27 MAY 2007 - The San Fernando Valley Quakes enjoyed a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the visiting Lancaster Rattlers today, in front of 250 sweltering spectators braving 95-degree heat at Granada Hills Charter High School. Second half goals from Sean Franklin and Daniel Paladini cancelled out Tremayne Thompson’s first half strike, and took the Quakes back into second place in the Southwest Division standings.
Coach Florez, who was without the striking partnership of Ryan Shaw and Oscar Sims, played a positive 4-5-1 formation, giving speedy wingers Sean Franklin and Sung-Hyun Kim room to maneuver down the flanks, and giving 16-year old Los Angeles Galaxy prodigy Tristan Bowen his first start at this level as the main target man. Derek Hanks also returned from the hamstring injury which had kept him out of the last five games.
Both teams had played midweek games - the Quakes losing away in Fresno on Thursday, the Rattlers losing away at LA Storm on Friday - and the first half was a tight, cagy period of few chances, with both teams looking a little lethargic, clearly a combination of fatigue and the heat. Bowen, whose speed and size looked likely to cause trouble for the Lancaster defenders, ultimately received very little in terms of quality through-balls as Lancaster battened down the hatches and tried to plug the holes in their leaky defense, which in their previous seven games had let in 19 goals. Unfortunately, Bowen was forced off with a slight injury midway through the first half, and was replaced by 18-year old Canoga Park High School standout Juan Camilo Rojas, who was making his Quakes debut.
Unexpectedly, it was Lancaster who struck first, in the 30th minute, Kansas Weslyan University striker Tremayne Thompson latching onto a through-ball and slipping a shot past an on-rushing Kevin Guppy to give the visitors the lead. The strong contingent of traveling Lancaster fans enjoyed their moment in the sun, and the Rattlers looked to be holding on to a comfortable lead as half time approached. However, the Quakes should have equalized in first half injury time when Sean Alvarado’s speculative high forward lob caught the wind and looped over the head of Rattlers keeper Zach Brunner; the ball cannoned back off the crossbar right at the feet of Gerardo Bravo, who with the goal at his mercy inexplicably contrived to prod the ball into the arms of Brunner, who was lying on his back on the goal line. The first half ended 1-0 Rattlers.
As the second half began, it was clear that this near-miss had given the Quakes a boost of energy. The Rattlers, who had been very active in the first half, and had controlled the midfield with quick passing and fast closing down, suddenly themselves looked the more tired of the two teams, and found themselves under increasing pressure from the zippy Quakes forward line. Chad Borak and Sung Kim finally began linking up down the left hand side, and Sean Franklin’s raw speed down the right wing saw him continually leaving Rattlers defenders in his wake.
It was through this avenue that the Quakes got their equalizer. In the 63rd minute, some careful build up in the center of midfield eventually found Daniel Paladini with the ball at his feet. Franklin, thundering down the right wing, split the Rattlers defense; Paladini popped a ball over the top of the flat-footed back line straight into Franklin’s path, who raced the remaining 20 yards ahead of the pack and duly smashed the ball home. 1-1, and it was now only a matter of time before the Quakes asserted their dominance.
A flurry of substitutions from Rattlers coach Steve Mackenzie further illustrated the increasing tiredness in the visitors legs; the Quakes took advantage of their temporary disorganization and scored the game-winner 10 minutes later, Daniel Paladini picking up a superb pass from Gerardo Bravo and hitting the back of the net for his second goal of the season.
As the clock counted down the Rattler’s desperately pressed for an equalizer; defender Joel Gunterman’s long throws caused more than a few problems for the Quakes defense, and resulted in several goal-mouth melees which the Quakes were fortunate to scramble away. Mauricio Harrie tested Kevin Guppy from distance on more than one occasion, but their all-or-nothing attacking finale inevitably left holes at the back which the Quakes should have exploited: Camilo Rojas and Daniel Paladini both missed glorious opportunities from close range, while Franklin hit the post in what would have been a carbon copy of his first goal.
In the end, the final whistle sounded, and the Quakes held out for a 2-1 victory, preserving their 100% home record in 2007. The win takes the Quakes into second place in the standings, two points behind league leaders San Jose Frogs, and a point ahead of both Ventura and Fresno in third and fourth; however, the Quakes have played one more game than their nearest rivals, and will look to Bakersfield, Lancaster and Orange County to do them some favors when their rivals come to town.
The Quakes next two games are road trips, away in San Francisco on June 2nd, and then taking on league-leaders San Jose in their first ever meeting on June 3rd. The next home game for the Quakes is Friday, June 15th, at 7:00pm, when they take on Bakersfield Brigade.
Quakes Starting XI: Kevin Guppy, Robert Pate, Sean Alvarado, Derek Hanks, Chad Borak, Sean Franklin, Mat Davis, Daniel Paladini, Gerardo Bravo, Sung-Hyun Kim, Tristan Bowen.
Subs: Sean O’Connor, Camilo Rojas, RJ Wilson, Marcus Chorvat.
Match report by Jon Broxton
