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Standings,
results and other stats
Over the years, Barnstonworth Rovers have lined up such fine attacking
players as Steve Pugliese and former Liberian international Musa
Shannon who’ve helped keep the club in the Cosmopolitan Soccer
League (CSL) top flight.
This season, Rovers may have acquired a diamond in Jordan Chirico
who lit up CD Iberia in a 5-1 romp at Ichan Stadium on the opening
day of the 2007-08 season last Sunday.
A close season acquisition from relegated Manhattan Kickers, the
23 year-old midfield sparkplug reeled in four goals and had the
assist on Colin Marshall’s effort.
Chirico played on two national championship sides with Indiana University
and easily ranks among the top footballers in the CSL today with
his passing, energy and radar-like vision.
Rovers’ boss Stavros Zomopoulos hopes that the club’s
fortunes will change with the arrival of the gifted youngster, who
had a stint with the USL’s Rochester Rhinos before joining
Kickers last year.
“Jordan brings to the Rovers a championship mentality and quality,”
said Zomopoulos, whose reserves triumphed 3-2 on strikes by Ron
Baskin (pen), and Austin Harris.
“We had enough talent to win the division last year but not
the mental strength and commitment. Jordan will help us on that
path.”
Rovers’ destruction of Iberia put them in an early tie with
Pancyprian Freedoms atop the West standings.
The Greek-Cypriots also began the season with guns blazing after
routing defending champs Brooklyn Italians 4-0 before 200 spectators
at St. John’s University’s Belson Stadium.
Chris Megaloudis (15th, 44th), Julio Cesar Santos (60th) and Stelios
Andreou (80th) connected.
“It was a good game with the Pancyprians controlling the majority
of play as the score indicates. The Italians had a couple of chances
but our keeper Stef Kazantsis was in top form,” said George
Halkidis.
Brooklyn, blanked 2-0 in the reserve game, finished with ten-men
after they had a player sent off for a harsh tackle on Danny Dragoi.
BULLISH DEBUT
Promotion side FC Bulgaria rattled in three second half goals against
New York Albanians to secure a 3-1 victory on their First Division
debut.
Plamen Mihaykov (50th pen.), Andrian Dimitrov (65th) and Stefan
Dimitrov (85th) handed Koko Veltchev’s full points after they’d
trailed at half time.
Veltchev’s reaction was predictable. “I am very happy
the way we’ve started the season,” he remarked, relishing
this weekend’s meeting with wounded Brooklyn Italians.
Bulgaria’s reserves had little to smile about following a 3-0
loss.
POLE POSITION
Bulgaria’s first team shares top place in the East with last
season’s losing finalists, Polonia, who came away from Travers
Island with another win, 3-2, over New York Athletic Club.
Both teams were missing players but it was the Poles who dug deep
after Steve Jolley’s brace had put NYAC two goals up.
Robert Rzeczycay (62nd pen., 80th) hauled the visitors back before
Lukasz Zajac (85th) gave new coach Michael Siwiec a winning start.
“A satisfying result for us -- we’ll be tough,” promised
Polonia manager Roman Gierczak.
Polonia’s reserves crashed 7-0.
BHOYS BASHED
Also in Division One, Lansdowne Bhoys suffered a 4-0 drubbing at
the hands of New York Greek-American/Atlas at Tibbets Field.
The Lansdowne seconds succumbed 4-2 with Ryan O’Kane and Izhar
Harpaz on target for the Irish.
“This is a new chapter for Lansdowne despite the losses,”
said Harpaz, the club president. “Our goal is to finish in
the top two.”
JORDAN-LESS KICKERS
Jordan Chirico’s old mates at Manhattan Kickers held off Kandia
3-2 at the Grand Field on their return to Division Two.
A quick double by Nick Bill (23rd, 24th) and Richie Webb’s
strike (65th) proved decisive after Dominic Powell (67th) sparked
a Kandia fight back.
Kickers’ reserves prevailed 4-3.
UKRAINIANS EDGE
SC Ukrainians’ return to Division Two was a happy one. They
saw off FC Japan 4-3 at the Verazzano Sports Complex courtesy of
Slaventij Martynyuk (two), Adam Malianiak and Marcin Trzaska.
Japan, however, didn’t go down without a fight. Seiji Ichihara
(25th), Shinobu Ninomiya (25th) and Tosh Tatezawa (35th) brought
the team back from 4-1 at one point.
“Even though we had good scoring opportunities in the second
half our defense was not in sync and gave up too many easy goals,”
rued Tatezawa, the club’s GM.
The Japanese were invincible in the curtain-raiser, running off
5-1 victors.
CPR DESPAIR
“A draw would have been the fair result in this game, but all
credit to the newly promoted team, who battled through to the end
of a well contested game.”
That was Central Park Rangers manager Yuval Lion’s grudging
compliment to Stal Mielec after his side’s 1-0 loss to the
Division Two newcomers at Aviator Sports Complex.
Lion and his reserves, however, played true to form, trampling Stal’s
second team 5-2 on goals by Serge Verdoux, Tony DeLorenzo, David
Lovercheck, Reinhard Cate and the manager himself.
Elsewhere in Division Two, old hands Manhattan Celtic pipped promotion
side Frosinone 2-1. The Celtic reserves lost 4-3.
ROCKS HELD
In their season-finale last June, Shamrock edged Sporting Astoria
3-2 to end the calendar year undefeated in Metro Div. One. Last
weekend the two promotion favorites picked up where they left off
and battled to a 2-2l draw at Wards Island.
“The game started the same as our last meeting. We scored then
they bullied their way to a 2-1 lead,” said Astoria boss Ed
Romero.
Ibra Radyn, back with Astoria after a stint with FC Partizani where
he was top scorer, was the Sporting hero. He drew first blood in
the 15th minute off an Alex Jonassen assist.
Shamrock leveled ten minutes later when John Paul headed in a long
Matt Schnugg throw-in and then went ahead just before the interval,
off another Schnugg heave that was nodded in by Paddy Geraghty.
Astoria had their chances but were thwarted by the Rocks’ stand-in
goalie Brian Houlihan, nominally a busy bee midfielder, who earned
Man of the Match accolades from coach Robbie Walsh.
Still, there was nothing Houlihan could do in the 70th minute when
Jonassen and Radyn combined for the latter to slot in the leveler.
“I can’t be disappointed – so far, so good. It’s
a long season,” said Walsh.
Romero felt it was a good result for Astoria, too.
“Last year we didn’t react fast enough, this time we did.
We scored the equalizer in the second and wore them out with our
speed and quick passing. So much so that the Shamrock last man had
to stop a clear pass for goal with his hand. Rightfully so he got
red carded.”
FOUR-STAR PERFORMANCE
In the end, Milton Ospina’s four-goal outburst for BW Gottschee
against Korona Bay Ridge was worth just a point after a 4-4 draw
at Floyd Bennett Field.
Gottschee’s John Krische lamented his team’s failure to
defend an early 2-0 lead in the Metro Div. One tussle.
DENNEHY’S DRAW
Leo Russo pegged back Gerry Smith’s first half goal to earn
Metro Div. One promotion outfit Long Island United a 1-all draw
with Mr. Dennehy’s at Ferris High School.
Russo, was set up by Ryan Kitzen on his 70th minute effort in the
hard fought encounter. Smith had connected midway through the first
half after a sweeping four-player move that began with Dan Fallon
cutting out a long ball and ended with Lance Pitterson squaring
for the scorer.
“Not a horrendous start to the season as Long Island will
probably be near the top of the league again this season, but it
sure felt like a loss,” remarked Fallon.
Long Island’s Frank Savocchi had props for cousin Romano Savocchi,
making his first appearance between the posts, where he filled in
for another cousin, Michael Savocchi.
DYNAMIC DUO
SC Eintracht veterans Peter Maris and Juan Andrade shot down 10-man
FC Partizani 2-0 in a Metro Div. Two clash at the Metropolitan Oval.
Also at the Oval, Scott Sucher was on target for the Eintracht Over-30s
in their 2-1 decision over Barnstonworth Rovers. Par Homberg replied
for Rovers.
McCARTHY ACES
At Roosevelt Island, Kyle Gregory and Tim Wyand struck in ASA McCarthy’s
2-1 win over New York Wanderers.
Mark Toews connected for Wanderers
MATH JOB
Two goals conceded and none scored equal a loss. Late league entry
Pythagoras Samos hammered this point home against Metro Div. Two
Gotham Argo whom they blanked 2-0 at Riverbank State Park.
“Despite returning with its roster almost entirely intact from
its last season, Gotham lost a chippy contest with few chances to
score,” said the club’s R. Julio Diaz.
OVER-30 RESULTS
Barnstonworth Premier, who lost just one match the whole of last
season, ground out a 2-2 tie with ‘B’ Division title losing
finalists Guyana Veterans ‘B’ at Floyd Bennett Field.
Marvin Hoyte bagged for goals for the Caribbean side, with Hernan
Paredes (51st), Anders Moberg (62nd) on the mark for Barnstonworth.
Elsewhere, Barnstonworth Old Boys battled newcomers Odyssey to a
1-1 tie.
Dave Sheeran reports: “Playing with 10 men for the first 60
minutes, we kept Odyssey at bay and deservedly took the lead thanks
to a close range effort from Julian Lord (70th). But fatigue finally
took its toll and a lack of concentration let us down. A fantastic
effort from everyone, though.”
BRAVE GOTTSCHEE
Silver Lake defeated short handed Gottschee 5-3 at the College of
Staten Island.
Gottschee kicked off with just eight players and a field player
in the net.
“Somehow Charlie Achinelli scored in the first minute but then
Silver Lake scored three in the next 15 minutes,” said Ed Silva.
Johan Ceballos (45th) and Mike Giaccabone (75th) kept the visitors
in it before Silver Lake netted a fifth goal in the dying minutes.
In other Over-30 action, New York Greek-American/Atlas pipped Central
Park Rangers 1-0, while Manhattan Kickers’ old-timers debuted
with a 5-1 thrashing of Banatul.
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