Deschamps should take the blame for it, rather than the player himself.Pogba was only rarely used in the role best suited to him, when he could get forward and fully utilise that awesome power and inventive range of passing and shooting. We saw some of it in the second half of the semifinal against Germany, after N’Golo Kante had been brought on.Despite that, Deschamps inexplicably reverted in the final and even, arguably, regressed. Pogba was placed in a holding midfield role and often seemed as if he had been instructed to stay as close to the centre circle as possible. That meant Sissoko was off doing the things that the Juventus midfielder usually excels at. What could Pogba have done had he been in the same shooting positions as Sissoko?And what must Anthony Martial have be thinking? He was ludicrously underused in this tournament, and that only served to ask even more questions of Deschamps’ tactics.If the manager’s decisions in midfield were confusing, his decisions in attack were just confounding. Right from the start of the tournament, there has been argument that Martial should be starting every single game up front even if he is more a winger than a striker, because his sleek running would just better fit the type of angled passes players like Griezmann were regularly trying.Olivier Giroud’s aerial qualities and lay-offs meant there was still some logic in Deschamps’s decision to persist with the Arsenal striker, despite some of his misses and the comedy of his slow running against Germany, but there was absolutely no logic in only ever replacing him with Andre-Pierre Gignac.This was once again a move that had been proven to be ineffective, but Deschamps still persisted with.It arguably cost him more than anything in the final, with two big moments. Gignac might have done well at the end of normal time to leave Pepe on the ground with a turn, but the better decision was probably to just play the ball back out to the on-running teammate in a much better shooting position.Having eschewed that, Gignac still should have scored with his shot. He hit the post, but was at least someway sharp in that moment. That was not the case with his second moment.A few minutes into extra time, Griezmann had the ball on the left and looked to play it into the box, only for Gignac to be beaten to it in a way that suggested he did not expect it to come to him. By contrast, Martial is supreme at sensing those opportunities and suddenly acting on them.Gignac’s selection, however, illustrates how long-running some of Deschamps mismanagement has been. It is not just that the striker should not be in the team. It is that he should not be in the squad. It simply remains remarkable that Gignac was picked ahead of Kevin Gameiro, let alone Martial.From all these criticisms, the French manager could justifiably point out that the team still created enough chances to win the game, and it all would have been so different had Griezmann scored that second-half header.The key point, however, is that France should not have needed to rely on such margins. The gap in quality between themselves and Portugal was too big, but Deschamps’s work served to narrow it.He never came close to finding a formation that just fit the players available to him. It was almost always so disjointed, so stilted.”I can’t hold anything against my players,” Deschamps said afterwards. “They gave everything tonight.”Some of them would be justified in holding it against him, because the French manager got almost nothing right.Miguel Delaney is a London-based
Cristiano Ronaldo could never have imagined winning Euro 2016 like this
SAINT-DENIS, France — Cristiano Ronaldo will have dreamed of this moment for years. He has won almost everything there is to win for his clubs, but he had never won anything for his nation. Even in his strangest dreams, he could never have imagined that it would happen for him this way.This is not how Ronaldo usually wins. Ronaldo usually wins with well-struck shots or sublime subtlety like that back-heel against Hungary. He wins when he endures the sort of pressure that crushes ordinary men like tin cans. But he had never won from the technical area, arms aloft, directing his players through the last stages of a lung-busting cup final prior to Sunday.A glimpse into the future? Ronaldo the manager? Probably not. He will need neither the money nor the stress. But here he was, injured and exhausted, channelling every thing he had, every last ounce of personality and celebrity, all in the hope that it might make some kind of difference on the pitch. And perhaps it did.Asked afterward if he felt that this was the high point of his career, he agreed. “I always say I win everything in terms of clubs, then as individual, but I always say I never win something for Portugal,” he said. “But I win tonight. I’m so happy, it’s a moment I cannot describe.”I’m so glad, it’s something unbelievable in my career, something that I deserve. Today I had bad luck because I had a small injury, but my colleagues do it. They run, they fight, we played against everyone, we played against 70,000 people in the stadium, nobody believed, but we won.”It would have been a profound shame had Ronaldo’s tournament ended, as it seemed it might, with the sight of him being carried from the pitch, his knee beyond immediate repair, his face streaked with tears. For all that he can rile and annoy people, he is one of the greatest footballers of his generation. He will be 33 when the next World Cup rolls around, 35 for the next European Championship. This really was it.If he had failed out on the turf, that would be fine. That would be football. But to be neutralised by a crunching challenge before he’d even had a chance to impose himself on the game, that just felt like cruel fortune. He didn’t want to go. He tried twice to continue, even as the French fans jeered and howled. But eventually even he had to relent. His race was run. On the pitch, at least.”It was tough because we lost our main man,” Pepe said. “We had all our hopes in him because he’s a player who can at any minute score a goal, because we know his abilities, but when he said he couldn’t go on, I tried to tell my teammates that we have to win it for him, that we were going to win it for him, that we were going to fight for him.”Ronaldo, knee strapped and training top on, reemerged at full-time as his teammates slumped, drained and depleted on the turf. He strode through their ranks like a king before a battle, a quiet word here, a pat on the shoulder there. He did it again after the first period of extra time, looking measured and composed.But when Eder slammed home his 109th-minute winner, that composure evaporated. Ronaldo celebrated alone on the sidelines, his hands over his face as the entire bench raced onto the pitch to mob the goal scorer. The tears flowed freely, the adrenaline coursing through the Real Madrid man’s veins. He couldn’t sit down. He couldn’t take his place with the other players. He had to be there, on the touchline, making an impact. Any kind of impact.One member of the coaching staff tried to urge him back to the bench, but with limited success. Like the moths that surrounded the Stade de France floodlights in their thousands, Ronaldo was irresistibly drawn to the action. In the end, the coaches left him alone, happy to let him shuffle up and down the touchline, bellowing instructions at players who were probably too tired to listen. And the clock ticked down.Pepe, named man of the match, laughed when a journalist asked him how he felt about his new “assistant manager,” but he was diplomatic about it.”The gaffer is our leader,” he said. “On the pitch, we’re all managers, because the gaffer lays down the tactics and on the pitch we do our best, but in fact the older players are there to incentivise and help younger ones.”Seconds before the final whistle, Ronaldo grabbed coach Fernando Santos and shook him vigorously. Santos looked awkward and uncertain. Managers do not celebrate until everything is confirmed. But then referee Mark Clattenburg blew his whistle and there was nothing left to worry about.”Our skipper, he had an immense effort,” Santos said later. “We had amazing team spirit, he had amazing team spirit. Twice he tried as much as he could to get back on the pitch, but he couldn’t do it. But being there in the locker room, on the bench it was very important to us, the way he reached the lads, incentivised them, he believed, like I believed, that tonight was our night.”Again, the bench ran to the pitch to celebrate. Again, Ronaldo stood alone for a moment, eyes wide and flushed in the face. He hugged a coach and they fell to the floor, Ronaldo’s shoulders heaving. And then he was back on his feet. He limped out to the pitch, congratulated his teammates one by one and because, even in the strangest dreams, some variables will always remain the same, he peeled off his shirt.This is the victory Ronaldo had craved for so long. The international success that moves him, permanently if his retirement holds, ahead of Lionel Messi: one medal to none. It is the culmination of a life spent in constant pursuit of excellence. No, this is not how he would have imagined it happening, but as he lifted the trophy above his head and
roared with delight, you suspect that he wasn’t even remotely concerned.Iain Macintosh is a writer for ESPN FC.
Cristiano Ronaldo told me I’d score Portugal’s winning goal – Eder
Portugal’s Euro 2016 final hero Eder says Cristiano Ronaldo told him he’d score the winning goal against France, and hailed his country’s triumph as “an amazing moment” after their historic 1-0 defeat of the hosts at the Stade de France on Sunday.The 28-year-old forward came on in the 79th minute for midfielder Renato Sanches and made his presence felt with a thunderous strike past France’s Hugo Lloris in the 109th minute to give Portugal their first major tournament title.Speaking after the match, the Lille man revealed the Real Madrid superstar,who was forced off with a knee injury in the 25th minute, predicted his decisive goal ahead of time.”Cristiano told me I would be scoring the winning goal. He and all my teammates,” Eder said. “He gave me strength and positive energy. And that goal was really important.”A lot of hard work went into it. We worked hard from the first minute and right from the beginning of the Euro. We were spectacular. The Portuguese people deserve this.”Eder had played just 13 minutes at the European Championship before coming on in the final, but said he’d always believed his moment to make an impact would come.”Since the first day [I thought my opportunity would come]. Ever since Fernando Santos called me up. He knows what my capabilities are and so does our group,” Eder said.”They trust me and I have worked hard to contribute and today it was possible. I’m very happy about what we’ve achieved.”He added: “It was an amazing moment. Our team worked really hard. We knew that the Portuguese people were behind us.”We fought with immense strength, we were amazing. I think we deserve this title due to the work we put in, all the players and the staff. Portugal had been wanting this title for so long.”This is fantastic and well deserved. Congratulations to every single one of us.”Defender Pepe highlighted Portugal’s difficult road to European glory after captain Ronaldo limped out of the match early.”This was tough as we lost our main man and we had all our hopes on him because he can score a goal at any moment. When he couldn’t go on I tried to tell our teammates that we had to win it for him,” the Real Madrid star said.”The coach set us up very well, the subs came on at the right time too. We poured our blood, sweat and tears into this. We’ve written a brilliant page in the book of Portuguese football history.”Speaking to RTP after the match, Paris-born full-back Raphael Guerreiro said the triumph was the pinnacle of his career.”It’s not really sunk in yet,” Guerreiro said. “I play for Lorient usually, and winning this title at the end of the season sounds incredible for me. And it’s in France too, so it’s even more special. It’s spectacular, and I hope we’ll perform well in the next tournaments too.”We didn’t pay much attention to the critics, as we were winning our games. We concentrated on each game as it came. The goal was to win the tournament, and in the end we won it, thanks to the whole team.We worked hard on and off the pitch, and we deserve it. It’s a very good reward. At the moment it’s the best moment of my career.”
Portugal grinds its way to Euro 2016 title, overcoming Ronaldo injury
Portugal beats France 1-0 in extra time to win Euro 2016 title
Even without Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal pulled out a win against France in the Euro 2016 Final.
BY JONATHAN WILSONADD FAVORITETwitter EmailPosted: Sun Jul. 10, 2016
PARIS – Portugal won a single game at this European Championship in normal time. It got through the group stage as a best third-place team. It has played grim, attritional football throughout the knockout phase. But, for the first time, it has a European trophy. When the ends are glory, nobody in Portugal will mind much to quibble about the methods after a 1-0 triumph in extra time over France on Sunday.Portugal won the Euros because of its defense. After the shambles of the 3-3 draw against Hungary to finish the group stage, manager Fernando Santos retreated into the utmost pragmatism and created a unit that conceded a single goal in 420 minutes of knockout play. Scoring goals, the message seemed to be, would look after itself. And so it proved. Even without Cristiano Ronaldo, forced off after 25 minutes with a knee injury, Portugal found a 109th-minute winner, hammered home from about 30 yards by Lille striker Eder–an unlikely source for a unlikely victory.Until then, the game had been largely representative of the tournament. There have been flashes of quality and flare, but for the most part the play has been drab and cautious, blanket defenses overwhelming inadequate attacks. Much was sideways, much was backward, much was predictable and France, faced with the obduracy of Portugal’s defending, looked short of ideas and inspiration.This was never going to follow the pattern of the Germany game, of France being forced back and striking on the break. Portugal’s method since the end of the group stage has been to absorb pressure, using the energy of its midfield, along with the enormous presence of William Carvalho, all clanking movement and octopoid limbs, to stifle the opposition. So it proved again, France being allowed to dominate possession as Portugal hastened to fill gaps.WATCH: Ronaldo runs through all emotions, lifts trophy for Portugal
Portugal’s attacking threat, restricted throughout the tournament, was diminished further by an early challenge by Dimitri Payet on Ronaldo. No foul was given but, as Payet won the ball with his left foot, his right knee banged into Ronaldo’s left. The Real Madrid forward collapsed in obvious distress, weeping, but struggled on with heavy strapping before finally accepting the damage was too serious and going off for Ricardo Quaresma. A Cedric foul on Payet 10 minutes later seemed a fairly clear attempt at gaining retribution.As against Germany, there was an early French surge, but although an Antoine Griezmann header drew a fine save from Rui Patricio after Pepe’s slip had given Payet time to float a ball into the box, it produced no breakthrough.The singing of La Marseillaise prior to the match had been notably poor, one half of the stadium getting a syllable or two ahead of the other half–perhaps the inevitable result of France’s fans spending too much time dabbling with the Iceland thunder clap rather than practicing what they’re good at–and that served as a metaphor for a disjointed France display. Perhaps the stoppages for Ronaldo to receive treatment upset the rhythm, perhaps his disappearance affected its concentration, perhaps Portugal held the ball rather better after Ronaldo had gone off rather than repeatedly trying to feed him quickly, but there was little fluency in France’s attack, little sense that a breakthrough might come. There was one smart turn and shot from Moussa Sissoko, preferred on the flank as Deschamps stuck to his 4-2-3-1, but that was a rare moment of incisiveness in a largely drab first half.It didn’t improve much after halftime.Portugal did what it set out to do and made the game one of grim attrition. Payet, France’s hero in the group stage, was removed just before the hour for Kingsley Coman, the thinking presumably being that his pace might help penetrate the Portuguese ranks. He did land a cross on Griezmann’s head midway through the half–but the Atletico Madrid forward put the chance over–and then created a chance for Giroud that was well-saved by Rui Patricio.The Portugal goalkeeper also made a full-length diving save to keep out a long-range blast from Sissoko, while Nani almost caught out Hugo Lloris with a deft chip. And then, quite unexpectedly, from nothing, substitute Andre-Pierre Gignac turned Pepe in injury time and rolled a shot past Rui Patricio and saw it bounce back off the post. A sudden smattering of chances could disguise the fact that there was little pattern to the game, little quality. As Portugal vs. France clashes go, this was far more World Cup 2006 than Euro 84.Quite suddenly, just after halftime in extra time, there came a furry of chances in a Portuguese rally. Raphael Guerreiro hit the bar with a free kick and then, within a minute, Eder drifted in from the left and struck a fearsome shot past Hugo Lloris. It was a goal whose quality was utterly out of keeping with the game and, in truth, the tournament.But nobody in Portugal will care about that.
UEFA EURO 2016 adidas Golden Boot: Antoine Griezmann, France: 6 goals (2 assists, 555 minutes)
UEFA EURO 2016 adidas Silver Boot: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal: 3 goals (3 assists, 625 minutes)
UEFA EURO 2016 adidas Bronze Boot: Olivier Giroud, France: 3 goals (2 assists, 456 minutes)
UEFA European Championship top scorers; 1996–2008: from final tournament group stage)
2016: Antoine Griezmann (France) 6
2012: Fernando Torres (Spain) 3
2008: David Villa (Spain) 4
2004: Milan Baroš (Czech Republic) 5
2000: Patrick Kluivert (Netherlands), Savo Milošević (Yugoslavia) 5
1996: Alan Shearer (England) 5
UEFA European Championship final tournament overall top scorers
9: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
9: Michel Platini (France)
7: Alan Shearer (England)
6: Antoine Griezmann (France)
6: Wayne Rooney (England)
6: Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden)
6: Thierry Henry (France)
6: Patrick Kluivert (Netherlands)
6: Nuno Gomes (Portugal)
6: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands)
THREE THINGS – IND VS MNU
Trio of takeaways from latest game in Eleven’s 12-game undefeated streak
Jul 10, 2016
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Three Things: Eleven vs. Minnesota
Takeaways from tricky three-point result vs. the Loons
After every game, IndyEleven.com’s Scott Stewart will give his three takeaways from the latest performance of the “Boys in Blue.” Well, usually it’s Scott Stewart … however, this week John Koluder will take over the recapping spot, starting with what was a tricky three-point result against Minnesota United FC at Carroll Stadium.
1) “Zero” Chance
Scott Stewart (along with several of the other bloggers that cover Indy Eleven) correctly pointed out inFriday’s preview that goalkeeper Jon Busch would likely have some extra work to do with the Loons’ high-flying attack coming to town. Little could he have known, however, that the game’s pivotal moment would indeed come down to “Buschy” going mano y mano against the NASL’s Golden Boot race leader and “fresh-off-a-hat-trick” scorer Christian Ramirez in the 38th minute.
After ditching his much-needed hat, Busch would recall his PK homework during the week (he gave a hat tip to assistant coach TIm Regan for his weekly PK video reel), guessing correctly to his left to beat Ramirez’s spot kick to the post. Just moments later Busch would be on the spot at that same post to corral J.C. Banks’ half-chance that turned out to be a full one, headed towards the upper corner.
Up to that point Minnesota was building some momentum in attack, but that clearly changed as Indy gave up just two shots from distance in the 50 minutes that followed. In a season where Busch had been called upon to step up largely on the road, this was the veteran’s night to shine at “The Mike,” and that one moment flipped the course of the match. The team’s defensive display overall led to a fourth shutout, now the 11th time in 12 games in which the Boys in Blue have allowed just one goal or less. Goals are nice, but that’s what gets you to the top of the table.
2) More from Mares
After either coming off the bench or not appearing at all in four of Indy’s first five games, Dylan Mares dangerous abilities eventually could not be denied. While the third-year pro was rewarded by head coach Tim Hankinson with starting nods in the team’s previous eight competitive matches leading up to Saturday against Minnesota, last year’s co-leading scorer hadn’t cracked the scoresheet, but with 18 shots (good for third on the team heading into last night) it certainly wasn’t for a lack of effort.
A game-changing moment in the 78th minute changed all that, and it could very well open the flood gates for the “Eleven Original.” Mares has Loons’ midfielder Lance Laing partially to thank for a pass right to his feet 30 yards from goal, but from there it was all Mares, who confessed after the game that he didn’t notice netminder Sammy Ndjock off his line before unleashing his lash into the upper right 90 – he just felt like having a go from 25 yards felt right. And boy was it.Mares wasn’t done there, as he would make a play that was just as big in the Indy goal with regulation time winding down. The one shot Busch couldn’t get to on the evening, Ramirez’s close-range header in the 90th minute, could have been a gut-wrenching equalizer, but the alertness of Mares – who drifted from his corner kick duty on the post when he saw Busch step off his line – allowed him to head away the chance right on the line, preserving the result for Indy.While those two moments are obvious standout ones, what might have gone unnoticed was Mares’ steadiness throughout, as he completed 36 of his 40 passes on the night (as you can see to the right). With Indy fans knowing full well what the 24-year-old midfielder is capable of its not fair to deem Saturday a “breakout performance” for Mares, but it was certainly his best one of the season and could instill him with more confidence – and therefore make Indy even more unpredictable in attack.
3) Better Late Than Ever … or “Winning Time”
8 out of 17 … as in eight of Indy Eleven’s 17 goals scored in its 12 regular season games have been scored beyond the 75th minute. It doesn’t matter what level you play at, the ability to be that clutch in “winning time” will keep you in contention for trophies, which in this case has been borne out by the fact that those goals have resulted in 11 of the squad’s 22 standings points earned.While Indy Eleven’s ability to score late has been well-documented, what perhaps has gone unnoticed is the lack of scoring by the opposition in that crucial final quarter-hour. No, not the minimal damage done, but the COMPLETE LACK OF GOALS CONCEDED. That’s right, Indy Eleven has outscored the opposition 8-0 in the last 15 minutes of games. That, my friends, is the stuff of champions.
So Where Does Indy Stand?
Fall Season: 1W-1D-0L, 4 pts., 4th place (but really T-2nd with 3 other teams, with everyone sitting on a +1 goal differential)
Combined Season: 5W-7D-0L, 22 pts., 2nd place (2 points behind New York, which pulled one out at the death Saturday at Miami)
What’s On Tap?
The meat of a 3-games-in-8-days sandwich, this Wednesday’s home contest against Fort Lauderdale (7:30 p.m. kickoff, as always, at “The Mike).
How About a Fun Fact?
Indy could tie the NASL modern era’s longest regular season undefeated streak of 13 games, set originally by Carolina in 2011 and equaled by the Cosmos across the 2013-14 seasons. Ottawa twice was on the cusp of equaling the mark last year, so you can bet that Nicki Paterson, Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Colin Falvey will do what it takes to get Indy across that line this time around.
Penalty Kick Save and More Late-game Heroics Lift Indy Eleven to 1-0 Victory over Minnesota
Win Keeps “Boys in Blue” Undefeated in 12 Straight Games to Start 2016 Campaign
INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, July 9, 2016) – Dylan Mares provided the latest set of late-game dramatics for Indy Eleven, scoring his first goal of the season with 12 minutes remaining and heading a ball off the line in the 89th minute to give the “Boys in Blue” a 1-0 victory over Minnesota United FC in front of 8,066 spectators at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium. Indy Eleven goalkeeper Jon Busch earned a fourth clean sheet on the season for Indy by saving four shots, including a penalty kick stop on the league’s leading scorer, Christian Ramirez, late in the first half. The result kept Indy Eleven undefeated through 12 games to start the 2016 season, and was preceded by the team lifting the league’s Spring Season trophy in front of its appreciative fans.
STATS: Visit the Opta MatchCenter for full stats from #INDvMNU
Both sides’ best chances within the first 20 minutes were finished – but they were also both nullified for offside, Eamon Zayed giving the Brickyard Battalion false hope just 50 seconds in, while J.C. Banks’ header of Christian Ramirez’s half-bike towards goal in the 18th minute fell to the same fate.Minnesota would take control of the better chances after the half hour mark, starting when Stefano Pinho’s cross found the head of a darting Banks, but the Loons’ central playmaker saw his 10-yard shot flash just wide of the right post.In the 37th minute it was Pinho creating a penalty kick opportunity when he fell over the foot of Indy midfielder Dylan Mares just a step inside the box. However, Busch would deny Ramirez on the ensuing spot kick, diving low and to his left to bat the shot wide. Banks had a half chance off the ensuing corner when he hooked in a shot from 15 yards, but Busch jumped to his upper left 90 to pick the ball out.The first chance of the second half fell to Minnesota left back Justin Davis, whose heavy shot from 30 yards was corralled by Busch on his line with a slight leap.The game increasingly looked like it would be a stalemate until the 78th minute, when Mares made Minnesota’s Lance Laing pay for a turnover in the final third. The Loons’ midfielder tried to play out of his end but instead put the ball right on Mares’ feet 30 yards out, from where he floated a ball that caught Ndjock off his line. The goal was Indy’s eighth of the year past the 75th minute,Minnesota had two good chances to equalize in the final minutes, first in the 88th minute as the ball popped to Daniel Mendes at the top of the area, but the substitute midfielder’s poke was deflected just wide of the right post. Off the ensuing corner Ramirez headed a ball that beat Busch but not Mares, who headed the ball himself off the line to keep Indy ahead into and through the five minutes of stoppage time.Tonight marks the first game of a three-game week for Indy Eleven, which will turn around and host the Fort Lauderdale Strikers this Wednesday, July 13 (7:30 p.m. ET, live on WISH-TV, beIN SPORTS & beIN SPORTS CONNECT). Tickets for “Networking Night” at Carroll Stadium remain available starting at just $11 and can be purchased online at IndyEleven.com or by calling 317-685-1100 (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.).Indy Eleven and Minnesota will renew acquaintances in one week’s time, this time Minnesota playing host to the “Boys in Blue” at the NSC Stadium in Blaine, MN, in a match that can also be viewed live on beIN SPORTS and online via their beIN SPORTS CONNECT viewer.
NASL Fall Season Indy Eleven 1 : 0 Minnesota United FC
Saturday, July 9, 2016 Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN Attendance: 8,066
Indy Eleven:
Fall Season: 1W-1D-0L, 4 pts.
Overall Season: 5W-7D-0L, 22 pts.
Minnesota United FC:
Fall Season: 1W-0D-1L, 3 pts.
Overall Season: 6W-1D-5L, 19 pts.
Scoring Summary:
IND – Dylan Mares (unassisted) 78’
Discipline Summary:
MNU –Aaron Pitchkolan (caution) 29’
IND – Justin Braun (caution) 75’
IND – Greg Janicki (caution) 89’
IND – Lovel Palmer (red card) – post-game
MNU – Tiago Calvano (red card) – post-game
Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2, L–>R): Jon Busch; Nemanja Vuković, Greg Janicki (capt), Cory Miller, Lovel Palmer; Omar Gordon (Duke Lacroix 63’), Brad Ring, Nicki Paterson (Souleymane Youla 73’), Dylan Mares; Eamon Zayed, Justin Braun (Marco Franco 84’) Indy Eleven bench: Keith Cardona (GK), Daniel Keller, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Don Smart
Minnesota United FC (4-2-3-1): Sammy Ndjock; Justin Davis, Tiago Calvano, Brent Kallman, Kevin Venegas; Aaron Pitchkolan (capt) (Daniel Mendes 83’), Juliano Vicentini; Stefano Pinho, J.C. Banks (Damion Lowe 79’), Danny Cruz (Lance Laing 69’); Christian Ramirez United FC bench: Steward Ceus (GK), Jamie Watson, Jack Blake, Ismalia Jome
WELCOME TO FT CARROLL – Permanent Relegation Game Recap
From the first time Tim Hankinson spoke to the fans in Indianapolis, he had said he was looking for warriors. It’s not an uncommon philosophy in sports, but it is one easier said than done. He’s found them! And they defend Carroll Stadium with a grit that would inspire General Lew Wallace and his hipster beard. The Eleven held the Fort on Saturday night and battled hard against the visiting Minnesota United FC. The 1-0 scoreline will not tell the full story but the Indy Eleven were once again victorious at home. The banks of the mighty White River are still safe and the checkered banners still hang proudly around the stadium. The Mike has become a fortress.
Indy Eleven are undefeated on the season due to technicalities and definitions, but there is no denying the Indy Eleven’s stats when playing for the Brickyard Battalion at home. This team really likes red and blue smoke.
- 13 goals during 6 home games in NASL competition.
- 4 wins and 2 draws in NASL competition.
- 6 wins and 2 draws including USOC and a mid-season friendly
- 5 game home win streak (Including wins against both the best of the USL and Liga MX)
The boys in monochromatic blue (At Home) are the most dangerous team in North America right now. This team is both inspiring and inspired when playing in blue socks, shorts and shirts. Jon Busch is the only exception because he plays 10 feet tall wearing sweatpants and a dad hat. Jon Busch is 39 but still managed to unlock gamebreaker mode in the 37th minute. He guessed correctly and denied a penalty attempt from from Christian Ramirez who happens to lead the NASL in goals. Busch had it the whole way in a classic “ball never lies” scenario. That save kept a 0-0 score heading into the halftime break and and was what paved the way for Dylan Mares’ second half performance.
There are three players remaining from Indy Eleven’s original 2014 roster. Mares is one of them and proved why on Saturday night. Mares stole the show and Man of the Match with not one but two game changing plays. Luck is what happens when practice meets preparation. Mares converted from distance with a perfectly weighted ball in the 78th minute. He intercepted Lance Laing and punished Minnesota by himself while simultaneously forcing goalkeeper Sammy Ndjock to question everything he knows about physics. And Mares was the hero again. This time it was in the 90th minute. Every one of the Eleven were beaten on a corner except for the native Hoosier patrolling the goal line. He was in a perfect position and he headed the ball clear in the end. After the game Mares was asked about his positioning during that play. His response was simpe and mater of fact. He didn’t seem too impressed with his game winning save. “I am always on the front post.” The score held after 5 minutes of stoppage time. Celebrations and congratulations among the players showed just how truly devoted to each other and the result they were. This game meant something. The team was yelling and embracing as if they had just achieved glory in an ancient battle.
Even with a guaranteed home match in the playoffs, the Eleven are pursuing greatness and hope to claim more victories in the process. Winning the NASL Spring Season has allowed them the chance to rest, but they aren’t taking it. The team knows how important home field advantage is to them and the The Brickyard Battalion. This team has stated goals of going undefeated and raising more hardware like they did on Saturday. An idea that sounded crazy three months ago seems surprisingly attainable today. The spring trophy was shared but it will be put away as a reminder. Although it is a beautiful sight to behold, as a fan of this team, it is not the ultimate goal. The warriors will keep grinding out points through sheer acts of will, heroism, and guts and we will love them for it. The next few days will once again test the inner strength of this team. Moments of heart and brilliance may be called upon with an upcoming home match on Wednesday and the Minnesota rematch only three days later. A poor man’s home and home fixture will be sandwiched with a visit from Ft Lauderdale Strikers. It’s going to be one of those things where we have just got to come in mentally tough. We have 3 games in one week and we have just got to stay focused. Everyone has to be ready.” -Dylan Mares
The advantage in the Wednesday match will surely go to the Eleven as they are hosting and with one more day of rest. The strikers will be road weary having traveled to Edmonton on the Sunday before. It will be tough as the Strikers are on a bit of a run themselves, but I think the real challenge will be in not looking too far ahead to the looming trip north. The dying moments at Ft. Carroll got more than a bit chippy on Saturday. Minnesota will have 6 days to stew and to study. Their gameplan wasn’t really that far off and the offside trap was very effective against Indy. The Eleven will be thinking and preparing for one game at a time. Indy having bested and embarrassed a team with championship ambitions will provide more than enough fuel for the Loons to bring everything they have, but Indy Head Coach Tim Hankinson will have something up his sleeve for sure. His substitutions and changes on Saturday earned Indy 3 points.
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If you are a goalkeeper – I am beginning my personal Monday night GK trainings July 11, 18 + 25 + Aug 1.
U12 6 till 7 pm
U13 and above 7:00 -8:15 pm
if interested RE: or email shanebestsoccer@gmail.com
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Earn Your Accredited College Degree at ½ the Cost and Time of Traditional Schools
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