SLAC O 50s had their fourth consecutive undefeated week after dealing a 3 -1 loss to BAC, a team that beat us 6 – 1 in our first encounter. This puts us in fourth place in the second division with 11 points. BAC also has 11 points but they have played one fewer games than SLAC. You can see all the standings on line at http://siliconvalleysoccer.com/league/SVSA_Saturday_Mens_Over_50s_-_Spring2013/standings.php.

 

We started the first half with a couple of ringers as some of us were a little late. I do not know these fellows. Rene and I started on the sideline. We also had just one ref the first half.

 

SLAC dominated in possession and field position the first half with several missed chances. BAC got only occasional breakaway threats and our defense was up to the challenge. Doro played well and Leo was an animal all day making great stops in the center and redistributing the ball. Boni was in goal for us again and he comes with his own cheerleading section now, at least at Terman Field. Every time he makes a save and even when he is just entering the arena of play they chant “Boni!...Boni!...Boni!...”

 

Finally Rodolfo started the scoring with a hard shot from the right side which went in a nearly straight line to the upper left corner of the net. Leo says all the scoring happened in the second half but my memory has Rodolfo’s shot in the first half. In any case the second half started largely like the first and the next score came from Rene in close on an assist from Jesus. I started the second half up front with “Drogba” George and blew a couple of great chances, one a nice put back to me from George that I just whiffed on. I managed to get a head on a corner kick from Lars but it wasn’t much of a touch and the ball went wide of the far post. We had a second referee the second half and he mostly stayed under the shade trees at the BAC end of the field. George was pushing BAC’s off sides line whenever we got the ball and that was the one call the ref was in a good position to make. He got called off sides several times before he got it right and got behind the defense and put the ball where the goalie couldn’t get it.

 

It was past midway through the second half when someone on our team got called for a handball in the penalty area and BAC got a PK and made the score 3 – 1. This did seem to energize BAC and give them some hope of getting back in the game but our defense, led by Leo had an answer for all their attempts.

 

There was another incident during the game in which Boni was about five yards off the line to the left of the goal defending an attack and he got knocked in the cheek and went down. No foul was called and we got the ball out of the area but Boni was down for some time before the ref finally stopped play. It took some time for Boni to get his wits about him again but he finished the game. Afterwards he told me he was seeing stars. Boni!...Boni!...Boni!...