When your mom went on a special trip with her friends a few weeks ago it was time for an OPA celebration (Owen, Papa, and Alex). We did some special stuff that I’m much more likely to encourage: we ate a lot of meat, practiced burping, and watched pro wrestling.
O’s Hero
I have a soft spot for the not remotely subtle science, and I can’t help but want to share it with you particularly when my favorite match of the year, the Royal Rumble, is in season. So, we watched, and Owen discovered a new hero: The Boogeyman (also known as Martin Wright).
Owen has long had a soft spot for the bad guys: the Sanderson Sisters, Scar, the Saja Boys, so I’m not overly shocked that a monstrous, worm-eating, figure of fear is the wrestler who sticks with them. What it made me realize though, is that, in sport (and sports-entertainment) there isn’t really one bad guy and one good guy. There are just favorites and foes.
Take the case of Ecuador’s biggest rivalry where our side (Emelec) faces their neighbors (Barcelona) in El Classico del Astillero (the battle of the shipyards). Emelec is vaunted, celebrated, and successful. But they’re widely seen as interlopers, funded by a wealthy foreigner (American George Capwell) and ignoring their actual community.
My Hero
I will still cheer for Emelec, but I can fully acknowledge that others never will. In the same way, I’m actually delighted to hear that Owen’s selected champion is a spooky-wooky monster. Who cares if everyone else responds with fear, disgust, or opposition. Your favorite is your favorite, O. Enjoy it…just like I cheered until Andre the Giant was bodyslammed by Hulk Hogan and everyone else screamed in joy.
It can be tempting to think that we only cheer for the good guys, or that our opponents deserve to lose. But that’s not a fair way to view the world. I can see well reasoned arguments that there are absolute rights and absolute wrongs in some particular areas (treatment of other humans for instance). But shows, entertainments and sports aren’t one of them. So feel free to like who you like, and respect that others will disagree.
All around it was a rougher month for the teams, with most teams struggling to win more than a single game (though, to be fair, several teams only just got off the line…or in the case of Vozdovac forgot to score, or in the case of Emelec, got postponed).
Once again, Noah Atubolu is the biggest name in the conversation, (goal)keeping Freiburg in matches where the rest of the defense struggles to hold a consistent line. Jessy Benet, long a favorite of this website, seems to have a new midfield running partner in Yadala Diaby who is creating lots of chaos and lining up some impressive shots from distance. But the men’s undefeated month really owes a lot to Loris Mouyokolo and Clement Vidal who have stepped up to the vital Center Back positions with ease.
The other team with the most points this month is Alebrijes! Julio Cruz has been more of a super sub this year than his usual lead attacking self, but it’s been working with Hector Mascorro running the show. (I very much want to heap praise on the Ur-Royals’ Forward Makhmud Bansi Isaak who netted twice more than the top division team this month…but the second division Royals also lost 3 games despite scoring 6 goals….oof)
The women’s sides continue to play a strong team game, with Freiburg’s defenders Julia Steirli and Lisa Karl running both sides of the ball, Melanie Charbonnier and Laurine Baga serving the attack in a big derby win against Thonon Evian. And I’m choosing to believe that Ross County’s four goal deluge to notch their first win of 2026 was inspired partly by the goalkeeper “Sofia” who also helped them stem the tide against Arbroath. I’m rooting for her to start a trend of one-named Scottish wonders like “Ederson” or “Marta” only colder.
Looking Ahead
Good luck Coach C!
In the rush of the end of the year I missed some major news out of Missoula where Chris Citwoicki (the superb Griz coach) chose to take his talents to the higher profile and better funded Washington State University up the road in Pullman Washington. Genuinely, Citowicki is a very nice guy and an excellent supporter of his players. It seemed inevitable that he would be going on to bigger things so we wish him well. But this month the Griz got a new coach in Stuart Gore. Gore came to the US from England for college and then as a coach won a lower level national championship in Ohio, a conference championship in Louisiana (with the Northwestern State Demons–an old favorite logo of mine) then Troy in the dangerous Sun Belt conference. We hope he continues what’s going well and continues supporting the toughest team in Big Sky Country.
Sadly, I won’t be attending the World Cup this summer as your uncles and I did not with the lottery, but Alex did try out for his team again so I’ll be having fun regardless.
Emelec will kick off their new campaign in early March after an unexpected stadium related delay (that’s been going around as Punjab had the same issue on their first match day). While Rosenborg hopefully won’t have any such problems as both the men and women start fresh.
Finally, our fondness for Tottenham Hotspur is being tested by something approaching gross incompetence, but our beloved Julie Blakstad is now on their women’s team, so we’re committed again.
I started writing these notes to you when Owen was still small enough to fit in the crook of my arm, and Alex’s favorite activity was chasing the vacuum cleaner, and while that seemed simple…handling both of you (and a vacuum cleaner)…navigating a pandemic was not.
Dear Kids,
It has stayed hard.
Through murder, unrest, insurrection, division, deceit, venality, corruption, and now an armed invasion again (and that’s just in our country…never mind the terror, invasion, and war crimes abroad), things are hard, have been hard, and will likely remain hard.
When everything is hard, it is so easy to get discouraged, to get mean, to get angry and cold (especially in Minnesota in January), which is why I take heart from the little things.
Ross County is in a hard place. They are struggling to get points of any kind. They have conceded more goals than any other team in their division this year, and they look likely to be demoted for the second straight year.
Alex wants to stop ICE with ice and bologna.
So Alex Iacovitti didn’t need to do this. He could have just let the ball go past again…let the team lose 2-0 instead of 1-0. But he did what he could, he threw himself into the situation and managed to help. Iacovitti’s play is sweet…and a very tiny glimmer of the energy and effort that we and our neighbors are throwing at the situation in Minnesota now.
As federally endorsed officials attempt to detain and expel other Minnesota residents, we have seen senseless brutality and violence. But, I also see breathtaking effort, love and care when your mom and so many others stand in the freezing cold to keep kids safe on their way into your school. I see it in your aunt and uncle fundraising and gathering groceries for other families in their day care. I even see it in the two of you making posters to protest and tease the officials who are imposing their interests on our community.
I don’t know if Alex Iacovitti would be with us in lending help and support to the people in need. But I know that I love living and working with a bunch of people who would, no matter how bad things are, rush back to try to clear an attack away.
Freiburg leads the charge out of the gate in our 2026 season, with Vincenzo Grifo (big shock) being a talisman in attack; Goalie Noah Atubolu stopping both Hamburg and Koln; Matthias Ginter and Christian Gunter offer goal opportunities in the defense (attack and pk to fight back).
Grenoble sits second with a big pair of goals of the bench getting the ladies in to the round of sixteen before the bowed out to Strasbourg. But we’ll also tip a cap to Claudia Fabre who got the winner against Guingamp and Gaetan Paquiez who saved the day in defense before sending in two assists to steal a point against Pau.
Ross County’s Alex Iacovitti has already gotten his flowers, but we’ll also shout out Jay Henderson whose two goals gave the Stags their first win in the league since October. And honorary mentions to the last teams on our list including Rauf Muna with two goals to get the Wonder Royals their first points in six attempts, and Jair Cortes delivering a late equalizer against Cancun.
Looking Ahead
The biggest item on my horizon is finding out if your uncles and I will be attending a World Cup match in Philadelphia this summer. But we’ll also watch as each of these teams builds into fuller form and Minnesota United kicks off their new season with a change in veterans, goalies, and even coaches, while Punjab (maybe) kicks off (maybe) on Valentine’s Day (unless something weird happens…which with Indian soccer…it will)
Standings
Team
W
D
L
PPG
GFA
GAA
Freiburg
4
1
2
1.86
1.00
1.00
Grenoble
3
1
2
1.67
1.00
1.50
Ross County
2
0
3
1.20
0.80
1.00
Legon Cities
3
0
5
1.25
1.00
2.13
Alebrijes
0
1
1
0.50
0.50
2.00
Emelec–b
0
0
0
—
—
—
Montana–b
0
0
0
—
—
—
Rosenborg–b
0
0
0
—
—
—
Minnesota–b
0
0
0
—
—
—
Vozdovac–b
0
0
0
—
—
—
Punjab–b
0
0
0
—
—
—
Table Updated 1/26/26 b–Team is between seasons x–Team is finished playing for 2025
Once again, attempts to keep up on these tactical components did not go well. As I work on direct, specific, and simple apologies: I’m sorry.
Moving on!
Here are the final standings for this year’s MacKenzie Cup from 11th to 1st
11th) Legon Cities
An Explanation:
Legon faced one of the most chaotic seasons in the 6 years of this project, and I should try to explain why:
I try not to write much about owners. The wealthy and powerful already get more than enough attention, and, having been a Minnesota Twins fan, I know that obsessing over the whims of multi-millionaires is an exercise in futility.
But, the owner of Legon Cities requires a little attention.
Richard Attipoe bought Wa All-Stars after a title winning campaign and moved them to Legon, connecting them with a bunch of Accra celebrities to capture attention, followers, and ticket sales. Not so much to win matches. After battling against relegation for several years, the Royals finally fell to the second division last spring. In response, Mr. Attipoe went out and bought a newly promoted team (Eleven Wonders) and moved THEM to Legon, giving them the same kit and asking to call them the New Legon Cities (despite the old Legon Cities still playing in the second division).
So, which is Legon Cities? The Premier League Legon Cities (aka 11 Wonders in some new laundry), or the Original Legon Cities (wallowing in the second division)? I asked Legon Cities directly and a facebook fan group…but haven’t heard anything yet…so…I’m going to count both of them as best I can.
Results
Premier League: W 1 – D 3 – L 12; GF: 9/GA: 23
Division 1: W 1 – D 2 – L 10; GF: 11/GA: 29
Total: W 2- D 5 – L 22; GF 20/ GA: 52
Great Players:
Midfielder Matthew Amponseh (who has more goals in half as many minutes as the other strikers on the moribund Royals/Wonders side).
Quick Notes:
After opening their Division 1 campaign with all three points, the Division 1 Royals only have two more from the following 12.
Things are a little better for the Eleven Wonders who have won and drawn within their last five games…but they also haven’t done much of anything else and remain the poorest performers (both in goals for and goals against) and sit well adrift of the rest of the league.
Julio Cesar Cruz (Forward), Sergio Meza (Wing), Hector Mascorro (CM), Fernando Morales (CB)
Quick Notes:
New season…same Alebrijes. The goals are in short supply with Julio Cesar Cruz trying to carry the whole load while Fernando Morales tries to anchor a defense that can’t make up for a lower than average attack. The team benefitted from Hector Mascorro taking a more aggressive role in the defense to stop attacks before they start. But there’s a lot more to do before Alebrijes rejoins the top contenders.
9 )Ross County
Results
W 6 – D 8 – L 11; GF: 36 /GA: 40
Great Players:
Akil Wright (WB), Ronan Hale (ST/W), Trevor Carson (GK),
Quick Notes:
A blugenoning of Edinburgh City wasn’t enough to save a League Cup campaign. (They had been successful in recent years, with a few trips to the knockout stages, but a particularly bitter defeat to highland rival Partick Thistle ended that hope). But the Staggies have done quite well in other cup competitions, handling their business in both the League Cup and the Challenge Cup.
However, things have been far less impressive within the league. Four of the Stags six wins came in cups and tournaments, but only two have come in the league. While the other relegated side (St. Johnstone) looks likely to return to the premier league, County is facing another relegation five points away from the automatic trap door (this after they shoved another manager, Tony Docherty, down their own trap door)
Masculino: W 10 – D 4 – L 8; GF 29/GA: 28 Feminina: W 0 – D 3 – L 1 ; GF 2 /GA: 3
Total: W 10 – D 7 – L 9; GF 31/GA: 31
Great Players
Romario Caicedo (FB), Pedro Ortiz (GK), Facundo Castelli (ST), Jose Cevallos (CM), Jesus Castillo (FB)
Quick Notes:
A good run of form in July helped the men’s team climb up the table, but what kept them going strong was a new running partner for Romario Caicedo. Jesus Castillo’s ability to advance down the field gave the team a boost in attack, even while they continued to struggle in converting goals. The ultimate outcome put Emelec solidly in the middle of the table.
Throughout the summer, Las Femininas seemed to be getting their feet underneath them in the Superliga. After a rocky beginning, the steady run of draws (while not inspiring) was a good sign and demonstrated how consistently the defense has played. Over the season the women ranked 8th in goals allowed, but 10th in offense and 10th place is where they finished. If they had a league average offense their goal difference would have put them around 6th or 7th. The club stayed afloat, and now has a clear objective going into next season…if only there were some team full of excellent amateur attacking players Emelec could contact (cou*AURORA*gh!)
7) Punjab
An Explanation
Punjab FC did not start their season in September, but no one else did either. It appears that India’s top soccer league is on the brink of collapse thanks to everybody’s favorite reason: corporate conflicts.
An answer everyone who has been in India recognizes as “yes…or no…I don’t really want to say”
In basic summary: the regular league sponsors felt they didn’t get enough return on their ten years of investment, and the football federation didn’t have a backup in place. Without the money, the league couldn’t start and no one could agree on who could foot the bill. A new corporate entity? The Indian Government? The clubs themselves? We’re currently about to enter month four of a freeze on the league, and one club (Odisha FC) has already shuttered their doors for the year. Some have suggested the league can start up again in February playing in a few closely situated stadia…so is that the plan? Will it happen…?
The summer challenge of the Durand Cup was not what the Lions had in mind for their new rebrand (seriously…we’re an orange side…why are we not the Tigers?) A scramble in the late second half helped them scrape a win in extra time over Karbi Anglong Morning Star, and they didn’t score again: tying with the Indo-Tibetan Police team (having lived near that border, I can vouch for it being excellent for altitude training), and then a defeat to Bodoland FC knocked them out. After making the knockouts last year, this was disappointing. But the two goal scorers are each just 18 (including center back Pramveer), so that’s a plus for the youth movement.
Then came the awkward confrontation between tournament organizers, the government, and clubs themselves, and Punjab could only take the field for the Super Cup in November. There they looked much more like the dangerous side they had been in the I-League, with two 3-0 wins in the group stages and a strong defense propelling them through a shootout to the semi-finals.
6) Grenoble
Results
Femmes: W 5 – D 1 – L 6; GF: 14/GA: 16 Hommes: W 5 – D 7 – L 6 GF: 20/GA: 22
Total: W 10 – D 8 – L 12 GF: 34 /GA: 38
Great Players
Hommes: Jessy Benet (MF), Theo Valls (MF), Stone Muzalimoja Mambo (CB), Clement Vidal (CB), Mamadou Diop (GK) Femmes: Laurine Baga (MF), Candice Charbonnier (MF)
Quick Notes:
The first season in Ligue 2 for the women of Grenoble has seen their steady and reliable performance put them in a reliable position to stay up for another season. No one has been setting the league on fire, but Laurine Baga and Candice Charbonnier have continued their strong leadership.
The men are similarly treading water. Over the past five years, no full-time manager has been able to string together a campaign where they get more than 1.5 points per match (that would be winning a majority of their games). In a quest to shake things up, Franck Rizetto tried talismanic captain Jessy Benet as a center back…but then moved him back to midfield immediately netting 3 chances and an assist…so maybe Jessy isn’t the problem. Since then it has been the traditional defensive showcase for les Alpinerres including possibly my new favorite name in the whole of football: Stone Mambo! (Mr. Muzalimoja if you’re an attacker).
5) Freiburg
Results
Herren: W 12 – D 7- L 5; GF 36 /GA: 30 Frauen: W 8 – D 2 – L 6; GF: 32/GA: 25
Total: W 20 – D -9 – L 11; GF: 68/GA: 55
Great Players
Vincenzo Grifo (MF); Matthias Ginter (D); Noah Atubolu (GK); Johan Manzambi (DM) Lisa Karl (LB), Luca Emily Birkholz (F), Nia Zenk (RB), Leela Egli
Quick Notes:
The Herren have been busy with three competitions running at once: the ever challenging Bundesliga has thrown up a number of strong teams and they’ve only been able a mid-table performance thus far (with an equal number of wins, draws, losses, and goals for and against). But they continue to charge through the German cup (or Pokal) and look like a major threat in the Europa league. The long standing defensive stalwarts continue to carry the squad along, but Noah Atubolu continues to come into his own and at just 20, young Johan Manzambi is proving extremely versatile around the field.
Die Frauen have had another strong if unremarkable campaign firmly in the second-tier of the women’s league in Germany. Alongside the usual suspects have been a horde of talented young women 22 and under. Luca Birkholz has been great up top, while the wings have been the domain of Nia Zenk and Leela Egli (both of whom play with and off of Lisa Karl perfectly). With just 5 points between 8th place and the Europa League position, there’s a lot still to decide for the Griffins.
Vozdovac has put together their best finish in our MacKenzie Cup competition ever! They set the tone early on with a dominant 7-0 win against FAP, and have continued their upwards trend, sitting in one of the end-of-season championship playoff positions. While Nenad Lukic is in great form as a veteran goal scorer, it’s the young combination of Braunovic and Ouanda who has given the dragons reason to hope of a return to the top flight again.
3) Minnesota
Results:
Loons: W 13 – D 8 – L 10; GF: 43 /GA: 35 Aurora: W 3 – D 0 – L 1 ; GF 5 /GA: 1
Total: W 16 – D 8 – L 11 ; GF: 48/ GA: 36
Great Players:
Tani Oluwaseyi (F); Dayne St. Clair (GK), Robin Lod (MF), Bongokuhle Hlongwane (FB); Anthony Markakis (FB); Carlos Harvey (CB), Adrian Pereya (MF) Mariah Nguyen (MF) ; Sage Wimes (F)
Quick Notes:
Once again Aurora celebrated an unbeaten regular season, and once again they stormed into the playoffs with sky high expectations. Unfortunately, once again, the winner-take-all mentality of the single-elimination playoffs sent them home before the title could be claimed.
Meanwhile, the vaunted Loons defense came in for some harder times during the summer swoon. Part of that may have had to do with goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair fighting for Canada in the North American Gold Cup, but continued struggles after it derailed a promising League Cup campaign.
The fall saw the team sputter a bit on its way to the playoffs, while it technically had a shot at the top seed until the last three games, it was practically treading water until the final fury against red hot Seattle Sounders (long the Loons bete noir). But two nervy penalty shoot out wins saw the Loons into the second round agains top seeded San Diego, where everything came undone. There’s plenty of bright spots to savor for the team, but there’s a big transition coming as they try to move forward without striker Tani Oluwaseyi (currently seeing time in the Champions’ League), and goal keeper Dayne St. Clair (bound for a partnership with Lionel Messi in Miami (as well as talismans Hasani Dotson and–possibly–Robin Lod).
The most dominant team in the MacKenzie Cup competition, and back-to-back winners of the Big Sky/Big Sippy Cup, had an injury plagued season that led to one of their least dominant showings in recent memory. With a mix-matched team, coach Chris Citowicki relied on role players stepping up in big moments and a frenetic home atmosphere during the final playoff push to book the team on another trip to the big dance. The Griz ran into a motivated Washington Huskies side who controlled the flow and put lots of pressure on Ashlyn Dvorak before the Griz broke. It was the first year I didn’t expect a tournament upset for the Griz, but the incredible performance to win the Big Sky crown in front of Montana’s largest ever soccer crowd was worth it!
1) Rosenborg
Results
Menner: W 10 – D 5 – L 9; GF 42 /GA: 13 Kvinner: W 10 – D 2 – L 4; GF 27 /GA: 15
Total: W 20 – D 7 – L 11; GF: 69/ GA: 28
Great Players
Marius Broholm (W), Adrien Periera (LB), Ole Kristiansen Saetnes (CM) Thomas Nemcick (CB); Rebecka Holum (W), Celine Emile Nergard (ST), Oline Brekke Fulgem (CM), Syne Austen (D)
Quick Notes:
The wait for a trophy (beyond the sippy cup) in Trondheim continues.
Once again the women put up a strong showing in the league and the cup (with ANOTHER appearance in the final), but any mis-step is enough to throw the team’s chances for a loop. With a strong creative corps, the big question is if they can work out an equally forceful defense (without having defenders flee for other squads).
Likewise the Men had some truly great moments, but they were often overshadowed by a continual two steps forward-one step back approach to the game. Without Sverre Halseth Nypan (decamped for Manchester) the offense grew a little better rounded, but more inconsistent.
While it’s clear the team would prefer to win a trophy that isn’t completely imaginary, we are happy to welcome them back to the top of our trifling table for their first Sippy Cup in 3 years, allowing them to equal the Griz for the most Sippy Cups in MacKenzie Family History.
Alongside the final trophy, here are the final standings for all you number lovers out there.
Team
W
D
L
PPG
GFA
GAA
Rosenborg
35
13
17
1.82
2.34
0.66
Montana
13
6
6
1.80
1.24
0.52
Minnesota
32
15
15
1.79
1.58
0.94
Vozdovac
19
6
8
1.70
1.33
0.67
Freiburg
33
16
20
1.67
1.70
1.29
Grenoble
27
15
9
1.57
1.34
1.08
Punjab
6
5
9
1.15
1.35
1.25
Emelec
18
14
29
1.11
0.90
1.51
Ross County
11
12
13
0.98
1.28
1.65
Alebrijes
4
6
18
0.64
1.04
1.96
Legon Cities
6
7
35
0.52
0.69
1.71
Table Updated 12/30/2025
And here’s this year’s Best XI featuring many players taking a final bow before they head off to bigger clubs, and the indomitable midfield of Vincenzo Grifo and Jessy Benet
Will a new team take the title in 2026? Can the Loons and Aurora finally break through? Is Vozdovac on the cusp of an epic run? Will something radically alter the fortunes of Ross County, Alebrijes and the purgatory of Punjab? Can Richard Appoie just buy every Ghanaian team until it’s Legon Cities v. Legon Cities for ever?
Okay, so I started with 11 teams that I would write about because it seemed a good way to keep me writing consistently.
For 3 years, I kept up with that pretty well. But in the last two it’s been an absolute non-starter. Knowing that there are LOTS of other places to find scores and analysis, I’m willing to let go of the weekly or even monthly writing…but I really don’t want to forget about the joy of following teams and finding things to learn about and love.
So! Here’s my new model for the MacKenzie Cup: I’ll summarize team records and name a few great players while trying to keep myself to 1-2 sentences and I’ll post about it at key moments in the season to wit
1 post in May/June to cover the end of the European seasons (and start of the others); 1 post in August/September to cover the summer season and changes; 1 post in December to recap the year and crown the champion! So, with that! Here’s the spring summary for our Favorite XIs. (All results from 2/11/2025-6/27/2025)
Minnesota
Results:
Loons: W 9 – D 6- L 4 GF: 31/GA: 21; Aurora: W 9 – D 2- L 0; GF 27/GA: 4
Total: W 16 – D 7 – L 4; GF: 50/ GA: 22
Great Players:
Tani Oluwaseyi (F); Dayne St. Clair (GK), Robin Lod (MF), Bongokuhle Hlongwane (FB); Cat Rapp (F–5 goals); Charley Boone (D mastermind); Natalie Tavana (M)
Quick Notes:
The Loons have quietly turned into a premier team in the Western Conference by virtue of hard nosed defense led by Canada’s national goalkeeper: Dayne St. Clair, and the dynamic trio of Jaoquin Pereyra, Tani Oluwaseyi (another Canuck), and Kelvin Yeboah. While the Loons are doing America’s Canada proud, Aurora have been no slouches topping their table again with a ridonkulous goal differential led by Cat Rapp but anchored by one of our favorite Grizz now favorite Aurora Charley Boone! (There have been lots of great moments, but you can’t top our favorite player scoring an amazing goal and celebrating with his baby brother visiting from South Africa.)
The Griz focused on their school work this spring (as per usual) but had fun in training and was recognized as one of 10 programs in the nation (out of 1830 total) to win the United Soccer Coaches Team Pinnacle Award. It honors teams with a 75% winning percentage, superb academics (3.62 GPA) and excellent ethics (ie not drawing cards and penalties). Only 3 teams (men and womens) in the top Collegiate division (560 teams) won the award…the other women’s team? Fancy Pants Braniacs and National Championship contender: Stanford.
Oaxaca
Results
W 1 – D 2 – L 7 GF: 11/GA: 23
Great Players:
Hector Mascorra (MF); Edson Santos (LB)
Quick Notes:
I genuinely don’t know what has happened to Oaxaca of late. The consistent shellacking they received this spring is slightly impressive just in terms of its consistency. At this point there has to be some major changes made to funding or team building or literally everything to see the team change before the next campaign kicks off.
Emelec
Results
Masculino: W 4 – D 6 – L 7; GF 12 /GA: 21 Feminino: W 4 – D 1 – L 13; GF 12/GA: 40
Halfway through their season, Emelec’s men are once again struggling to meet the expectations of the club and its fans. They seem anchored among the bottom four of the table, though a fortunate return to form for Keeper Pedro Ortiz has them hopeful of righting the ship if they can ever get the attack working beyond Facundo Castelli. Meanwhile, the women’s step up to the Superiga Feminina has brought challenges on both sides of the ball, but the teamwork and dedication has remained steady. Melanie Orbia seems to be the least intimidated of the newly minted top division players with several of the vital goals, she’ll need to be on her game to keep them out of relegation danger.
After dodging the drop for the whole time we’ve covered them, the bell tolled for Legon at the end of this season. A dismal run of form sealed an already shaky season, and now that the team is poised to lose their midfield core (Alidu) and other vital players to local rivals Hearts of Oak (including returning legend Jonah Attaquaye) while also being hit with a transfer ban and possible point penalty for unpaid wages means the squad is in a dire situation and some have suggested moving the team back to Wa.
FK Vozdovac
Results:
6/23 (between seasons): W 5 – D 9 – L 3; GF: 16 /GA: 14
Great Players:
Bogdan Petrovic (F), Milan Kolarevic (LW), Mihajlo Milosavic (AM), Danilo Knezivic (DM), Nikola Jankovic (RB)
Quick Notes:
Having dropped into the second division last season, the Red Dragons needed to rediscover their confidence, and it certainly helped to have Bogdan Petrovic lead the charge with 13 goals (good for 2nd place in the league’s golden boot race). But as effective as Petrovic was, the team seemed most effective when Mihajlo Milosavic and Danilo Knezivic were at their best (their decisive loss to Macva that sealed a spot outside of promotion did not have Knezivic in the side…just saying).
Freiburg
Results
Herren: W 6 – D 4 – L 4; GF 21 /GA: 18 Frauen: W 5 – D 3 – L 1; GF 14 /GA: 9
Total: W 11 – D 7 – L 5; GF: 45/GA: 27
Great Players
Vincenzo Grifo (MF); Ritsu Doan (W), Noah Atubolu (GK); Cora Zicai (W), Selina Vobian (W), Lisa Karl (LB)
Quick Notes:
Freiburg was in the hunt for a Champions’ League spot until the final day of the season when a loss to Frankfurt allowed (Alex’s favorite) Dortmund to slip in tot he final spot. Still it was a great first season for Julian Schuster taking over the reigns from Christian Streich…unfortunately some of the most superb showings of the season may be headed out the door as bigger clubs come knocking (notably Frankfurt for Ritsu Doan and AC Milan for Noah Atubolu). Meanwhile the Frauen had an excellent run of form in the spring, going unbeaten for over two months as the left flank of Lisa Karl and Cora Zicai handled everything they were asked to do and more. The ladies of the black forest are still trying to crack the top three of the league, but they continue to show formidable reserve.
Rosenborg
Results
(6/26) Menner: W 10 – D 5 – L 2; GF 38 /GA: 15 (6/26) Kvinner: W 13 – D 1 – L 3; GF 45 /GA: 15
Reports of the men’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. After a few years of wandering in the wilderness, they are back in the European qualification spots, and owe it largely to a youth movement that may be about to bear even bigger dividends in selling top talents to major clubs around the world (the big buzz isi Sverre Halseth Nypan going to learn from Norwegian giant Erling Haaland in Manchester), but the team’s real strength this season has been the defense which has locked down opponents for the second fewest goals (the leader has played three fewer games).
While the youth took over the men’s team, the women’s side has relied on some more practiced hands…or feet. Striking tandem: Rebecka Holum and Celine Emile Nergard have been a great one-two punch for the Trolljenta with Oline Brekke Fulgem serving as the primary driver of the midfield engine. Sadly, the top two teams (Brann and Valerenga) appear to have run away from the rest of the division, so despite a great showing the long quest for a league championship looks likely to continue into next season. (*Note: I wrote this hoping to reverse jinx the team and put them in line for a trophy…but now that I’ve said that…oh never mind)
Ross County
Results
W 3 – D 3 – L 9; GF 16 /GA: 23
Great Players:
Jordan Amissah (GK), Kacper Lopata (CB), Akil Wright (WB)
Quick Notes:
It must be said that County had been playing with fire for several years now and they finally got burnt to the ground, dropping out of the Premiership in their third trip to the playoffs. They didn’t win a game after March, and while the defense was able to keep them competitive, the absolute disappearance of the attack doomed their hopes of staying in the top tier. Of course, the last time they dropped down they popped right back up again as the top team in the Championship…so here’s hoping to another quick return.
Grenoble
Results
Women: W 9 – D 2 – L 1 GF: 23/GA: 7 Men: W 4 – D 3 – L 5 GF: 17/GA: 17
The big headline belongs to the ladies of the Alps who captured their long deserved Division 3 Trophy and celebrated with an even more well earned party! The promotion was pegged to the defense as Julie Tissino allowed only 14 goals, 11 fewer than their next closest competitor (with credit also due to captain Elsa Domenjoud and veteran defender Romane Pilot), while Laurine Baga ran the offense in midfield.
Once again, the men’s team had a change in management (though I remain uncontacted…hint), but ever present in the teams consistently competent production was Jessy Bennet, this time bolstered by a defensive duo of Allain Tchaptchet (handling everything in the air) and Shaquil Delos (handling most of the attacks form the wings).
The Lions of Punjab (via Delhi) had a rough go of their last few matches this season. A three match losing streak, struggling without Luka Macjen or Filip Mrzljak, saw them fall out of the playoff spots and settle in a tenth position. They showed good work in the Super Cup with Ezequiel Vidal helping them to the quarter finals where they fell to eventual Cup Winner FC Goa.
Let’s get at it again, with a short month (made shorter by my late post last time) there’s less to cover, but more to enjoy
Between Season Squads:
Rosenborg, Montana (and Legon Cities)
Legon Cities was schecduled to face Karela United, but the match was cancelled so there’s nothing new to report for the Royals.
Meanwhile, there was another round of expected rest for the snowier portions of our soccer world. The Loons fled for sunny California to train and then kick off their season. Rosenborg made their way to Portugal and had a fun time training with others in a mini-tournament. Meanwhile the Griz focused on classwork and enjoying their new bubble training dome.
Rosenborg will hit the ground running in the next month, but most matches will happen while we’re on spring break, thus after our next update goes to “print”
LEGON March: HOME v. Nsoatreman, AWAY v. Asante Kotoko, HOME v. Berekum Chelsea, AWAY v. Accra Lions
ROSENBORG March: (W): AWAY v. Brann
Alebrijes de Oaxaca– 1 W – 0 D – 1 L; GF: 3/GA: 2
Oaxaca came into the month struggling heavily, winless in the year. Heck they were winless since September. So it was a bit of a surprise to see that they got their first win in 12 tries against a top of the table side in Atalante (2-0). Perhaps Atalante overlooked Alebrijes, but whatever the reason, Midfielder Fernando Morelos notched a brace. And the squad celebrated (deservedly).
Things looked to be breaking their way again in the next match as the Oaxacans were a man up after just 11 minutes following a Venados red card. But…the squad somehow managed to give up two goals to their opponents and only scored a consolation goal AFTER they also got a red card. (1-2 L)
March: HOME v. Correcaminos, AWAY v. Jaibos, and UDG, HOME v. Tlaxcala
Punjab– 0 W – 0 D – 2 L; GF: 2/GA: 5
After getting used to Punjab De Sher reliably topping our table and challenging everyone, it’s become a little dispiriting to see them face consistent struggles. Another late defeat (2-1), this time in Chennai stung again as it undid another solid outing from Nikhil Prabhu and Ravi Kumar. Moreover, it looked like with a range of injuries the often reliable Luka Macjen and Filip Marzjlak were forced to share time rather than dominate as a duo.
With those limitations firmly in place the ensuing defeat to East Bengal (3-1) was largely predictable. As coach Panagiotis Dilmperis tries to McGyver together an attack from the remnants of what was a potent attack at the start of the year, another second choice defense really didn’t help things.
The only solace is that there is no relegation from the ISL, but it’s hard knowing that the recent dip collapse in form turned a season that started with Punjab competing for the top of the table has left them outside of the playoff spot with 8 points to make up in three matches. That would require three wins and quite a lot of help from 5 teams head of them in the standings. Having just bottled winnable games (given season-long form) in Chennai and Bengal, they can only hope things go better on the road against bottom of the table Hydrabad and Mohammedan.
March: HOME v. FC Goa, AWAY v. Hydrabad and Mohammedan SC
Freiburg–3 W – 0 D – 0 L; GF: 8/GA: 0
F: 1 W – 0 D – 0 L; GF: 2/GA: 0
The match against Carl Zeiss Jena was postponed, so the only match for die Frauen was their against Koln. In addition to Cora Zica continuing to be a strong attacker, 17-year-old center back Maj Schneider celebrated her first ever start with a goal and a clean sheet!
March: AWAY v Turbine Potsdam, HOME v. Eintracht Frankfurt
M: 2 W – 0 D- 0 L; GF: 6/GA: 0
Freiburg needed help from an Own Goal to win against St. Pauli (1-0) after Vincenzo Grifo surprisingly missed a penalty. Kilian Sidilla had the best outing of a great defensive group that stopped their opponents from ever getting their offense clicking, with the law firm back line of Ginter, Gunter and Leinhart holding strong as well.
Eren Dikcii and Ristu Doan on their way to the polls!
With things moving along nicely, Freiburg absolutely trounced Werder Bremen 5-0 in their biggest offensive outpouring since November of 2023! Vincenzo Grifo (please contain your shock) and Ritsu Doan each knocked in two goals and Noah Atabolu stopped his fourth consecutive penalty to seal the clean sheet in a resounding win.
As an added cherry on top, Freiburg’s efforts to get out the vote in German elections remain a gold standard helping increase the voting to 86% turn out! YAY VOTING! YAY FREIBURG!
March: AWAY v. Augsburg, HOME v. Leipzig, AWAY v. Mainz,
Ross County– 2 W – 0 D – 0 L; GF: 6 /GA: 1
Ronan Hale has quietly become a superb striker ranking 2nd in the Scottish Goal Scorers race this season (in the non-Old Firm division). He was back at it again against Motherwell, notching two goals in the first half to grab all three points on the road (3-0).
Back on home turf in Dingwall, the Staggies picked up another big win (3-1) versus Dundee FC, with Akil Wright continuing to be an absolute terror down the right side and Kacper Lopata anchoring the defense (and even chipping in an assist this match as well)
March: AWAY v. St. Johnstone, HOME v. Kilmarnock, AWAY v. Hearts
Grenoble– 1 W – 2 D – 0 L; GF: 6 /GA: 3
Women 0 W – 1 D – 0 L; GF: 1 /GA: 1
Les femmes only managed to take a point from their home match against Colomiers (1-1), and while that small slip shouldn’t be a huge affair, it feels a little like one. After all, there’s already very little margin for error in the quest to top the table, so this was less than ideal.
March: AWAY v. Chasseau Decines, and Le Puy; HOME v. Montpelier II, AWAY v. Monaco
Men–1 W – 1 D – 0 L; GF: 5 /GA: 2
After Frederic Geugen’s brief tenure as an interim manager, Grenoble brought in Franck Rizzetto. But while Rizetto came in, Pape Meissa Ba (aka Grenoble’s largest attacking piece) completed his move to the Bundesliga. It could have been a fraught moment, but instead Grenoble managed one of their best offensive outings this season notching 4 goals for the first time since September in a win against Amiens (4-1). Help came from all over the pitch including the invigorated defensive midfielder Theo Valls, and outright defenders Loris Mouyokolo and Shaquil Delos. The ensuing home tie against Guingamp was a less inspiring 1-1 draw, but it did include a Jessy Benet goal, so really who needs to complain?
March: AWAY v Pau, HOME v. AC Ajaccio, AWAY v. Clermont Foot
Vozdovac–1 W – 1 D – 2 L; GF: 1/GA: 0
Filipovic intimidating the ball!
The best start for a team kicking off their 2025 undoubtedly went to Vozdovac as the Red Dragons got points in both their matches. Winning 1-0 at home v. Dubocia with a goal from Mihajlo Milosavic was a great start. They may well have wanted more points from their tie against Smederevo (0-0) but you should never look askance at points on the road. And the outing also allowed goalie Nenad Filipovic to post his 5th straight clean sheet giving him 458 minutes without allowing a goal! Well done Nenad!
March: HOME v Macva, AWAY v. Worker, HOME v. Borac, AWAY v Grafica, HOME v. Radniki, AWAY v. Vrsac
Emelec–0 W – 0 D – 2 L; GF: 0 /GA: 6
After what can only be described as a lousy end of their previous season, hopes were high that Los Bombillos would start fresh and return to the traditional powerhouse role that saw them become one of Ecuador’s greatest clubs.
…Or they could lose 4-0 to Universidad and 2-0 to Delfin.
They did the second one.
Worse, the defeats have left Emelec’s men side winless since September, and with Alebrijes winning (finally) they now have the longest losing streak of all our teams. Good luck to new coach Jorge Celico…you clearly need it.
March: HOME v. Macara; AWAY v. Vinotinto; HOME v. LDU
Minnesota– 0 W – 0 D – 1 L; GF: 0 /GA: 1
The Loons kicked off their season in Los Angeles as a dark horse contender for the Western Conference title against the most obvious of bright horses: LAFC. But the squad held their own for most of the match. Good pressure and strong passing showed Bongi and Kelvin Yeboah to be ready to continue on right as they had last season, and Dayne St. Clair was tough as always. But against the well-funded and expertly drilled Angels there’s little room for error and the Loons paid the price with a 1-0 defeat.
March: HOME v. Montreal, AWAY v. San Jose and Kansas City, HOME v. LA Galaxy
STANDINGS
(See the standings page for full updates)
Tune in for our next recap: March 26th right before we hit the sunny streets of Orlando!
Kicking off the sixth year of this project, I’m happy to say that I still enjoy doing this. More over, now that you boys are playing and laughing and having a grand time in your own soccer matches, it truly feels like a family affair. While we feel good about the year to come, let’s see how our favorite teams fared this month. (Note, I was close to hitting my publishing goal this month, but ended up off target a bit…as a result, anything that’s after my prior deadline will simply be given as a score and one relevant name…sorry, but that’s the compromise that makes sense in my head)
Between Season Squads:
Vozdovac, Emelec, Rosenborg, Minnesota, Montana
These squads took some time to recover, and with good reason as Norway, Minnesota and Montana are not hospitable to outdoor sports that are played in shorts rather than heavily insulated parkas at this time of the year. Rosenborg’s men did get some preseason games down in Portugal though. I’m not sure what Vozdovac’s excuse is but I’m sure they have a good one.
Emelec has the biggest changes to face as their regular two-part season gets broken into a complicated jigsaw. Everyone still plays the other teams in the league twice, but instead of once in the spring and once in the fall, it’s all in one heavy rush. After the dust settles following 30 matches a piece, teams slot into one of three second rounds. The top 6 jockey for the title and position in Copas. The second 6 fight for the last spot in South American Tournaments. Bottom 4 fight to avoid relegation. Had this system been in place in 2024, the dreadful fall season would have dropped Emelec into the second sextet.
February:
Vozdovac HOME v. Dubocic; AWAY v. Smendrija; HOME v Macva Sabac
Minnesota (M): AWAY v. LAFC
Emelec (M): TBD
Alebrijes de Oaxaca–0 W – 0 D – 4 L; GF: 2/GA: 7
After a big overhaul Oaxaca might have had hopes that things would change….but it didn’t. They lost 0-1 to Mineros, 1-0 to Cancun, 1-3 to Tapatio and 2-1 to Atletico Moreila. Left side attacker Orlando Ballesteros is the only man to notch a goal, so he’ll be our notable player for the month.
Rest of February: HOME v. Atalante, AWAY v. Venados
Legon Cities–2 W – 0 D- 2 L; GF: 4/ GA: 3
After a great deal of loyalty the Royals parted ways with coach Paa Kwesi Fabian who joined the long list of coaches who never got Legon City over the hump. Yaw Acheampong has become the latest manager and another man recently relieved of duties with one club only to bounce back with Legon.
Unfortunately the outcomes were depressingly similar. In the Accra derby versus Hearts of Oak, Legon bowed 1-0 despite being up a man in the game’s last minutes. But the Royals actually managed to get cooking thereafter with 3-0 Wins at home versus Dreams FC and a 1-0 win against Bibiani Gold Stars that dropped their opponent off the top of the league. Frederik Akatuk seems to be personally committed to upending the old narrative, at least until the Royals lost their first February game (1-0 at Medema SC). Also cool, Legon brought on Elijiah Satekla brother of Afropop star Stonebwoy (Legon loves that celebrity spotlight)
February: AWAY v. Karela United
Ross County–2 W – 1 D-3 L; GF: 7 /GA: 13
Let’s all savor the special start to 2025 that the Staggies enjoyed. First came a 2-1 win in Aberdeen against the often difficult Dons in the even more difficult snow conditions. Akil Wright’s blast was a particularly pretty bit of skill. The team also gritted out a 1-0 win at Kilmarnock with Noah Chilvers working some midfield mastery to create the goal (just as he netted the winner in Aberdeen). And with the physical presence of Kacper Lopata anchoring the defense (he’s been putting in some grizzled shifts this year in keeping with the County backline).
Jordan Amissah
The good vibes were flowing against Celtic as well, with a strong defensive first half from in-form keeper in Jordan Amissah, and a well-placed penalty by Jordan White drawing the Staggies level. Not content to settle for a draw, Don Cowie urged his team on to find a late winner, and the Hoops made them pay with three transition goals to leave a lopsided 4-1 result.
Then the special start to 2025 faded away as the bad news continued with a late added time goal conceded to Livingston to bow out of the cup (2-3), and a predictable shellacking from Rangers (4-0), but they at least managed a draw on my birthday (1-1 v. Hibs)
February: AWAY v. Motherwall, HOME v. Dundee FC
Freiburg–2 W – 0 D – 4 L; GF: 4/GA: 7
M: 2 W – 0 D- 2 L; GF: 7/GA: 12
Freiburg looked dangerous throughout the first half. Pressuring Holstein into an early own goal and celebrating as both Christian Gunter and Vincenzo Grifo found the net to build up an impressive lead. Then Holstein turned Phil Harres loose on Freiburg and the 22 year old wunderkind netted twice in stoppage time to bring about some mild cardial infarctions before walking away 3-2 winners.
Then things got rough, especially in defense losing 4-1 in Frankfurt and 4-0 in Stuttgart. Shockingly the defense’s best match came against the powerful (and Germany leading) Bayern Munich team where the Griffins only lost 2-1.
Then things turned around as a pair of 1-0 wins against Bochum and Heidenheim put the Breigsau boys back in the european league spots as of writing. The defense in general has worn pretty thin, especially in the defensive midfield pairings, but once again, if Vincenzo Grifo is on, Freiburg has a shot.
February: AWAY v. St. Pauli, HOME v. Werder Bremen
F: 0 W – 0 D – 2 L; GF: 1/GA: 5
There wasn’t a lot of positivity to find for die Frauen. A pair of losses (2-1 and 0-3) turned a fairly mediocre season into a very mediocre one (if such a thing is possible)
February: AWAY v Carl Zeiss Jena, HOME v. Koln
Punjab– 1 W – 2 D – 3 L; GF: 6/GA: 10
Mrzljak Must Have
As if determined to outshine Legon Cities, the Shers dropped their first game of the year 1-0 but they did it despite being two players up with even longer to play. Injuries forced the squad to push Nikhil Prabhu up into midfield and to run the offense without the Lion King: Luka Macjen (midfield talisman Filip Mrzljak started to work back into form with a short shift).
Sure enough, when Mrzljak increased his minutes to cover the entire second half of the next match against Northeast United, the result improved as well with Punjab earning a 1-1 draw, though it’s a little curious as to why goal scoring midfielder Khaiminthang Lhungdim felt the need to pick up two yellows within ten minutes of scoring his equalizer.
From there, inconsistency reigned. The Shers grabbed another draw (1-1) v. Mumbai City, a 1-2 defeat versus Jamshedpur, before finally notching their first win of the year (3-2 v. Bengaluru) and giving it right back in a loss to Mohun Bagan (3-0).
February: AWAY v. Odisha FC and Chennayin, East Bengal
Grenoble– 4 W – 2 D – 1 L; GF: 8 /GA: 4
Men–4 W – 1 D – 1 L; GF: 7 /GA: 3
Grenoble continues to churn through coaches at a rate that makes Legon Cities look thoroughly stable. Frederic Gueguen at least got the new manager bounce with the team’s 3-2 win versus Bastia at home. It was comforting to see substitutes Shaq Delios and Eddy Sylvestre collaborate on a goal, but the saving grace was (stop me if you’ve read this for the last 5 years) Jessy Benet! This time on a stoppage time penalty kick.
The defensive hallmarks of a usual Grenoble outing were on display again in Caen as a 5 man back line soaked up the pressure until Mattheo Xantippe found Theo Valls for the decisive goal (1-0). More dramatic was the more physically intense second half which saw three players sent packing including two straight red cards. The Alpiners won’t face Caen again this season…and that might be for the best.
From there it was a little less predictable as the offense sputtered and the defense continued to close down. A late winner from Eddy Sylvestre helped beat Martigues (1-0), a 3-0 defeat to Metz, and then switched it up and got a good win versus Rodez (2-1) and a hard fought 0-0 draw against Red Star Paris (with a classy banner to appreciate rivals rather than enemies). Tip the hat to Allan Tchaptchet and Gaetan Paquiez for emerging as the center back stalwarts.
Grenoble’s lady side started off 2024 with a draw against fellow top of the table side Olympique Lyon II. (It reamins unclear if Lyon will be able to be promoted, or if Grenoble can hear the two sweetest words in the English language De-fault!)
February: AWAY v. Le Puy and then HOME v. Colomiers
The time has come again, to crown this year’s winner of the MacKenzie Cup (it’s a sippy cup…because it started when you were little kids, and I still like the joke)
Final Standings
Team
W
D
L
PPG
GFA
GAA
Montana
12
5
2
2.16
1.53
0.53
Minnesota
26
10
15
1.73
2.33
1.25
Rosenborg
37
7
25
1.71
1.68
1.16
Grenoble
26
10
22
1.52
1.60
1.12
Emelec
17
13
13
1.49
1.21
0.93
Punjab
13
5
12
1.47
1.67
1.77
Freiburg
25
15
27
1.34
1.49
1.70
Ross County
13
10
20
1.140
1.30
2.00
Legon Cities
12
5
19
1.139
0.89
1.11
Vozdovac
13
11
21
1.11
1.04
1.18
Alebrijes
6
8
14
0.93
1.04
1.93
Table Updated 12/30/24
You can read all about the end of the campaign and some general thoughts in the December recap post.
While the Griz walked away with a regular season title, and las Electricas of Emelec won their tournament and a promotion to the top tier of women’s soccer in Ecuador, several usually strong sides came back down to earth a bit. The Rosenborg Kvinner underwent a lousy end of their campaign to finish lower than they have since we started. Minnesota Aurora were knocked out earlier in the playoffs than ever before. Grenoble, Punjab, and Freiburg all went from table topping to solidly mid-table.
Hardest to watch were the teams that struggled the most. Emelec’s men side finishing last in the league, Alebrijes and Legon Cities suffering long losing streaks. And Vozdovac got demoted out of the top flight in Serbia.
Players of the Year
The best XI of the year features four returning starters. Vincenzo Grifo is fully on the road to being enshrined in the hall of fame of our minds, and for the second year in a row, Cat Rapp joins him in the midfield. Luka Macjen’s love of playing in Punjab could put him in the same spot in a few years, and Mathys Touraine was again the best corner back of the year (though his moving on to Paris may reopen a spot for Jessy Benet to return to the squad full time).
Newer players may not be here for long, The Griz are limited by graduation limits, so Charley Boone is done after this. Froya Dorsin is already off for Paris and Sverre Nypan Halseth may be in any number of bigger profile stadia within the next month or two. Likewise it’s hard to see struggling teams like Legon and Ross County hold on to strong defenders like Frank Akoto and Ryan Leak. But Kerly Corozo becomes the first Electricas player to crack the starting XI and may find a spot on the wing for many years to come.
The bench includes Alison Ochoa as another representative of las Electricas and Claudia Fabre from Grenoble hopefully creating a Charley’s Angels trio with Luka playing Bosworth. (Yes I’m making 50 year old pop culture references despite the fact that I’m only 40…) Minnesota adds in two more midfielders with Mariah Nguyen and Bongi alongside the Freiburg Frauen and defensive midfielder Samantha Steuerwald. Our Defensive bench is made up of the best of the bad lot with cellar dwelling Emelec, Oaxaca and Vozdovac each offering one body…but Dayne St. Clair should be able to handle them.
Nobel FC Most Enjoyable Outstanding Writer
The MEOW, as befits our cat-crazed house, goes to this year’s highest rated Nobel FC subject: Jean Paul Sartre. I do feel that I should note that Jaroslav Seifert and Han Kang were surprising treats. But Sartre’s vision and imagination (plus raging ego) gave him the highest rating so far (a number matched in video games by this year’s FIFA Player of the Year: Vinicius Jr.)
What’s Next
I will continue to ask people to comment, and they will continue to ignore me.
But hopefully in the coming year, I’ll be able to give more voice to my sons so that this truly becomes a space for all the MacKenzie Boys and not just me.
As we come to the end of 2024, it’s time to reveal the big winner of the season competition. Counting down from 11th place to 1st! (True, you could also just look at the image that headlines this post, but the joy is in the details as they say)
11th: Alebrijes–Between Seasons
Alebrijes had a rough 2024, and they chose to end it by dishing out the roughest endings to some reliable goalkeeper and my favorite namesake: Octavio Paz. They’ll be back in action in January with some new faces and, hopefully, a new beginning.
January: HOME v. Mineros, AWAY v. Cancun,
10th Vozdovac– 3 W – 0 D – 0 L; GF: 4/ GA: 0
After a rough start, Ivan Kurtusic did put together a pretty great December with 3 wins from 3 matches and 3 clean sheets to boot! (Granted they were facing two of the lowest teams in the division, but wins are wins and the Dragons are in no position to complain). Midfielder Vukasin Braunovic saved the day with a stoppage time header from Milan Kolarevic against Sloboda Urizce, then notched another against Traya, and while Braunovic orchestrated the attack, Nenad Filipovic continued to reel off clean sheets
Kurtusic’s reward for this excellent showing: the exit door, as Dejan Djuricic took over as coach and has a month to help the squad prepare before they return to the field.
January: On Break
9th Legon Cities–0 W – 0 D- 3 L; GF: 0/ GA: 6
A turn around in December could have put the Royals in position to get my annual jersey purchase. But that was not what happened. Three ugly losses kept them frozen at the bottom of the table on a scant 11 points and built the losing streak to 4 in a row. Worse, they haven’t scored a goal in 412 minutes (that’s over 6 hours…I could barely go 6 hours without plantains when I was in Ghana, and I wasn’t even paid to make them). The lousy strike system sank Cities to the worst offense of our top 11.
January: AWAY v. Hearts of Oak, HOME v. Dreams FC and Bibiani Gold Stars
8th Ross County–1 W – 1 D-4 L; GF: 7/GA: 15
The Staggies were always going to struggle in two matches against the Glasgow Duopoly, and a combined 8-0 certainly fit the brief. Goalkeeper/Aptonym Ross Laidlaw’s first half exit against Celtic only compounded the difficulty. With the top half slipping away, Don Cowie’s men seemed to buckle under the pressure, coughing up points against more manageable opponents in Hibs and St. Mirren without finding a consistent line of attack amid injuries (though it was nice to give up a goal to our old Dark Arts Instructor: Alex Iacovitti).
But the Stags turned a corner against Dundee FC with a great showing by midfielder Noah Chilvers who racked up a goal and an assist, while Don Cowie brought in the right substitutes who chipped in another two goals in a rare romp. While Hearts first flash seemed to undercut hopes of another win, the Staggies stormed back with a highly unlikely (but welcome) pair of last minute goals in a complete muckfest of a rainy highland night, that led to a thrilling draw. The stags are still a long way from the title picture, but they seem ready to put it in a lot of effort to avoid the relegation playoffs this year.
January: AWAY v Aberdeen and Kilmarnock, HOME v. Celtic, Livingston (Cup), Hibernian (ON BURNS DAY!)
7th Freiburg–3 W – 1 D – 3 L; GF: 12/GA: 14
M: 2 W – 1 D- 2 L; GF: 9/GA: 12
Freiburg’s inconsistent form has dropped them out of the top tier in the Bundesliga and into the meaty middle. 2 Wins are the difference between 3rd and 11th, so there’s plenty of competition to come, now without any additional distractions after the Breigsau Boys lost their Cup chances to Beilefeld.
Again they looked strong in matches against their fellow rivals in the meaty middle, with standout performances from Michael Gregoritsch in midfield and attack, and some excellent outings from Mathias Ginter and the two Lukas-es: as both Holer and Kubler bagged doubles in the league victories. But the 5-1 shellacking from last year’s champions in Leverkusen show that there’s still a ways to go.
January: HOME v Holstein Kiel, AWAY v. Frankfurt & Stuttgart, HOME v. Bayern Munich.
F: 1 W – 0 D – 1 L; GF: 3/GA: 2
Shekiera Martinez shone against Werder Bremen as the dynamic and scintillating scorer that invited West Ham to sign her away from Germany last summer (before promptly sending her back on loan). However, those spoilsports in Leverkusen rained on the Freiburg parade again to keep the squad on the outer fringes of European ambitions. We’ll see if things are better at home in die Frauen’s first match of the new year.
January: HOME v Bayer Leverkusen
Other News: It’s a little underwhelming to win something even when you lose…but Freiburg will be the next jersey buy as we hit 8 of 11 in the new year.
6th Punjab– 1 W – 0 D – 3 L; GF: 4/GA: 9
The Shers were hit a bit of a stumble at the beginning of the month, starting with an injury to center midfielder Filip Mrzljak. After that, the team lost leads and matches in back to back to back games. The toughest pill to swallow was probably giving up four against a lower table side in East Bengal including a rare clunker for goal keeper Ravi Kumar. Losing the lead to top of the Table Mohun Bagan was more predictable, but equally frustrating. As if dropping in their own league wasn’t enough, Punjab also fell from 4th to 6th in ours
Key Players: Despite the rough showing we should appreciate Ravi Kumar’s strong work at the back, and the Lion King himself: Luka Macjen) have focused the squad in the absence of Mrzljak.
January: HOME v. Kerala Blasters, AWAY v Northeast United FC, HOME v Mumbai City, HOME v Jamshedpur
5th Emelec–W 2 – D 0 – L 2; GF: 7/GA: 5
M: W 0 – D 0 – L 1; GF: 1/GA: 2
I have yet to find evidence of Emelec ever finishing in last place for even a half of the season. But that’s what happened this fall, as the team managed a paltry 9 points with 3 wins, 3 draws, and 3 lost points from not paying their debts. Fortunately, the Electrics did well enough in the Spring to avoid relegation.
F: W 2 – D 0 – L 1; GF: 6/GA 3
I was a little worried about the semi-final tie against Aucus, and the first leg proved me right with a 3-2 defeat in Quito. In the second leg at home, Alison Ochoa got the winner and Carol Suarez added one for safety to send the Electricas through to the final.
Against Orense, the final was a lot of tension, staying scoreless until the final 20 minutes. Sindy Medina normally puts in her shift in the midfield supporting everyone else, but this year she was the one who broke the deadlock. When Kerly Corozco added her own, as everyone could have predicted, the trophy was in the bag.
It was a well-earned title for Las Electricas and, as usual we’re thrilled to see them thrilled. Now, in addition to the trophy, comes the squad’s return to the women’s top league.
4th Grenoble–3 W – 0 D – 3 L; GF: 15/GA: 9
Men–1 W – 0 D – 3 L; GF: 7 /GA: 8
The defensive mentality that has served GF 38 for several years seems to have cracked in full over the past two months. A strong September has slipped into distant memory as the alpiners have one win in their last ten matches (that win over 4th tier side Isetres may not hold up to very close scrutiny). Beset by injuries, they have increasingly struggled to find a cohesive corps in defense, with Gaetan Paquiez, Loris Mouyokolo and goal keeper Mamadou Diop having rough outings. There seems to be a little hope as Shaquil Delos and Theo Valls seem to have started building a more consistent spine. But the offense remains Pape Meissa Ba or bust.
January: HOME v. Bastia, AWAY v. Caen, HOME v. Martigues, AWAY v Caen
Women 2 W – 0 D -0 L; GF: 8/GA: 1
Grenoble continues to look every inch the division 2 team, but as long as Lyon remains impregnable, Grenoble will have to hold out, wait and hope. December saw long standing team leaders Candice Charbonet and Roman Pilot, but equally strong were Laurine Braga and Nehla Sadiki, who each hit the net twice. The good form comes at a fine time as 2025 kicks off with a top of the table clash against Olympique Lyon at home.
January: HOME v. Olympique Lyon B, HOME v. Clermont
3rd Rosenborg–1 W – 0 D – 0 L; GF: 4/GA: 0
In the last game of their season, the men of Rosenborg racked up an impressive 4-0 victory over Kristiansund that showcased the youthful talents of the squad, with a special shout out to left back Ulrik Yttergard Jennsen with multiple assists.
The good news for RBK is that their final result gave them the points they needed to clinch a spot in European competitions next year, just in time to compensate for Kvinner’s coming up short this season.
2nd Minnesota–Between Seasons
The Loons and Aurora are both off, as you ought to be in the winter in Minnesota. But they put in a great shift this year with the usual plethora of Aurora goals, and a big improvement for the Loons defense that got them into the playoffs.
The only major bit of news was the announcement that Allianz Field will host Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in the Spring.
The Griz aren’t even allowed to practice so they can focus on the whole “final exams” thing, but the made some time to celebrate the graduation of several student athletes. The future isn’t all about the next big game, it’s also about the next chapter for the human beings who have interests on and off the field. So cheers to you December Grads! And double cheers to you Back-to-Back MacKenzie Cup Winners!
Original introduction as written on October 10th: I’ve promised to do this so let’s see how it pans out.
November 24th…Not great Ben…not great
Montana Grizzlies–5 W – 3 D – 0 L; GF: 10/GA: 2
The Griz were once again dominant throughout the season. As the team celebrated 30 years of being the biggest squad in Big Sky Country, they went undefeated throughout the regular season.
It looked like we could be approaching the Big Sky Tournament like a coronation in Missoula. But after a first round bye, the team ran into the stubborn Sacramento State Hornets (one of three teams to hold the Griz to a point during the regular season) and after rising to the occasion all year long Bayliss Finn was unable to stem the tide and the Griz got upset.
It’s hard to say that an undefeated regular season championship, the first ever appearance in the national rankings was a failure, but it certainly didn’t end how the Griz wanted it to. Bring on 2025!
Key Players from the Season: Ava Samuelson and Charley Boone wrapped up incredible careers in the garnet and silver with All-Conference honors. The defensive core of Boone, Maddie Ditta and Minnesota’s own contribution to the Griz: Bayliss Finn played a big part in that as well. C’mon Aurora, give the girl a start already!
Other news: The Griz also welcomed in their newest crop of recruits on official signing day. In addition to their expanding power base in the Pacific Northwest, the team continues to be a magnet for great goalies, with Jillian Miliffe of Florida and Tayla Adams of Australia stepping up to become Bayliss’ heir apparent. But perhaps best of all Liv Thorne-Thomson will carry the local born and bred banner going from Hellgate high school (the prettiest high school in all of Montana) to the U.
Ross County–2 W – 2 D-3 L; GF: 5/GA: 10
The Staggies were able to take the lead against Celtic, which is notable simply in its rarity. Of course they gave it back which is a much more common occurrence. But the Staggies were able to ratchet up the defensive pressure and held on to a scoreless run of over 240 minutes. But by making Dingwall a fortress where only the best of the best can sneak victories, they have been able to hold on to the top six. But the next month is going to feature a host of challenges. Here’s hoping we feel as good at the start of 2025.
December: AWAY v Celtic; HOME v. Rangers; AWAY v. Hibs; HOME v. St. Mirren, AWAY v Dundee; HOME v Hearts
Key Players from the Season: The defensive dynamics at play with Ryan Leak and Akil Wright (as well as our favorite namesake, goalie Ross Laidlaw) have gone a long way to helping County run their defensive streak as long as they did. The offense has struggled to keep pace, but Irishman Ronan Hale has become a reliable force up top.
Other News: Glasgow has been the center of Scottish Football forever, but Edinburgh remains the place I’d most like to live. Sadly, the two teams in Edinburgh have been floundering so sticking with our Staggies makes it worth it.
Legon Cities–W 3 – D 1- L 4; GF: 8/ GA: 11
The losses kept piling up, with late consolation goals from Mohamed Alidu not doing much in the way of consoling. There was a strong three match run at home with three unbeaten games including a win against the legendary Asante Kotko. But once again, the squad is staring down the discouraging possibility of a long hard slog stuck among the relegation scrap.
December: home v Bechem United, Away v Nations FC, Home v Aduana Stars
Key Players: Frank Akoto continues to be a strong contender for our favorite tireless workhorse, but we are certainly grateful for Rahim Yaya Abdul who has been excellent in the dying seconds to keep the squad afloat.
Other News: Legon is still in the hunt for this year’s celebratory birthday kit, but will need a perfect December to pip the other contenders, who conveniently are next on this list…
Freiburg–5 W – 1 D – 6 L; GF: 12/GA: 16
M: 3 W – 2 D- 2 L; GF: 8/GA: 5
The men’s side has not been as torrid as they were to kick off the campaign, but they are certainly still in the running for the top of the table. With Bayern Munich enjoying having the prolific striker Harry Kane, but hating the ancient curse to never win a trophy that landed on Kane’s broad shoulders, there’s plenty of opportunities afoot. (The one down side, is that Alex has fully adopted Dortmund as his German team and relished them hanging a defeat on my buddies from the Black Forest)
December: HOME v M’gladbach, AWAY v Arminia Beilefeld (1/8 Final–Cup), Hoffenheim, HOME v Wolfsburg, AWAY v. Leverkusen
F: 3 W – 1 D – 3 L; GF: 11/GA: 13
Cora Zicai’s brace against Potsdam laid the ground work for one of the team’s two wins and at just 19 there’s plenty of hope that it’s just the beginning for her. It heps that she has Selina Vobien providing a maestro’s rate of assists in the attack. But questions abound in the defense where Die Frauen have lost winning opportunities time and again in the last two months. (Though beating Bayern felt really good)
December: AWAY v Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen
Key Players: In addition to the rising starlets of Zicai and Vorbein, Freiburg has continued to appreciate a sterling men’s backline this time with Lucas Kubler, Mathias Ginter, Christian Gunter and Phillip Leinhart. (Oh and, as ever, Vincenzo Grifo is our grizzled Italian king)
Other News: Freiburg is in the lead for this year’s birthday kit, but will need a strong run in for me to make them my annual gift to myself. (That’s certainly not the most important news, but I’ve run out of Christian Streich content to savor)
Minnesota–2 W – 2 D – 1 L; GF: 8/GA: 8
The Loons wrapped up the regular season with some big showings on the road, drawing in Salt Lake City, with Dayne doing what he needs to do, and Michael Boxall standing tall despite being spat upon by Real Salt Lake’s Brayan Vera. Then we saw Hasani Dotson continue to move from a talented kid to a reliable component of team history with another win in Vancouver. With the defense dominant, the Loons banked a spot in th eplayoffs with Sang Bin Jeong hitting the net twice in the season finale. And the Loons entered the playoffs with one goal allowed in their last 500 minutes of play during the regular season.
The defense held their form throughout the first round playoff series against Salt Lake City. A pair of shootouts tested the nerves of everyone…everyone except Dayne St. Clair, who went full Vince Carter celebration in denying the last chances for Salt Lake.
We went in to the Quarterfinal against Los Angeles Galaxy full of hope…and it ended in about 90 seconds when the Galaxy pumped in the first of 6 goals. Despite some sterling shots from Kelvin Yeboah and your standard issue Michael Boxall hard nosed defense, the Galaxy crushed our dreams.
Other News: Despite the ending, the Loons had a great season and look every bit like a potential contender going forward. With the retirement of local fan favorites Clint Irwin and Zarek Valentin, and the end of Franco Frangapane’s contract we’ll need some help in midfield and defense (though not in the commentary booth where Valentin is a treat). A few additions here and there could well boost them towards the top of the Western Conference. And maybe we could just ignore the existence of Los Angeles for a year?
Punjab– 2 W – 0 D – 3 L; GF: 8/GA: 7
After a long Monsoon related layoff, the Shers of Punjab were back in action with the Slavic spine continuing to drive the team forward. Still, the wings are inconsistent and that was exploited by the best teams in the ISL to give Punjab their worst run of form in a year and dropping the squad to the middle of the table. The playoffs are still within reach, but dreams of hardware may be put on hold again.
Key Players: Nikhil Prabhu, Tekcham Singh and Khaiminthan Lhungdim (whose injury at the end of October has stung) lead the local stars while the aforementioned Slavic spine (Defender Ivan Novoselec, Midfielder Filip Mrzljak, and the Lion King himself: Luka Macjen) have focused the suqad.
December: HOME v. Mohammedan, AWAY v. Jamshedpur, & East Bengal FC HOME v. Mohun Bagan
Rosenborg–5 W – 1 D – 6 L; GF: 8/GA: 5
M: 3 W- 1 D – 1 L; GF: 8/GA: 5
Rosenborg has been out of the title conversation for a while, not finishing within 15 points of the champions since they last won the title in 2018. But this year saw the team come together nicely and will feature their closest finish to the top since that title run (even though they’ll end up in 4th or 6th place). With the Ceide twins, 19 year old Marius Broholm, 21 year old keeper Edvard Tangvik and wunderkid Sverre Halseth Nypan they truly could be up for a run at the top of the league (or they could be up for several millions of dollars if they let Nypan go join one of European’s circling giants like Man United, Chelsea, AC Milan or *Hope for Alex* Borussia Dortmund).
December: AWAY v. Kristiansund
W: 2 W -0 D – 5 L; GF 4/GA: 11
We’ve never seen things go this wrong for Rosenborg’s women side. The four straight league defeats that kicked off October were the most since May 2018. Since June they lost 10 of their last 16 league matches back to June. From a possible 48 points, they grabbed 16. By contrast, the 16 before that (including the end of the 2023 season) saw them lose twice and take 36 points from 48 possible. The reason for it? Maybe Rugile Ruyte is showing some human fallibility, maybe Emilie Nautnes is missing needed support in attack. Or maybe we just really really miss Sarah Horte.
Other News: Speaking of Sara, she did win another trophy this year…over Rosenborg in the Cup final….oof. And while the youth movement sounds great for Rosenborg, one part of it: Edvard Tagseth will be checking out and heading to Nashville where he may face off against the Loons.
Vozdovac– 2 W – 4 D – 3 L; GF: 6/ GA: 9
After running their losing streak to four games, the Dragons fired manager Dejan Celar and then pulled out a 2-1 win against Grafica and a 1-0 win versus FK Radiniki. Those results went a long way to resolving some tension for the club. After all if you fire a manager and keep losing you have to wonder what the point was.
Unfortunately for Vozdovac, the new head man, Ivan Kurtusic did not actually get to enjoy a longer winning streak as the team has managed only one goal in their last 5 matches en route to 3 ties and two losses. On top of that, they fell in the Serbian cup on penalty kicks and now sit 8th in the second division.
December: AWAY v. Sloboda Urizce, HOME v. Traya, AWAY v. Sloven Ruma
Key Players: I would say captain Nemanja Vidic at Centerback, but that would merely be click bait as the legendary national team player/international defensive standard is no relation to Vozdovac’s employee. Bogdan Petrovic seems to be the team’s only source of offence, and despite the poor record you have to acknowledge that goalkeeper Nenad Filipovic has kept clean sheets in half of his games…without which this could be a lot lot worse.
Jessy Benet is going to be my new go to symbol for the god Atlas as he’s been trying desperately to carry the team on his back. It’s been made harder as Papa Meissa Ba doesn’t seem to have much help up top, and the defense looks to spread thin as Loic Nestor’s legendary career winds down.
October: HOME v. Amiens, AWAY v. Red Star Paris
Women 3 W – 0 D -1 L; GF: 9/GA: 4
I’m a little worried about the women’s side. Not because their play has been lacking–far from it; they’ve been cruising towards second place behind legendary Olympique Lyon’s second team and have a good chance of being in the promotion conversation this year. No, I’m more worried about the team’s struggles to find a social media manager…I need my content Grenoble! ALLONS-Y!
December: AWAY v. Nimes, HOME v. Clermont
Alebrijes–W 0 – D 0 – L 5; GF: 3/GA: 13
It may be hard to remember, but Alebrijes were unbeaten in September. That broke once the calendar turned to October as Armando Gonzalez couldn’t lead a comeback against Tlaxcala. But things looked up again when Orlando Ballesteros opened the scoring against Celaya. But when he was removed due to injury the opponents hammered away with 5 unanswered. And from there things only got worse with three more defeats in a row left Alebrijes at the bottom of the table.
Emelec–W 3 – D 5 – L 4; GF: 16/GA: 16
M: W 0 – D 3 – L 2; GF: 4/GA 8
It has been a forgettable season for los Bombillos. They’ve struggled, often turned up winless weeks on end, and currently sit at the bottom of the Fall Season table. With one match to play, they will certainly finish lower than they have done in the 12 years of records that I could find. The team has been fortunate to find a strong showing from Washington Corozo (though sadly, it would be better if I could find any evidence that he was related to Electricas star: Kerly Corozo.
December: AWAY v. Libertad
F: W 3 – D 2 – L 1; GF: 12/GA 8
Las Electricas were unsure about the end of their campaign, a 1-1 Draw v. Atletico JBG left them in the top two but they felt like real underdogs facing Los Buhos for the regional title. They showed their mettle, coming back from down 2-0 at half time to equalize, but a late winner for the Owls ended the season without a repeat as champions.
However, it did allow them to make their way back into the promotion playoffs, and so far it has gone very well for them. Kerly Orozco found the net four times in the first leg and Melany Orobio hit it twice in the second leg to advance easily past CD Oriental 7-2 overall.
The quarter finals against Nusta FC allowed Melany Orobio to again score in a 2-2 draw away, before she delivered an assist on the winner at home, sending las Electricas to the semifinals where the dangerous Aucus (fresh from a 17-1 quarterfinal round win) awaits.
December: HOME/AWAY v. Aucus, [If possible–championship]
Other News: Just to underline how rarely we have things clearly communicated about Ecuador’s women’s league, I have yet to track down what on earth has happened to Los Buhos, who beat Emelec to the local title…then fell behind to their first round opponent Xportos. But they didn’t play when other teams did, and now have just continued not to play leaving Xportos, Buhos, San Miguel and now Orense (the teams awaiting on the other side of the bracket) waiting around for something to happen.
Okay, as promised/sworn/I’m going to update team performance each month.
Seriously.
I mean it this time.
For real!
Okay, fine, I’m going to TRY to update team performance each month.
With that, please stop laughing at my attempts to hold myself to a schedule and let’s get started.
Montana Grizzlies–7 W – 2 D – 2 L; GF: 19/GA: 8
It seems like most of college soccer has come to realise just how reliable the Griz are. They’ve consistently been a top ten team among western schools, and even got a vote to be one of the five best teams in the country.
The squad did slip twice, on the road against Washington State, and again in Fresno, but in general they’ve been clinical with Skyleugh Thompson’s leadership. Jen Estes, Eva Samuelson and Chloe Seelhoff have all taken big strides.
Arguably our favorite development has been seeing two team favourite Bayliss Finn take over in goal and rise to the occasion with three clean sheets, including the conference opener versus the North Arizona Lumberjanes.
October: away v. Northern Colorado, Home v Idaho and Eastern Washington, Away v Sacramento State, Home v Portland State. away v Idaho State and Weber State.
Other news: Because the purpose of American education is to make a lot of money, there are several falling dominoes that have opened up among bigger conferences (with more difficult games, greater national attention, and, yes, more money). Recent foes Washington State and Oregon State are looking for new conference members, while the Griz would be a long shot for that, Boise State (another Griz victim) already moved which may leave an opening in their old conference…more to come.
Ross County–1 W – 2 D-2 L; GF: 6/GA: 11
When the Stags ran out after our recap they suffered a brutal 6-0 drubbing v. Rangers. Conor Randall held his own, but everyone else looked overwhelmed.
From there, the play dramatically improved. The team as a whole did well against Aberdeen, but a missed penalty by Ronan Hale and a late goal for the Dons left them heart broken. They snapped out of the funk with a strong 2-0 win over Dundee FC (sorry Brian Cox.) Akil Wright notched his first goal and Jordan White convereted penalty. Next came a gutsy come back draw against St Johnston in front of the home faithful. Courtesy of Alex Samuel and Akil Wright, and then a 60 minute lead against Hearts in Edinburgh…only to be undone in stoppage time.
October: Home v. Celtic, Away v St Johnstone, Home v Kilmarnock and Hibs.
Other News: Our old Stag Ross Stewart has become made the climb all the way up to the English Premier League (playing for Southhampton). While a few Freiburgers have made it, Stewart took a long way.
Legon Cities–W 0 – D 1- L 3; GF: 1/ GA: 3
It has been a rough go for the Royals. Outside of brief hope of draws, most of their time has been spent chasing games that are out of their reach. After 5 years in the top flight, the team has never finished more than six points clear of danger…this year is setting up to be too much to overcome.
October: Away v Nsoatreman, home v Kotoko, Away v Berekum Chelsea, Home v Accra Lions
Other News: Legon’s preparation for the year was limited by a paucity of new faces. Six players joined the team, but none of them got preseason practice with the team. Only three players: Joseph Amoah, Ishmael Amoah, and Foster Twum have seen a lot of time on the field. Ishmael and keeper Kwame Aziz have been team of the week, but that’s about it.
Freiburg–6 W – 1 D – 3 L; GF: 18/GA: 12
M: 3 W – 0 D- 2 L; GF: 8/GA: 5
A Lead off win v. Stuttgart put Breigsau Boys on top of the table after the first match day, but Bayern brought them crashing back to earth. Still, the squad’s veteran core continues to provide much needed balance. Vincenzo Grifo and Ritsu Doan look impressively driven and thoroughly capable of running the show. New tip of the spear striker Chukwubuike Adamu has also looked impressive. While a frustrating defeat to fellow hippy haven St. Pauli might leave us questioning VAR, the truth is Freiburg looks solid to start the year.
October: Away v Werder Bremen, Home v Augsburg, Away v Liepzig (boo), Cup tie (Round 2) v Hamburger
F: 3 W – 1 D – 1 L; GF: 10/GA: 7
A couple of penalties made the 2-3 defeat against big bad Bayern Leverkusen look a little closer than it probably was. But a solid Pokal win v. Nurnberg, another against Hoffenheim, a draw versus Carl Zeiss Jena and another win in Koln set things back on the right track.
In addition to Samantha Steuerwald being a steadying figure in defense, Greta Stegman’s development as a left back, and winger Selina Vobian’s incisive attacks have given Freiburg a new look to frustrate opponents.
October: HOME v. Turbine Potsdam, AWAY v. Eintracht Frankfurt, HOME v. RB Leipzig (boo again)
Other News: It’s a good thing that some of the newer members of Freiburg’s women’s team have stepped up because the team is most certainly in a state of flux. Reliable winger Janina Minge moved on to Wolfsburg, and, at 32 and injured Hasret Kayici may be nearing an end to her strong career.
Minnesota–4 W – 0 D – 2 L; GF: 8/GA: 7
I’m a little worried that I’m not helping the cause here.
We were able to go to a couple of matches in the last month, first taking Owen to see the Loons play Seattle…which we lost. Then going on a date with your mom to see the Loons play Cincinatti…which we lost.
Perhaps my incessant support is bothering them? The team did win three times on the road and saw Bongokuhle Hlongwane return to excellent form and welcoming in new striker Kelvin Yeboah who has been lethal from close range. But the Loons last home game…which I DID NOT attend…was only the teams second clean sheet since April. Despite Dayne St. Clair doing his best, it raises questions about how to improve the defensive unit. (Looks quietly to the side hoping that he doesn’t have to criticize Defender/Dad Michael Boxall)
October: AWAY v. Salt Lake, and Vancouver, HOME v. St. Louis City…and then…maybe….Playoffs?
Other News: After a dismal summer, the team seems to have been rejuvenated, not least due to the arrival of Yeboah, and another talented Argentinian midfielder in Joaquin Pereyra. Though hopefully, that won’t come to mirror the last talented Argentinian midfielder situation (death star at Emmanuel Reynoso). It was pretty big spending by the Loons, but all on prime age players.
Punjab– 3 W – 0 D – 0 L; GF: 6/GA: 2
The team started the season on a high, opening with their first win against Kerala Blasters, but felt that deflated by word that talismanic striker Luka Macjen would be out for six to eight weeks following a…questionable challenge in the penalty box that led to two fractures in his jaw.
Rahul KP v. Luka’s jaw…
But if anything, the pain seems to have spurred the Warriors on to stay the course until the captain can rejoint hem. To wit: they went on to win games without Luka (a very rare occurrence the last three years.) They’ve gotten contributions from all over the front line, including Luka’s fellow Slav, Filip Mrzljak, as well as Indian nationals and Leon Augustine. Combine that with a stalwart backline and you have a team that’s a serious contender for the league title.
October: AWAY v. Bengaluru, HOME v. Chennaiyin
Rosenborg–9/2 on
M: 2 – 1 – 0; GF: 6/GA: 1
Draw v. Lillestrom, meh…good match for RB Adrien Pereira, assisting on equalizer and winning 7/9 ground duels. But the team turned up the heat with a convincing thumping of FK Huagesund and a less convincing win over Sandefjord. But they all count, and they all get sweeter when you have the Konradssen Ceide twins (Emil and Mikkel) making beautiful music together!
October: A long lay off and then HOME v. Brann, and AWAY v. Bodo/Glimt
W: 2 W -1 D – 2 L
There were some lofty highs for the Kvinner this last month or so. To start with, they beat Mighty Athletico Madrid in the Champions League!!! (To be fair, we’re still counting it as a 2-2 draw, and they required Penalties to advance, but it’s still a pretty big scalp to score!) Little heralded Andrine Tomter gave them the lead in extra time, and though Madrid equalized, Rugile Ruylte showed up big during penalty kicks to push them on to the next round!!
Unfortunately, the spent squad gave up an early goal to Arsenal and couldn’t get enough possession to swing the game, back, so just a little bit after their triumph, they were out of European competitions.
But there was another high to follow, as a clear 3-0 win against Arna-Bjorner served notice that they might still have a chance to finish near the top of the table this season too! And then Koboltn came out and beat them against strong possession leaving them to make up ground quickly if they want to get back to the big time.
Then again, perhaps their big time will be at the end of November again. As a 3-1 win over Roa in the KvinnerKup Semi final set up a rematch of last year’s final against Valerenga.
October: HOME v. Lyn and LSK Kvinner, AWAY v. Stabaek
Other News: I said in their catch up post that Froya Brennskag Dorsin, had really taken off. I was excited to watch more of her, and her showings during the Champion’s League matches were exciting. But, Paris St. Germain, they of much greater resources, snatched her up. Fingers crossed for the next Rosenborg product to be a European sensation…
Vozdovac– 1 W – 0 D – 3 L; GF: 5/ GA: 7
Remember when I recapped Vozdovac’s campaign and pointed out that they actually now had a good opportunity to dominate a lower division and earn promotion quickly?
Yeah…about that…The whole dominating thing is a lot easier when you…you know…beat opponents.
They did do that to begin with, a 3-0 win over Dubocica Leskovac boosted them up the standings further with Milan Kolarevic getting his third goal of the year, and supersub Djordje Belic getting his second. But then came a defat against Smederevo, and then another defeat (this one at league leading Macva), and another to fellow demoted side FK Radnik Surdulica.
The dragons are still in the top half of the league…but it’s getting dark early on the Mall roof top.
October: AWAY v. Borcac Cacak, HOME v. Grafica, AWAY v. Radniki Sremska, HOME v. Vrsac
Grenoble–5 W – 1 D – 1 L; GF: 14/GA: 4
Men–3 W – 0 D – 1 L; GF: 10 /GA: 3
Pape Meissa Ba has led the charge for Grenoble this month, with three goals over the team’s two wins. despite the set back against AC Ajaccio, the team came right back out to dominate Clermont Foot en route to a 3-0 win (including Ba scoring AGAIN and Jessy Benet running the show as we all love to see).
Women 2 W – 1 D – 0 L; GF: 4/GA: 1
While I’m always a little conflicted about beating our friendly rivals the squirrels of Albi Marssac, les alpineres, have continued to do exactly what they always do so well: attack together, defend consistently, and celebrate like crazy after the match. The one thing that seems different this year is that they now have highlight reels!
The Alebrijes turn around continued with two draws, running their record to four undefeated (though giving up a two goal lead, including one late equalizer at home might be a bit of a stinger).
Emelec–W 1 – D 0 – L 1; GF: 3/GA: 2
M: W 1 – D 0 – L 1; GF: 3/GA 2
Emelec’s record isn’t too shabby, but dropping points against a team in the bottom 2 (Cumbaya) does not help their cause. Also, failure to pay their debts lost them three additional points when they needed it most. Juan Pablo Ruiz notched another goal to make up for some of the injuries that have sucked the life out of Los Bomibillos offense.
F: W 1 – D 1 – L 0; GF: 4/GA 0
Despite only just kicking off, Las Electricas picked up where they left off in the Guyaquil women’s league: undefeated! While the owls of Buhos ULVR were able to stymie the strong attack of the Emelec furies, the team still looks every bit as potent as it was last year in its march to the title.
MacKenzie's Boot Room 