Isle of Sodor Premier League matchday 34 (5/4-5) Sunday recap: The unbearable tension mounts!

First, nuts and bolts.  Here is Saturday’s recap.  And here are Sunday’s results:

T17  Ulfstead          0   vs.   2      #6  Junction & Sheds
#8   E.C.D.                2   vs.   5     #12  Marron
#1   Dryaw               3   vs.   3     #10  Suddery
#3   Peel Godred   2   vs.   0      #9   Glennock
#12  Lakside           3   vs.   5     #18  Brendam Utd.

We’ll recap that bolded Feature Match in a bit.  Where does the weekend madness leave everything?    Here’s a smexy link to the updated complete table.

Image result for madness funnyWith four matches in this inaugural league season to go, we now have a tie atop the table!   More, there’s once again a tie for 17th, right on the Relegation line.  And remember, in IoS PL, even on points means even –  period.  No goal differential or other tiebreakers.   If needs be, tied teams will have a playoff match in Suddery at season’s end.

Image result for RelegationStarting at the bottom, Brendam United jumped back out of the Drop Zone again with a solid road win.    After Ffarquhar‘s home loss Saturday, fated favored B-Utd. again as Ulfstead couldn’t even score a goal at their own place.  The two losers sit on the Cutline, tied.

Image result for Peel Godred FCAt table’s top, a team other than Dryaw FC sit on the top line for the first time in months!  On a rainy day over most of the Isle that kept scores down, then-#3 Peel Godred scored two early, then played keep-away to win 2-0.

That meant Dryaw needed the full three points at home against Suddery to maintain their #1 solo status.    Here was Noob’s prediction to this Feature Match:

Noob’s call:     Dryaw haven’t overwhelmed teams all season long for the most part, so one fears them overly.   Suddery will have confidence after having beaten them in March and be no less comfortable wearing visitors’ kits today.    But with Wilbertson back, DFC won’t drop all the points.    3-3

Even former full-time website prognosticator Noobstradamus had to admit I nailed this one COLD.  

Image result for noobstradamus

 

 

Lucky schmuck.

 

The teams traded early goals and then that rain came in and made it tough on everyone.   Visiting Suddery led 2-3 heading into stoppage time, appeared set to sweep the season series from Dryaw and perhaps ruin their championship campaign.

Related imageBut after a week off with an injured neck, Dryaw star striker Christopher Wilbertson made his move on POTY!   Clearly not 100% yet, he struggled to contribute all match long.  Just couldn’t keep pace nursing that neck.   It took a corner kick set piece to give our hero his chance.

CW hung back at the edge of the box, understandably seeming to not want to risk further neck injury in the scrum up front.   But it was trickery!    Suddery made the mistake of leaving him completely unmarked and could only ogle in wonder after CW went charging to an edge for the tying header at 93′.  The late point earned keeps them even with PGFC.

Get ready for a wild and woolly finish, Noobites, Matchday 35 will be Wednesday with all 10 teams in action!   They’ll all play the next two Wednesdays AND weekends these last two weeks to finish the amazing first-ever IoS PL season.

Isle of Sodor Premier League – matchday 34 (5/4) Preview

Hello from Knapford!  #2 KTFC is only a point behind league-leaders Dryaw FC.  They host #4 Kirk Ronan today.  The visitors are nine points back of 1st, title chances looking grim.   Your Saturday Feature Match gets previewed further down.

1 Dryaw 22 6 5 72 League Champions
2 Knapford Town 22 5 6 71
3 Peel Godred 22 4 7 70
4 Kirk Ronan 19 6 8 63

Ah, does it feel good to be back back on the Isle, covering the league up close and personal after a Matchday spent stateside.  The house sale is back on track there now.  Noob will set up shop permanently on Sodor soon, hopefully in time for the summer’s second ever IoS FA Cup.

Sat., 5/4
T16 Ffarquhar vs. #5 Crovan’s Gate
#19 Arlesburgh Utd. vs. #20 Tidmouth City
#13 Vicarstown vs. #7 Wellsworth
#2 Knapford Town vs. #4 Kirk Ronan
T14 Brendam Harbor vs. T14 Castle Rolf

Sun., 5/5
T17 Ulfstead vs. #6 Junction & Sheds
#8 E.C.D. vs. #12 Marron
#1 Dryaw vs. #10 Suddery
#3 Peel Godred vs. #9 Glennock
T16 Ulfstead vs. #11 Lakeside

Image result for Knapford Town FCAfter weeks of title contenders not being able to string much success together, Knapford may have found their stride.   2-2-0 in their last four.  They’re winning close, they’re winning in low and high-scoring affairs.  That 2-3 road win over now-#3 Peel Godred was their match of the season.

Still, 3-2 home win over bottom-half Castle Rolf last week wasn’t exactly inspiring.   Fans are telling themselves that was a trap game and that getting three points any which way was awesome.  Perhaps they’re right….

Kirk Ronan, how are you still within double-digits of the table’s top?   2-2 in the last four isn’t awful at a glance.   But that stretch started with a quirky back-to-back split against #19 Arlesburgh Utd.   Last week’s 2-3 road win at top-half Glennock was admirable, but Noob doubts it washed away the bitter taste of an 0-7 loss to Marron right before the Easter break.

Noob’s call:      Maybe Noob’s drinking the local Kool-Aid, to misuse the reference most folk do unknowingly, but I’m believing the trap game talk.

Image result for drinking the kool aid funny

Knapford Town got a win last week sandwiched between matches against top five clubs.  No team is utterly dominating the league in its inaugural season.   So that’s getting it done.   With a shot at the top rung today, the team has looked hungry at practices, going at it with an edge all week.

Kirk Ronan have faded in the season’s final third.   This is too tough a match for them on the road today.   Knapford Town   5-2

15 hospitalized as Championship club’s supporters turn on their own for singing “Wonderwall”

May 1, 2019 – Ballahoo, Sodor

This season, MLS’ Minnesota United fans have adopted Oasis’ “Wonderwall” as their victory song of choice after matches won.  [Here’s the sportbible.com article ].

Image result for brawl amateur soccer match fansWhile that may be working in Loon-land, things went catastrophically awry Tuesday night when some supporters of the Isle of Sodor’s Championship club Ballahoo A.F.C. tried singing it.   15 people ended up being treated after the ensuing brawl in the stands, with three still in intensive care at Vicarstown Memorial Hospital.

Image result for BFC soccer amateur crestSo what happened?  After Ballahoo’s 4-2 win over Cross-ny-Cuirn FC, some home supporters started singing “Wonderwall”.  A few catcalls aside, the crooners continued unimpeded until the beginning the chorus.

 

Image result for woman on news for fightingSheela Boyd, president of the creatively-named Ballahoo Supporters, had this to say after hiding her brass knuckles:   “Many of us thought it was a joke and they’d stop.   But we no more than heard, ‘Because maybeeeeeeey,’ and knew they were for real and that chorus had to be stopped.”

The offending fans were set upon by thrice as many others within seconds.   Beers were dumped on the offending culprits as they were punched, kicked, and carried to the back of the small stands.  There, they were each dropped about seven feet.

Noob spoke with Ballahoo A.F.C. club prez Martyn Stevenson by phone, who had this to remark:

"Ballahoo, like so much of east-central Sodor, have seen a lot of Mancunian's move here in recent years, despite historically only being a dormitory town.  The supporters who were attacked are believed to be mostly or entirely comprised of Manchester transplants.

Image result for isle of Sodor map ballahooWe welcome them.   But they should've left their Oasis fanboyishness back in the Kingdom.  Look, we understand the band is considered iconic there.   The instrumentation is superb.   The production choices they made for studio albums were concrete and admirable.   But Liam Gallgher's singing is unbearable to anyone with an ear.

Ethel Merman.  Stevie Nicks.   Both Brooks and Dunn.  Liam Gallagher.  There's your top four list of most awful, nasally singers the Lord God saw fit to create.   We will never know why, as His ways are higher than ours."

Isle of Sodor FA Preident Abban Clague announced the FA’s swift punitive decision of Ballahoo FC:

Image result for Liam Gallagher tambourine“Ballahoo FC will be docked one point in the table.   Dumping beer on anyone is wasteful, alcohol abuse.  Liam Gallagher’s singing is terrible and his tambourine-playing is marginal at best.”

 

Clague then dropped the mic, though whether by intention or accident is unconfirmed.

Isle of Sodor Premier League – IN REVIEW – matchday 33 (4/27-28): title race tightens, Relegation moves

Nothing changed in the table’s top ten this weekend (except for a tie for 8th being broken).

Yet EVERYTHING changed in the table’s top ten this weekend.  Here’s a smexy link to the updated table, which is also always available under the “More Noobishness” Pages on this site.

Sat., 4/27
#3 Peel Godred               6    vs.    2    #19  Arlesburgh Utd.
#1   Dryaw                         1     vs.    6    #11  Lakeside
#7   Wellsworth            14    vs.   10   #16  Brendam Utd.
#6   Junction & Sheds   1    vs.   5    #8     E.C.D.
#17  Ulfstead                    1    vs.    0    #4    Crovan’s Gate

Sun., 4/28
#9   Glennock                    2    vs.    3   #5   Kirk Ronan
#2   Knapford Town       3    vs.    2   #12  Castle Rolf
#14  Brendam Harbor   3    vs.    7   #14  Marron
#20  Tidmouth City       5    vs.    6   #15  Vicarstown
#10  Suddery                     2    vs.    7   T17  Ffarquhar

Review Highlights

 * #1 Dryaw FC - minus freakily injured star striker Christopher Wilbertson  - lose again to Lakeside A.F.C. 

* #B Knapford Town and #3 Peel Godred each win, now trail Dryaw by just one and two points in the table, respectively. 

* Ulfstead and Ffarquhar both win, dropping Brendam United into the Relegation Zone.

Image result for Lakeside FC crestThe key match of the weekend turned out to be Dryaw’s home loss to Lakeside A.F.C.  The league leaders were missing star striker Christopher Wilbertson.  Was it the difference?   Hard to say.   Sodor’s “L.A.F.C” held them to just one goal in their other match this season, too.

Related imageSo what happened?  Dryaw kept their injury news on the D-L.   Not hard, considering Noob – your exclusive source for all things IoS PL – returned  stateside for Easter.)   It was holiday disaster for Wilbertson.

The club held an Easter egg hunt on the stadium grounds a week ago Saturday.   Wilbertson won.   And he celebrated as he celebrates everything, once again trying to perfectly re-create the famous Klinsmann Dive.  His luck finally ran out, as he whiplashed his neck to the point of needing over a week off.

Image result for Klinsmann dive sodorDoes Noob keep recycling the same photo for this guy, post after post?

Maybe Wilbertson just always does this exactly the same way.

 

Image result for soccer easter egg hunt

 

 

(But at least call the kids got participation prizes!)

 

 

Wilbertson is expected to return next week for Dryaw’s home match versus #6 Junction & Sheds.  Noob will have updates as warranted as I am returning to the Isle midweek.

Isle of Sodor Premier League – IN REVIEW – matchday 32 (4/13-14): Away teams reign, title race shifts

Sat., 4/13                              [The Featured Match, which was previewed, is in bold]
#7    E.C D.                            1   vs.      6     #8    Wellsworth
#19  Tidmouth City         4   vs.     13    #10   Suddery
#11   Lakeside                     1    vs.      5      #1    Dryaw
#5    Kirk Ronan                0   vs.      7     T14   Marron
T16  Ffarquhar                   0   vs.     4     T14   Brendam Harbor

Sun., 4/14
#4   Crovan’s Gate            3    vs.    5    #20  Arlesburgh Utd.
T16  Ulfstead                       1    vs.    2      #9   Glennock
#18  Brendam Utd.           6   vs.    5     #13   Vicarstown
#6    Junction & Sheds    7    vs.    2    #12    Castle Rolf
#2    Peel Godred               7    vs.    8     #3    Knapford Town

[The updated table is under the “More Noobishness” Pages.  Smexy link. ]

Review Highlights:  

*  Knapford Town moves into 2nd, dropping Peel Godred to 3rd

*  Dryaw wins again, remains four points clear of #2

*  New last place team!

*  A tie for 16th forces IoS FA to announce how they will handle possible end-of-season tie in the table

What a crazy weekend on the Isle.  In addition to the highlights above, seven away teams won.  Suddery blasted sad sacks Tidmouth City for 13 goals.  And Brendam United climbed out of the Relegation Zone, leaving two teams tied on the Cutline.  This last forced FA prez Abban Clague to release a long-awaited statement regarding possible ties in the table at season’s end: 

Image result for old man typingShould two or more teams tie for 1st, they’ll have a Playoff at the national stadium in Suddery.   The same will be true if there is a tie surrounding the Relegation Line.   No other form of tiebreaker will be used.  This includes Goal Differential, despite pressure from our cousins in the English FA to follow their model.

Why?  For our new international audience:   On the Isle, when a team is down in a match, it is considered poor form to stop trying to score, to shut the game down to keep the final margin small.  That’s not fun

So we start our new era of nationally organized soccer by  honoring this tradition.   Victory will be rewarded, but not the margins.  And if our cousins across the Walney don’t like it, they can mizzle for all of me!   *mike drop*

Why Mr. Clague thought a mike drop worked in writing is beyond Noob.   Sodor is a strange place ofttimes.

Oh yeah, and that Feature Match between Peel Godred and Knapford Town?   All 15 goals were scored in the first half.   Over the second half, 11 shots found woodwork.   Twice, shots hit the crossbar and a post before plinking away from net.   It was odd beyond belief.  By game’s end, everyone was creeped out and quiet.   Noob’s just not ready to talk about it.   I miss drinking in Dryaw with my friends.

Image result for sobriety sucks

 

Isle of Sodor Premier League – matchday 31 (4/6-7) – Sat., #17 tries to stay above the Drop Zone, hosting #3 trying to stay in the title race

Having no major landmass to the near west of it, Sodor catches the brunt of truly severe storms.   Last weekend, the Isle got gobsmacked by one, so all games were postponed and the remaining season’s schedule simply shifted back a week.

Matchday 31 (Sat., 4/6) Preview    (Sunday preview to follow tomorrow)

#18  Ffarquhar                 vs.    #11    Lakeside
#6    Junction & Sheds   vs.    #8    Wellsworth
#12   Castle Rolf               vs.    #19   Tidmouth City
#2    Knapford Town      vs.    #14   Brendam Harbor

plus the Saturday Feature Match    #17 Brendam Utd. vs. #3 Peel Godred

This should be one dandy of a match, full of desperate energy.   United are just one slot in the table and one point ahead of #18 Ffarquhar – the  Relegation line.  PGFC are tied for 2nd, but four points behind league-leading Dryaw FC.   [Click here for the current table.]  Neither can afford to drop any points in pursuit of their respective goals with just a couple months of season remaining.

Image result for Boleyn fc crest United were featured in the Brendam Derby back in February and that brought them no good fortune whatsoever.  There got utterly trucked, 7-0, by intracity rivals Brendam Harbor.  Their trajectory, their problems have remained the same.   They absolutely cannot score.  On Sodor, where defense is typically an afterthought, that’s confusing and unmanageable.   They’ve scored all of two goals in their last four matches, going 0-1-3, are in real danger of the Drop.

Noob had the sense coming into this inaugural Premier League season that B-Utd. were going to be competitive, maybe even title-chasers.  Brendam’s one of the big, main towns on the Isle.  They’ve always done well in the friendlies, tourneys and small regional leagues that have popped up up for brief times here over history.  But I failed to realize that much more recently, the power had shifted to Harbor.

“United” was named such for the traditional reason.   They are an amalgamation of former, much smaller teams from just inland.  They do draw from Brendam Town, but more and more Harbor has been becoming the “city’s team”.   B-Utd. has had to become mostly a provincial team, drawing much more heavily from the countryside population for players.  That area of this southern peninsula is not populous, even by Sudric standards.

United want to become rivals to Harbor once again.   For that to happen though, they’ll need to remake inroads into Brendam proper, expand the player pool from which they draw.  Until then, they will likely continue to  struggle mightily.

Image result for PGFC crestPeel Godred were featured just last matchday, so Noob will abbreviate.  [Click here for that PGFC match feature article.]  They’re 2-0-2 in their last four.   And they need to string together wins in back to back matches for the first time in a while if they want to become the #1 contender to Dryaw.

Noob calls it:     Peel Godred  1-6         Peel’s style is unique on Sodor, and so more recognizable to the rest of the world.   They actually play some standard formations instead of throwing everyone forward all the time.  That gives teams here fits, and has been particularly disastrous for teams in the table’s lower half.   Noob’s  generous to write United might score at all.

Isle of Sodor Premier League – matchday 30 (3/23-24) – Sun. #1 take on the FA Cup winners

Matchday 30 (Sun., 3/24) Preview 

#2   Knapford Town   vs.    #15  Vicarstown
#4   Crovan’s Gate      vs.    #11   Castle Rolf
#13  Marron                   vs.     T7    E.C.D.
#6   Wellsworth           vs.     #18  Ulfstead

Plus the Sunday Feature Match:    #1 Dryaw hosts #14 Brendam Harbor

Hello from village Dryaw!   Noob usually attends both the weekend’s Feature Matches.   But no way I was going to interrupt my stay in Dryaw this week.   The preview’s a’comin’, but first, indulge Noob’s small peek into my long-term, part-time life here.

For those newer to all things Sodor, Dryaw’s a sizable village in the west central part of the Isle.  West and south along the coast are three of the large towns, all easy gets for finer dining.  Just east – estates, B&B’s, wine country.  And so, it’s become a haven for writers, whether for short vacation, extended stays, or even permanent residence.

me Noob’s been hanging and imbibing with his usual pair o’ pals.   American novelist Dan Heck (Google up his books, or even his new blog-archive of all things championships of all kinds) came for the week.  Image result for Doug Barr So did Douglas Barr, costar of 1980’s TV’s “The Fall Guy”.  Actor, writer, director, vintner – we’re all becoming best friends, it’s true.  He brought some of his newly available 2002 “2480 ” cab sav from his Hollywood and Vine Cellars.  Behhhst frehhhhnds.  So, Noob’s got more than a bit of a katzenjammer working as he writes tomorrow’s preview.

Related image Sportsball!   Ok.  Dryaw still lead Knapford by two in the table and Peel Godred by four (Peel’s Sat. result pending).  This, despite being just 1-1-2 their last month.  The road loss last week in the capital against midtable Suddery was a surprise.  Will they re-find their offense again today?  They’ve proven they can win high-and low-scoring affairs alike, but one goal is rarely going to get you any points on the Isle.

Image result for BHFC crest Brendam Harbor won the inaugural FA Cup this past summer, but surprisingly have not followed that up with a strong first PL season.   They’re just 14th in the table.  Being from one of the “main towns” on the Isle, they were certainly considered a league fave even before winning the Cup.

They’re one of the few teams on Sodor that play a reasonable semblance of defense.  They’ve certainly had their share of strong games on that regard, but when teams score much at all against them, the Harbormen have rarely shown they can compete in a shootout.  Motivation may start to become a question.   They’re safe from Relegation, yet have little hope of competing for a top-half table finish.

Noob calls it:      Dryaw  5-1        Dryaw’s been excellent at home, for the most part.   And they’ll be plenty motivated.  They know Knapford and Peel Godred also have home dates this weekend, matches against bottom half teams.

Isle of Sodor Premier League – matchday 30 (3/23-24) – On Sat., #3 tries to stay in the race; Ffarquhar tries to stay up

Matchday 30 (Sat., 3/23) Preview    (Sunday preview to follow tomorrow)

#20  Arlesburgh Utd.    vs.     #5    Kirk Ronan
#19  Tidmouth City       vs.     T7   Junction & Sheds
#16   Brendam Utd.        vs.    #12   Lakeside
#10   Suddery                    vs.     #9   Glennock

Plus the Saturday Feature Match:  #3 Peel Godred hosts #17 Ffarquhar

Deja vu all over again!   They played two weeks ago and face off again today.  Ffarquhar took the W at home, 5-3.   But this week we get to learn a little more about a new host town.

Image result for PGFC crestWelcome to “Peel”, at is referred more often than not, locally.   The small town lies in the north central part of Sodor.   It’s more or less the northern terminus for the train system that’s been fictionalized in the “Thomas” stuff.

It’s not a town of particular note, though truly a town in Sudric terms, as opposed to a village.  Aluminum factory.  Small lake nearby.   But there are lots of villages close at hand, and the folks there have chosen to feed their best players into PGFC, instead of fielding their own, smaller possible Championship clubs.

Peel sit just four points behind league-leading Dryaw FC.  While not defensive aggressively (almost no club on Sodor is), Peel are an interesting case.  They tend to not throw everyone forward, all the time, like so many here do.  Instead, they actually play formations more common in soccer the world over, especially preferring the 5-2-2-1, then trying to score on counters.

The last month, they’re 2-1-1.  Staying afloat is fine, but they can’t afford to drop any points hosting a team fighting the Relegation riptide, not at home, not if they are going to win the league.

Image result for FFFC football crestLast week’s victory over PG, coupled with Ulfstead‘s matchday 29 loss, put the Double F back above the Relegation line by a point.  It was their first win in a month, a stretch that included a loss to Ulfstead.  Since Ulfstead faces their own stern road test today (at Wellsworth), it wouldn’t be surprising to see this turn into a defensive affair.  A draw should be enough to keep FF out of the Drop Zone for at least one more week.

Noob calls it:        4-3 Peel Godred           If Ffarquhar don’t play there usual game (slightly more offensively-oriented than average), PG will win.   They’re a team that takes advantage of others’ mistakes and FF will make some if they stray from their usual style.

National holiday on Isle of Sodor (no weekend matches 3/16-17). But they beat an old man with sticks, that’s fun.

IImage result for Ides of March modern celebrationn recognition of March 15 as a national holiday on Sodor, no football matches in either of the Premier League or Championship were scheduled for this weekend.  Yes, the Ides of March are quite the spectacle here, thanks to the longstanding ancient Roman influence on the Isle.

It is also known as the Festival of Anna Perenna, and the related celebration is held in Vicarstown.    The Ides was once the first full moon of the Roman new year.  As a sort of a scapegoat ritual for the new year, the oldest man in Vicarstown is dressed in animal skins and and is beaten with reeds by everyone and chased across the Jubilee Bridge into Barrow, Cumbria, England.   He may not return until the next year’s Ides.

Image result for terrified old man

 

2018 Ides of March scapegoat Aemon Collymore

 

(That look is priceless.  He hadn’t heard 101 year-old John Culken passed away the night before.  The townies decided to surprise him mere minutes before releasing him in the town square for his beating, chase, and long vacation.)

 

Before you go feeling too badly for the fellow, he gets to rest and recuperate on Sudric taxpayers’ dime.   Traditionally – over the last 125 years, anyway – he convalesces at The Imperial Hotel.  Once rested, the geezer usually does “walkabout” of England or even greater Europe.

Image result for imperial hotel barrow in furness

Games resume next Saturday!

’10 to Track’ match previews for weekend 1/19-20 – call Noob “Mr. CONCACAF”

Noob’s return to Tracking important matches for rolls on!

This weekend, trying out something new.

Image result for CONCACAF

What follows are the most important matches from the top 20 leagues in CONCACAF.

Enjoy, as we get to know leagues and clubs from all over our local federation.

1. UANL Tigres vs. Cruz Azul – Liga MX
  • CONCACAF league rank:        they don’t do those, but MX is #1
  • Table positions:                        Apertura #5, #2
  • Stakes:                                           top 8 make the Liguilla
  • Time of season:                         Clausura just starting

For the rawest of Noobites, Mexico divides its football year into two separate tournaments – Apertura and Clausura. They’re just a game into the Clausura, so let’s look at the year’s first half:

Cruz Azul were the regular season champs! But they lost in the Liguilla (postseason tournament) final to #B CF America. They sported the best defense in the league, should be a contender once again.

UANL finished in 6th, also qualifying for the Liguilla. Their goal differential was second best in the league, but it wasn’t bad luck that kept them from a higher table position. They struggled against top competition, if often losing close at least. And they ran up scores against lesser foes. They’ll need to figure out how to get more scoring versus the real contenders if they want to join their ranks.

RESULT:   Cruz Azul   0-1

B. Atlas vs. Guadalajara – Liga MX Femenil
  • CONCACAF league rank:             hmmm…well, nowhere near as good as U.S.
  • Table positions:                             Apertura #4, #B in Group 2
  • Stakes:                                               top four from each Group make the Liguilla
  • Time of season:                             Clausura just starting

Mexico’s professional women’s league has their season divided the same as the men’s side. In this league also they are just starting the Clausura.

Unlike the men’s side, the women’s league is divided into two Groups of nine clubs each. Top four from each make the Liguilla, and these two were both in it. These two were the best defensive teams from their Group. They sported the best two defense in the league. Both will have to show they can score a lot more in order to challenge Group champs UNAL.

RESULT:        this match seems to have not been played;  an update will follow if more info becomes available

 

Image result for image redacted

 

The Number B image originally shown here was redacted.

I blame the agents of worn-out Number Two.

3. Oaxaca vs. Sonora – Ascenso MX
  • CONCACAF League rank:           might be third-best
  • Table positions:                             Apertura #6, #4
  • Stakes:                                               top 8 make the liguilla
  • Time of season:                             Clausura just starting

Previously, Noob has paid little attention to second-tier Mexican football. And while I may not spend a lot of type on it, as perhaps the third-best league in the region, we’ll get to know it a little.

There were just two or three teams in real contention for the regular season Apertura title. But that liguilla is just as shiny a trophy, and it was the #5 seed that won it. Oaxaca’s got the goal-stopping ability to make a push higher in the table here in the Clausura. Sonora’s got to win some close games this go-round or they won’t.

It’s worth noting, kind of sadly, that these clubs aren’t really offered a chance at Promotion into Liga MX. The overall winner is technically eligible, but there are safeguards in place so the last place Liga team can pay a bunch of money to stay in the top flite.

Fun Fact:   Oaxaca’s nickname – The Alebrijes – is a term for art depictions of fantastical creatures.   The form and term comes from artist Pedro Linares.  After falling ill, he had dreams of unreal animals and drew them upon waking.

RESULT:   Sonora   0-1

The rest are Caribbean region matches.  Two quick things:

  • I assume a rough correlation between a national team’s official ranking and the country’s domestic league strength.  I’ve never found formal rankings for the latter.
  • Here’s how the CFU (Cariibbean Football Union) qualifies teams for CONCACAF Champions League and CONCACAF League (which is itself a pathway to CL):

Image result for caribbean club championship

 

This year, countries with professional and semi-professional leagues can send two teams to the new Caribbean Club Championship.

 


Image result for caribbean club shield

Other countries’ leagues can send their winners to the second-tier Caribbean Club Shield tournament.

 

The particulars of how each event qualifies teams to the CL and CONCACAF League can wait for another day.

4. Mount Pleasant vs. Portmore United – Jamaica National Premier
  • CONCACAF league rank:                about #6*
  • Table positions:                               #5, #1
  • Stakes:                                                  top six make league playoffs
  •                                                                  top two get byes
  •                                                                  Caribbean Club Championship berths
  • Time of Season:                                unsure!

Last year, this 12-team, league played a double round robin. This year, they’ve just reached that point and are playing on! But it’s not the playoffs.

Currently, this league is seeing a three-horse race for those top two spots. Portmore – which made the Caribbean Club Championships last year – have a narrow lead, but their defense is suspect. Fortunately for them, Mount Pleasant is a small-ball team – don’t score much, don’t concede many.

RESULT:   1-1

Mount Pleasant Football Academy Logo.png

 

Noob is looking for comments on what the interjection means.   Actual part of the Academy crest.

Here or @SoccerNoobUSA on Twitter

5. Agoaudo vs. Kourou – French Guiana Division d’Honneur
  • CONCACAF league rank:               top 15
  • Table positions:                              #1, #6
  • Stakes:                                                 Caribbean Club Shield berths
  • Time of season:                               approaching halfway

French Guiana could send two teams for the Caribbean Club Shield, but is not.  Maybe after this season.

Agoaudo are undefeated, lead the next team in the table by nine points. That’s not quite as big a gap as it looks like at first glance. This league awards four points for a win, two for a draw, and one for just showing up. Second-best offense in the league, runaway best D.

Kouro are merely midtable. Noob’s not certain they have the D to maintain a top-half finish in this 12-team league.

Fun Fact:   Nearby Agoaudo’s home of Apatou is the Guiana Amazonian Park.  Suriname is a French department (state, more or less), and this park is the largest French national park.

6. Moulien vs. USBM – Guadeloupe Division d’Honneur
  • CONCACAF league rank:        top 15
  • Table positions:                        #1, #3
  • Stakes:                                           Caribbean Club Shield
  • Time of season:                         halfway

Guadeloupe are sending 2017-18 their champs – Moulien – to the Club Shield, unlike French Guiana. That same club leads the league this year, too, but what a race it looks like so far! They lead the next team in the table by just a point, and three other clubs are within just five points.

Moulien will try to keep the score low. Not that they can’t score well themselves, but #3 (and likely true top threat for the title) USBM prefer a wide-open style themselves, and would play it far better.

RESULT:   USBM   0-3              There’s your new league #1!    Three teams trail by just a single point in the table.

Image result for Moulien

 

 

As a former radio dj, just thought this was cool.

7. St. Paul’s vs. Village Superstars – St. Kitts and Nevis Super League
  • CONCACAF league rank:                 top 20
  • Table positions:                                 #3, #1
  • Stakes:                                                   top 4 make league playoffs
  •                                                                   Caribbean Club Shield berths
  • Time of Season:                                 over 1/3 done

Village Superstars are the defending champions, will play Club Shield.   They lead the league this year as well, but their hosts today and Newtown United are going to both be there ’til the end.

These two sport excellent offenses, but lead the league in D.  It will be interesting to see what sort of pace St. Paul’s will try and dictate at home.

Fun Fact:  St. Paul’s are based out of the town of that name, but play their games in the national capital, Basseterre

RESULT:   1-1

8. Interwillemstad vs. UNDEBA – Curacao Sekshon Paga
  • CONCACAF league rank:        top 20
  • Table positions:                        #6, #B
  • Stakes:                                          top 6 make league  playoffs
  •                                                          Caribbean Club Shield berths
  • Time of season:                        earlyish

The season looks to only be 18 matches long here in the former Netherlands Antilles. So even at seven matches in, things are looking serious. Unbeaten Scherpenheuvel have opened up a five point lead over UNDEBA. But this is a good matchup for the visitors. They score goals like crazy, but play about no defense. But scoring is exactly where Inter struggles.

Curacao will host the Club Shield.   Jong Holland are the defending champs here, but deep down the table this season.

RESULT:   Inter   2-1        The winners climb into a three-way tie for 4th place.    The losers fall into a tie for #B in the table, six points behind the league leaders.

Image result for inter willemstad 2018-19

9. West United vs. Robin Hood – Suriname Topklasse
  • CONCACAF league rank:       top 20
  • Table positions:                      #8, #B
  • Stakes:                                         Caribbean Club Shield berths
  • Time of season:                       earlyish

Robin Hood are the defending champs, representing the league in the second-tier Club Shield tournament. They are one of three still undefeated teams here in 2018-19. They trail Leo Victor by four in the table.

The real question in this league would seem to be will Inter Moengotapoe (3rd place) be able to keep pace? So far offensive numbers say no. But it’s early. They should beat midtable West Utd. in their own house by a couple today.

Fun FactWest Utd. are from the Coronie District, of which the four towns have fewer than 4,000 people.

RESULT:   Robin Hood   2-4

10. Grenades vs. Parham – Antigua and Barbuda Premier
  • CONCACAF league rank:         top 20
  • Table positions:                         #3, #5
  • Stakes:                                            Caribbean Club Shield berths
  • Time of season:                          halfway

It may just be the halfway point, but there are also just nine match days remaining. Parham are just five out of the lead, but it feels like they have too many clubs to leapfrog to make a title run.

Grenades are just three back of the defending champs – Hoppers – and have the defense to stay in the race. This could be a tricky home game though. Parham are something of a traditional power here.

RESULT:   Grenades   1-0       Grenades  climb to #B, Parham slip to 6th.

Image result for Antigua Recreation ground

 

So long from the Antigua Recreation Ground in St. John’s, home of Grenades F.C.!

Capacity:  12,000