League

Thornton FC
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Corey Childers started the match with the kick off. In the 10th minute Corey Childers shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Jonah Bates saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Manuel Cunha in the 14th minute of play forced Thornton FC's goalkeeper Rick Lane to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Corey Childers hit a great freekick 18 minutes into the match. In the 21st minute, Playo Moreno left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Southside USA fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-1. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Manuel Cunha in the 24th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Rick Lane saved Thornton FC from getting behind. Manuel Cunha received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 27th minute. Rick Lane tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Southside USA's Jonah Bates played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Corey Childers in the 28th minute of play. A collision led to Thornton FC getting a freekick after 30 minutes play. Tanner Goldman hit a great ball. If Corey Childers had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 38th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 43rd minute Playo Moreno shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Rick Lane saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. With a little luck, Southside USA's Jonah Bates got control of the ball when Darrel McCauley tried to sneak it across the goal line. Through an outstanding action, after 46 minutes, Jonah Bates successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Manuel Cunha made a kick off. Corey Childers sent away a hard shot on goal in the 52nd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Jonah Bates took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Corey Childers, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. After some fancy dribbling in the 61st minute, Playo Moreno managed to get in a good position for a shot. Southside USA's supporters rose to their feet, but Playo Moreno was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Rick Lane breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. In the 65th minute Darrel McCauley shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Jonah Bates saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 66 minutes into the match, Southside USA's goal looked a bit too open when Percy Brantley came free, but Jonah Bates reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Playo Moreno sent away a hard shot on goal in the 69th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. If Darrel McCauley had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 71st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 74th match minute, Southside USA was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Playo Moreno to maneuver through the defense. Playo Moreno fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 76th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Rick Lane having to interfere. When Manuel Cunha fell near the penalty area in the 78th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Southside USA's protests and gave Manuel Cunha a yellow card for diving instead. Jonah Bates came out of the goal in the 80th minute to try and stop a shot by Thornton FC's Corey Childers. But to his dismay, Corey Childers quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-1. A collision led to Thornton FC getting a freekick after 82 minutes play. Darrel McCauley hit a great ball. Playo Moreno received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 86th minute. Rick Lane tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After some careless play in the Thornton FC defense, Manuel Cunha kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Rick Lane. The Thornton FC fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Rick Lane should have stopped the shot. Manuel Cunha fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 97th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Rick Lane having to interfere. When the match was over Southside USA could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than Thornton FC throughout the match.