7 MAY 2007 - On a fine, clear May evening in the San Fernando Valley, the new-look black and blue San Fernando Valley Quakes laid down a definite challenge to the traditional powerhouse teams of the Southwest Division: this year, the Quakes are better, and we’re out to win.
With new coach Juan Florez in charge of his first game, and with an exciting mix of returning faces from 2006 and fresh blood plucked mainly from the Cal State Northridge men’s varsity team, the Quakes took to the field against their opponents in white, Los Angeles Storm, and from the opening moments asserted their on-field dominance in almost every part of the game.
The Quakes scored early. In the second minute, CSUN striker Sung Hyun Kim burst down the left flank, cut inside the Storm defense, and aimed a speculative shot at Storm keeper Trevor Hunter, who was unable to hold the onto the ball. Fellow CSUN striker Oscar Sims pounced and scored a simple tap-in from three yards. 1-0 Quakes. The rest of the first half was a controlled affair, with the Quakes constantly looking the more threatening. Anchored by superb the midfield control of Mat Davis and Dan Paladini, coach Florez used a long-ball technique to great effect, exploiting the natural speed of Kim and Sean Franklin down the flanks. Time after time the Quakes wingers broke free of the Storm defense, and it was only a matter of time before another goal was scored.
It eventually came in the 27th minute; CSUN defender Chad Borak broke free down the left wing, and played a superb defense-splitting pass through to a sprinting Sims, who slotted the ball home to the goalkeeper’s left for his second goal of the game, and to put the Quakes 2-0 ahead.
The Quakes held the 2-0 lead to half time, and went into the break looking more than comfortable. Things got even better 10 minutes into the second half - Dan Paladini latched onto a through ball from Mat Davis, rounded the on-coming keeper, and managed to prod the ball home under pressure from Storm defender Daniel Ardon to make it 3-0 Quakes. As the second half progressed, coach Florez began to make a few changes to the team, bringing on 16-year old Los Angeles Galaxy prodigy Tristan Bowen, UCLA defender Sean Alvarado, and CSUN midfielder William Beard to replace tired legs.
Things got even worse for the Storm in the 76th minute when Kim, who had worked tirelessly down the left wing the entire game, received a great pass from Will Beard and calmly made the score 4-0 Quakes. As the game wound down and dusk settled over the city, the Quakes sealed the deal with a fifth goal. A free kick from the left found Tristan Bowen challenging for a header with Storm defender Julian Robles at the edge of the six yard box. The cross ricocheted off Robles’s head and into his own net, capping off a miserable night for the men from Glendora and their head coach Chris Volk, but putting the finishing touch to a comprehensive and well-deserved victory for the Quakes.
However, just two days after the scintillating Friday night display, the Quakes were brought down with a bump, succumbing to a 2-0 defeat to new expansion franchise, Ventura County Fusion. The Quakes traveled with hopes high of another victory; however, in front of an impressive 500-strong crowd, the game eventually turned out to be a tense, well-matched affair between two clearly very good teams.
Both teams began solidly. Fusion looked very good defensively, closing down very quickly on the Quakes attackers, and employing a potent attacking force anchored by the striking partnership of Englishman Mark Draycott and Liberian John Massaquoi. Fusion looked very dangerous down the left wing, mainly due to the blistering speed of Jason Leopoldo; time after time, Fusion pushed men forwards, and for most of the first half seemed to be playing a 4-2-4 formation which encouraged attacking play. However, the Quakes’ defense was generally pretty solid, the only low point coming when Derek Hanks was forced out of the game with a hamstring problem half way through the first half, and had to be replaced by Robert Pate.
There were very few chances in the first half - the Fusion hit the bar, and the Quakes looked dangerous down the wings again through Sean Franklin and Ryan Shaw - but the first half ended 0-0, and both teams looked frustrated. As the second half began, the Quakes began to impose themselves a little, and enjoyed a period of pressure which should have resulted in goals, if it wasn’t for some wayward final balls and hesitant finishing. Robert Pate, on the other hand, was playing tremendously well, a defensive rock who stepped up to take care of the Fusion attackers on several occasions. Eventually, however, the Fusion came up with a sucker punch. With just 10 minutes to go, a break down the right hand side saw a cross floated into the Quakes penalty area. Fusion striker Mark Draycott beat Chad Borak to the ball and guided a looping header back across Kevin Guppy’s goal and into the far corner. 1-0 Fusion.
Coach Florez made some changes in response - RJ Wilson for Mat Davis, Tristan Bowen for Oscar Sims - but it was clear that the Fusion had the upper hand. Six minutes later, Fusion scored again: having ridden a desperate sliding tackle from Mike Zaher, Fusion’s winger Chance Myers played in a low cross from the right; it fell nicely at Draycott’s feet, who drilled the ball past the oncoming Guppy to make the score 2-0.
The Quakes looked tired at the final whistle, and looked disappointed not to have given a better account of themselves. With Bakersfield enjoying a surprising 1-0 victory over the Southern California Seahorses, the result left the Quakes in third place in the Southwest Division table after two games, behind both Bakersfield and Ventura, who still enjoy 100% records.
The next game for the Quakes is away in Lancaster on Thursday; we return home to Granada Hills to take on Orange County Blue Star on Saturday.
Jon Broxton
