REHASH
Chicago Mustangs 6 Milwaukee Wave 3
This was a great game to start the MASL postseason off with, and a big win for the Mustangs, who came into the game riding a 3 game losing streak. One thing that Chicago added to the team for the playoffs, which they were missing during their three losses at the end of the regular season, was Guilherme Veiga. The intangibles that he brings to the table adds a boost to the Mustangs bench, and that was evident in how the team kept their heads after the Wave took a one point lead into halftime. The Mustangs came out of the locker room and dominated the second half, scoring 4 unanswered goals. The third goal, which was a perfect touch and assist by Veiga to Bond, was the nail in the coffin. Milwaukee played a good game, but it was the physicality and defensive pressure of the Mustangs in the second half that paid off.
Dallas Sidekicks 6 Oxford City F.C. 5
I was looking forward to watching this game on ESPN3, but it didn't work out, so I was forced to follow the box score. I was actually out in the parking lot of the CBBA arena in Ontario drinking a beer and watching my son play soccer as I continually checked the score of the game. When I first tuned into the game Dallas was trailing Oxford 2-1 at the half, and then shortly into the 3rd Oxford scored again making it 3-1. When I saw this I immediately thought, "Dallas is going to lose 4 playoff games in a row, unbelievable!", but of course the Sidekicks won in the end. Later, when the replay was available on Go Live Sports, I went through and watched the game, and I got to say, both teams played very well. When Nestor Hernandez went down clutching his knee my heart sunk to my stomach. He was writhing and screaming in so much pain that I thought that the season was over, but he was miraculously able to come back and score the game winning goal. Oxford played a very physical, sometimes dirty, style of game, and sometimes it was even comical. I saw twice where an Oxford player completely threw his body into a Dallas player with out even feigning playing the ball, an obvious foul to all who witnessed it, and after the whistle was blown, the player would look at the ref like he was an idiot and argue the call. The better team moved on and I am glad that the Sidekicks were able to end their playoff drought.
Las Vegas Legends 6 Ontario Fury 5
I packed the family into the car and headed up to Ontario to watch this game, because we knew it would be a good game to watch, and it was. Las Vegas came out early in the game and controlled possession and did a good job pressing the Fury, who were playing a defensive and cautious game to start. Later in the game Ontario did more pressing on offense, but struggled to defend against the Legends attack in transition. It was a wild game to watch with plenty of action, and in the fourth the Fury were able to score two goals to tie it up at 5 with 7 mins left, but it was a Gonzalez header off of a Tovar chip that put the game away for Las Vegas. What killed the Fury was the fact that they kept on giving up goals immediately after scoring. After scoring their first goal, Las Vegas was able to answer with their own goal 20 seconds later. Then, when Ontario scored their second goal, Las Vegas was able to net another goal 32 seconds later. When the Fury scored their third goal, the Legends put one in the back of the net 24 seconds later. Finally, when the Fury scored their fifth goal to tie the game up, Las Vegas again scored 94 seconds later. After the game I went on the field and caught up with Las Vegas coach Pete Sharkey, and he told me that the Legends were careful not to let the Fury score quick turn around goals in this game since it was something that they had done in the past. So I went back and looked at old score sheets, and I found that when Ontario and Las Vegas played before, Ontario answered with goals 7, 61, 67, and 90 seconds after the Legends notched a goal.
LOOMING
Since Massey Ratings is not putting up odds for the playoff games, I was forced to go to Sleazy El to see if he could bird dog me a bookie for the MASL playoffs. He suggested Hector Dos Guapos. I said "you mean our go to guy in Tijuana for cockfighting?" Sleazy El said, "that's the one, he just got out of the poky." I have known Dos Guapos for a long time. His first time in the slammer I did him some favors, mostly I smuggled him cigarettes in my keister, but he was out now, and hanging out with a felon after he is fresh out of prison can be a volatile situation, especially when he is drunk, and he was savagely drunk. Dos Guapos had picked up a taste for toilet wine after he learned how to make it on the inside, and he was throwing that foul stuff back like a true wild man. Luckily he knew that I was coming, and that he owed me a favor for going through the shame and embarrassment of being his mule for smokes back in the day, so he already had the lines written down for this up coming weekend of playoff soccer in the MASL. After I enjoyed a jar of the finest toilet wine I have ever had in my life, listening to some harrowing stories about being locked up, and receiving a very long awkward hug, Sleazy El and I got the hell out of Tijuana and headed back home. I am not looking forward to meeting up with Dos Guapos next week for the odds.
Syracuse Silver Knights -3.5 @ Rochester Lancers +3.5 over/under 25.5
Syracuse is my dark horse out of the East in this whole thing, but getting through the Lancers in Rochester will not be easy. In fact, I am betting that Rochester pulls off the win at home. I am excited for this game because these two teams know each other well, and I am sure there will be fireworks throughout the whole game. Doug Miller will have his team fired up for this one, and Soccer Sam and his crew will be packing Lancer fans into the arena, making it a great indoor soccer playoff atmosphere. Tommy Tanner will be bringing a well prepared Silver Knights team to do battle, and I expect the best play out of both teams. If Joey Kapinos is in goal for the Lancers, and Rick Pflasterer is in the net for the Silver Knights, then I would expect a low scoring game, so I will go with the unders in this game. Since I think that Rochester is going to win this game I will go with the points for Rochester.
Syracuse is my dark horse out of the East in this whole thing, but getting through the Lancers in Rochester will not be easy. In fact, I am betting that Rochester pulls off the win at home. I am excited for this game because these two teams know each other well, and I am sure there will be fireworks throughout the whole game. Doug Miller will have his team fired up for this one, and Soccer Sam and his crew will be packing Lancer fans into the arena, making it a great indoor soccer playoff atmosphere. Tommy Tanner will be bringing a well prepared Silver Knights team to do battle, and I expect the best play out of both teams. If Joey Kapinos is in goal for the Lancers, and Rick Pflasterer is in the net for the Silver Knights, then I would expect a low scoring game, so I will go with the unders in this game. Since I think that Rochester is going to win this game I will go with the points for Rochester.
Chicago Mustangs +1.5 @ Milwaukee Wave -1.5 over/under 11.5
After pulling off the win at home against the favored Milwaukee Wave, Chicago now travels into the Panther arena to try and win game two of the series and move on to take on the Missouri Comets. Chicago did a good job of throwing MKE off of their game in the second half, but the Wave will be better prepared for what the Mustangs will try and do. One of the keys to the game that Milwaukee needs to do is put pressure on the Mustang goal keeper Flores. Missouri showed that when a lot of defensive pressure is applied Flores is prone to make either bad passes witch result in turnovers, or he will panic and commit a defensive clear, which results in a top of the box set piece. MKE prides themselves in being one of the best teams with set pieces, that is one of the ways they scored on the Mustangs in the last game. The Mustangs need to play to their strength, which is a fast paced style of game that capitalizes on forced turnovers and quick transition play. I think that I will give the points to the Mustangs, if they lose it will not be by more than one point, and I will take the overs. There were a lot of missed offensive opportunities in the last game that will be converted in this game.
After pulling off the win at home against the favored Milwaukee Wave, Chicago now travels into the Panther arena to try and win game two of the series and move on to take on the Missouri Comets. Chicago did a good job of throwing MKE off of their game in the second half, but the Wave will be better prepared for what the Mustangs will try and do. One of the keys to the game that Milwaukee needs to do is put pressure on the Mustang goal keeper Flores. Missouri showed that when a lot of defensive pressure is applied Flores is prone to make either bad passes witch result in turnovers, or he will panic and commit a defensive clear, which results in a top of the box set piece. MKE prides themselves in being one of the best teams with set pieces, that is one of the ways they scored on the Mustangs in the last game. The Mustangs need to play to their strength, which is a fast paced style of game that capitalizes on forced turnovers and quick transition play. I think that I will give the points to the Mustangs, if they lose it will not be by more than one point, and I will take the overs. There were a lot of missed offensive opportunities in the last game that will be converted in this game.
Las Vegas Legends +0.5 @ San Diego -0.5 over/under 11.5
Las Vegas can beat the Sockers, and they will beat the Sockers in this game. Las Vegas beat San Diego late in this season, and they beat us in the playoffs last year, and the Vegas team is better this year than they were last year. In the Ontario game last Sunday, Las Vegas played so well as a team, and they played such a smart game that they kept the Fury from really ever taking control of the game. San Diego will play a tough game though, don't get me wrong, but it won't be enough to crack one of the best defenses in the league. Zeke Sanchez will be standing on his head, Tovar will be dishing out assists left and right, Ricardinho will be dancing with the ball, and the Legends talisman, Dominic Scicluna, will be directing traffic from the bench. Two things that the Legends do very well is defend against the power play and halt the momentum late in a game. The last time San Diego lost in Las Vegas they fouled often late in the game to keep the Sockers from getting any sort of rhythm going. Las Vegas doesn't mind going a man down because they are so skilled at killing penalties. The biggest reason, the deal breaker, the crux of my whole reasoning why I think that the Sockers will not win come Saturday night is the fact that my unlucky cooler of a brother in law will be in attendance. He is cursed I tell you. Last year when I brought him along to watch two games, the Sockers lost both of those games. Las Vegas gets the +0.5 in this one, and the game stays under 11.5. Maybe I should have Father Guido Sarducci perform an exorcism in the parking lot before hand.
Las Vegas can beat the Sockers, and they will beat the Sockers in this game. Las Vegas beat San Diego late in this season, and they beat us in the playoffs last year, and the Vegas team is better this year than they were last year. In the Ontario game last Sunday, Las Vegas played so well as a team, and they played such a smart game that they kept the Fury from really ever taking control of the game. San Diego will play a tough game though, don't get me wrong, but it won't be enough to crack one of the best defenses in the league. Zeke Sanchez will be standing on his head, Tovar will be dishing out assists left and right, Ricardinho will be dancing with the ball, and the Legends talisman, Dominic Scicluna, will be directing traffic from the bench. Two things that the Legends do very well is defend against the power play and halt the momentum late in a game. The last time San Diego lost in Las Vegas they fouled often late in the game to keep the Sockers from getting any sort of rhythm going. Las Vegas doesn't mind going a man down because they are so skilled at killing penalties. The biggest reason, the deal breaker, the crux of my whole reasoning why I think that the Sockers will not win come Saturday night is the fact that my unlucky cooler of a brother in law will be in attendance. He is cursed I tell you. Last year when I brought him along to watch two games, the Sockers lost both of those games. Las Vegas gets the +0.5 in this one, and the game stays under 11.5. Maybe I should have Father Guido Sarducci perform an exorcism in the parking lot before hand.
Dallas Sidekicks +2.5 @ Monterrey Flash -2.5 over/under 9.5
This is a rivalry. This will be a battle. Both teams have declared war. I can't wait to watch lay my eyes on this game. Dallas scraped by a very good Oxford City team, and now they must travel down to Monterrey to try and slay the giant that is the Flash in their own house. That is no easy task. Monterrey handled the Sidekicks with the greatest of ease earlier in the season, but that was not the same Dallas team. This time Dallas will be firing on all cylinders when they show up to Arena Monterrey to brawl. Genoni Martinez will have his team ready for the Sidekicks though, and the Monterrey defense will be a tough nut to crack. I think that this game will also stay under 9.5, but I give the points to Dallas since I do not see them losing to the Flash by more than 2 points. What ever happens down in Mexico, you know that this will be one of the great games between these two epic teams.
Rochester Lancers +4.5 @ Syracuse Silver Knights -4.5 over/under 21.5
Syracuse wins this one at home, and then goes on to win the mini game to move on to face Baltimore. I don't think that the Silver Knights will cover the 4.5 points, but I do think that the game goes over 21.5 in a high scoring affair. Rochester has a good team, but not good enough to win at home, and then go into Syracuse and win again. Of all of the match ups in the first round of playoffs, this series has the most potential to be decided by a mini-game. Rochester and Syracuse know each other well and I am very excited to see how this all plays out. No matter which team wins the series, they will have to go through the Blast, which will be no stroll on the beach.
Syracuse wins this one at home, and then goes on to win the mini game to move on to face Baltimore. I don't think that the Silver Knights will cover the 4.5 points, but I do think that the game goes over 21.5 in a high scoring affair. Rochester has a good team, but not good enough to win at home, and then go into Syracuse and win again. Of all of the match ups in the first round of playoffs, this series has the most potential to be decided by a mini-game. Rochester and Syracuse know each other well and I am very excited to see how this all plays out. No matter which team wins the series, they will have to go through the Blast, which will be no stroll on the beach.
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