[NSL2004]

Sunday Nov 08, 2009
Stockton, CA – Nov. 8, 2009 – The third incarnation of Stockton’s “Stars of Mexico” match was unlike its predecessors in several ways. First, it featured a tightly played match with a thrilling finish. The California Cougars held off Luis Hernandez and the “Stars of Mexico” 9-8 at Stockton Arena on Sunday night. Secondly, it featured the emergence of California’s newest indoor star as Isaias Bardales scored four goals in his Professional Arena Soccer League debut.

Bardales, and fellow newcomer Ignacio Gutierrez teamed to put their new club on top 1-0 with a goal at the10:03 mark of the first. Bardales not only recorded California’s first goal of the new season, but he also scored their eventual game-winner in the fourth with 8:16 remaining.

Hernandez brought most of the 2,997 in attendance to their feet when he scored his only goal of the match in the first quarter. His goal tied it up at 1-1 with 6:49 left in the opening frame.

California led for most of the game, but did fall behind once in the second quarter. Ivan Medina put the Stars up 3-2 with 10:33 remaining in the second quarter. However, the lead quickly disappeared when Ernesto Bueno scored off a pass from Enrique “Qeeks” Tovar with 8:35 left in the first half.

The Cougars rallied for four unanswered goals to enter halftime with a 7-3 lead. The rally saw Bardales net his second goal of the first half, and goals from Ato Leone, Uriel Robledo and Majell Aterado.

California’s offense found a spark to close the first half, but sputtered in the early parts of the third quarter. It was former Cougars midfielder Eduardo Velez that took over for Mexico in the third quarter.

Velez rallied for three straight strikes to bring his team back within one of his old club at 7-6.

Brian Farber, the league’s reigning most valuable player, helped put an end to the Stars’ comeback with an assist on Bardales’ third goal of the match. The score put the Cougars up 8-6 with 1:40 remaining in the third quarter.

Vicente Figueroa brought the Stars back to a goal of California’s lead with his late third quarter strike. Figueroa had one goal in the match. He is expected to re-sign with the Cougars early this week.

Late penalties proved costly for both teams. The Cougars were charged with 11 penalty minutes in the second half. The infractions included three blue cards and one yellow card. The Stars were charged with six second half penalty minutes, including one that led to a shootout.

Tovar failed to convert on the shootout opportunity, but Bardales immediately followed a minute later to put California on top for good. His fourth quarter strike at the 8:16 mark put the Cougars up 9-7.

Armando Teran and Velez teamed on the final goal for Mexico, but the Cougars left Stockton Arena with a 9-8 season opening exhibition victory.

Bardales, the former LA Galaxy forward, scored a goal in each quarter and his fourth quarter strike proved to be the game-winner.

The match was the first at Stockton Arena since the Cougars won the inaugural PASL-Pro championship on March 15, 2009.

SCORING SUMMARY

QTR GOAL ASSIST TIME
1 BARDALES GUTIERREZ 10:03
1 HERNANDEZ TERAN 6:49
1 FARBER TOVAR 3:22
2 #19 13:39
2 MEDINA 10:33
2 BUENO TOVAR 8:35
2 BARDALES ATERADO 4:13
2 LEONE BRAMBILA 3:44
2 ROBLEDO 0:54
2 ATERADO 0:31
3 VELEZ RIVAS 4:50
3 VELEZ 4:17
3 VELEZ 3:05
3 BARDALES FARBER 1:40
3 FIGUEROA #17 0:21
4 BARDALES 8:16
4 TERAN VELEZ 7:10
###

[FifaMan328]

Wow.... less than 3,000

I guess this little gimmick of seeing the "stars of Mexico" is running it's course

[GameraRPZ]

Originally Posted by FifaMan328

Wow.... less than 3,000

I guess this little gimmick of seeing the "stars of Mexico" is running it's course

Yeah but on the plus side they did see lots of scoring, one point goals (that is the MOST important thing), and also the fans were in a comfortable environment. Too bad there are only 4 of those type of games left. Hard to shoehorn 2,999 in Turlock.

A little bit disappointing as far as crowd size goes though, I bet even the PASL-ers will agree with that.

I just realized something.....the next Cougars home game in Stockton is almost 3 months from now. That's gotta be tough on the marketing department I would think.

[skipper60601]

Originally Posted by GameraRPZ

Yeah but on the plus side they did see lots of scoring, one point goals (that is the MOST important thing), and also the fans were in a comfortable environment.

I don't think MPS is as big a deal as Syd does. I don't think it attracts fans or drives that many away. But it is one more sign of the continuing cluelessness of the powers that be in the NPSL/MISLII/NISL/MISLIII.

[FifaMan328]

You got it Skip

Owners present and from the past thought the following would promote and grow the game, which I think are the 2 biggest problems they had:

1) MPS = more scoring which is what Americans like right?
2) Larger Goals = more scoring again..

I'd rather watch a beautifully played 1-0 game (i.e. EPL) as opposed to a 15-13 ugly slugfest where you score at will

PS.. get rid of the music during the course of play as well, so people can actually focus on the product ON THE FIELD!

Back to basics is all they need
Well, a TV contract, top notch players, nice arenas, newspaper coverage, more coverage, a little more coverage etc...

[parkers3]

Originally Posted by FifaMan328

PS.. get rid of the music during the course of play as well, so people can actually focus on the product ON THE FIELD!

Some of the best times we had watching the Kansas City Comets in the 1980s were when the Comets had the ball and we would go "Da da da da da da da da....da da da da da da da da" from Giorgio Moroder's annoying song "The Chase" which they played in the background over the PA. Here is the song which I am sure everyone has heard a million-plus times, but it is still cool nostalgic. I even have it on my iPod.

YouTube- Giorgio Moroder / Chase (theme from Midnight Express)

YouTube- Giorgio Moroder / Chase (theme from Midnight Express)

[NSL2004]

non-lyrical music like that sets a mood and a tempo. Lyrical music like the Spongebob song take you 100% out of the moment.

Just like the music in a horror movie heightens your fear and some guy talking behind you destroys that atmosphere.

And drowning out the fans is never good.
And memo to the Blast: Playing a rock song LOUDER doesn't make it any more exciting.

[FifaMan328]

Damn Syd.... we are in agreement again!

Please take note of this Peter...

Milwaukee could set the standard on how the environment at an indoor soccer game should be. After all, even the mostly young audience that makes up the crowd would probably like to watch the game, and not their 5 year old brother scream for cotton candy every 5 seconds!

Could you imagine:

Cheslea vs Man United in front of 60,000 soccer purists... and then you hear
oooooohhhhhh who lives in a pineapple under the sea