Ventura County Fusion (PDL) to play host to Real Salt Lake on Friday, Feb. 8th at Buena High School in Ventura, Ca. First Preseason game and I will be out there. I will try and provide as much info as possible. I am looking forward to an entertaining game!
RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) From Buena High School in Ventura RSL lineup: Rimando, Joy, Kotschau, Horst, Lancos, Sturgis, Simic, Bullen, Morales, Findley, Nunez VCF lineup: Logan Frank, Gabe Chavez, Dillon Barna, Alejandro Carmona, Dustin Guerrero, Ben Murrel, Michael Farfan, Gabriel Gonzalez, Varden Adzemian, Gabriel Farfan, Hagop Chirishian
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) After three RSL corners and two big saves from Fusion goalkeeper Logan Frank, RSL go ahead, 1-0, in the 13th minute on a nice goal from Robbie Findley. He was found in space by rookie Tino Nunez, the UC Santa Barbara graduate who the Fusion cut before last season, at the top of the penalty area and drove a low shot off the base of the far, left post and in.
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) In the 33rd minute, a ball over the top put Findlay alone on goal but Frank got down well to save the breakaway.
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) Interesting. I think Nunez assisted on a Nimo goal in a scrimmage - was that yesterday? Could a player that the Fusion cut be a serious contender for a roster spot?
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) Real Salt Lake took a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Moments after Tino Nunez's attempt from the penalty spot was foiled by a diving Frank, Javier Morales' driven cross through traffic flew into the Fusion goal untouched in the 42nd minute. Although Nunez might have gotten a touch on it. Fusion forward Hagop Chirishian answered with a 25-yard drive that struck Rimando's side-netting.
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) Well, the Fusion did have four players drafted last month, including the first overall pick in the Superdraft, Chance Myers. And that doesn't include their best player and leading scorer, English forward Mark Draycott. They were very talented last year. Tino might have just had a bad weekend and it led the Fusion brass to make a mistake.
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) Looks like a completely different team for RSL in the second half, which includes Chris Seitz, Kyle Brown, Tony Beltran, Yura Movsisyan, Kenny Cutler, Alex Nimo and Andy Williams.
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) Just curious - is this televised in CA? Or are you updating us via handheld?
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) The Fusion get the first chance of the second half. Substitute Mark Knight gets free down the left hand side. His cross for subsitute John Massaquoi is redirectly agonizingly wide of Seitz's right hand post. Up the other end, Movsisyan, turning in the area, hit the crossbar with a pretty chip.
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) Ten minutes into the second half, Kyle Brown plays the ball across the face of the Fusion goal for Movsisyan to finish easily for Real Salt Lake's third goal.
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) Movsisyan and Kenny Cutler score as Real Salt Lake pile it out, building a 5-0 lead after 66 minutes.
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) A text message from the match "it is getting out of hand over here - 5-0" Scoring Summary RSL – Robbie Findley 1 (Tino Nunez 1) 13 Findley from about 10 yds on the right side to the far post from NunezRSL – Javier Morales 1 (Ian Joy 1) 41 RSL – Yura Movsisyan 1 (Kyle Brown 1) 53 RSL – Yura Movsisyan 2 (unassisted) 62 RSL – Kenny Cutler 1 (Kyle Brown 2) 66
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) Some questions if you care to answer: How out of form or in form are the Fusion? What part of RSL's play is catching them? Is RSL influence on the game fitness or skill or both? Is the defense organized? Have any of the trialist seen the field (except Tino)?
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) Movsisyan, set up by Beltran, gets his second half hat trick with five minutes to play. 6-0 RSL
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) Movsisyan finished with four goals in the second half. It ended 7-0.
Re: RSL at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) Well, I'll post my story in a second, but the Fusion are almost three months from the start of their league season, have trained just twice and are missing at least 12 players from their squad (9 NCAA players who get released May 2 and three international kids who've get to arrive). But RSL look impressive. Much of their dominance is coming right through the middle of the park. I'll post my story right now
This is a rough draft of what will be on venturacountystar.com in a couple hours, complete with photos from the match. By Joe Curley jcurley@VenturaCountyStar.com Hagop Chirishian grew up playing with, and looking up to, his fellow Armenian, Yura Movsisyan. “You can tell he’s a great goalscorer,” said Chirishian, who followed in Movsisyan’s footsteps at Pasadena City College. “He’s got speed, skill and everything else you need.” Everything was on display Friday night at Buena High, where Movsisyan came off the bench at halftime to score four goals as Real Salt Lake defeated the Ventura County Fusion, 7-0, Friday night in a friendly match. Fusion reject Tino Nunez, who was cut from the Fusion roster last March, had a goal and an assist in the first half. Robbie Findley and Kenny Cutler also scored for the Major League Soccer club, who are wrapping up a 10-day training camp at Oxnard College. “We focused on this as an exercise,” said Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis. “I thought (the Fusion) put forth a good effort. We realize it’s really early in what they’re trying to do.” The scoreline topped the Fusion’s 5-0 friendly defeat to powerful Everton of the English Premier League in July. Although that strong performance came with a full team on the heels of a long season. This disjointed display, almost three months before the beginning of the Premier Development League season, came with a skeleton squad that had come together for just two training sessions. “We were ill prepared, physically, individually and as a team,” said Fusion coach Graham Smith. “It’s not an excuse. It’s a fact. “But I’m not displeased with some performances.” The brightest Fusion player was goalkeeper Logan Frank, who sparkled in making his return after missing the final seven matches of last season with a shoulder injury. “I feel like I belong on teams like these,” said Frank of the MLS opposition. “I feel like I showed I can play.” As well as Frank, Smith also lauded right back Dustin Guerrero, uncovered in last month’s tryouts, and Santa Barbara City forward Mark Knight, who made an impact in the second half. Frank made two big saves in the early going before Salt Lake took a 13th minute lead on a nice goal from Findley. The former Galaxy player was found in space at the top of the penalty area and drove a low shot off the base of the far, left post and in. Twenty minutes later, a ball over the top put Findlay alone on goal but Frank got down well to save the breakaway. Real Salt Lake took a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Moments after Nunez's attempt from the penalty spot was foiled by a diving Frank, Nunez deflected Javier Morales' driven cross through traffic into the Fusion goal. The Fusion started with Frank in goal; Richie Alcaraz, Dillon Barna, Alejandro Carmona and Dustin Guerrero at the back; Ben Murrel, Michael Farfan, Gabriel Gonzalez and Varden Adzemian in midfield; and Gabriel Farfan and Hagop Chirishian up front. Real Salt Lake started with Nick Rimando in goal; Ian Joy, Ritchie Kotschau, Dave Horst and Chris Lancos at the back; Nate Sturgis, Dusan Simic, Salim Bullen and Javier Morales in midfield; and Robbie Findley and Nunez up front. The Fusion’s game program listed the team as missing 11 players from the roster that will open up Premier Development League play May 2 against the Bakersfield Bridgade. Nine are college players who will join the team when NCAA regulations allow them on May 2 — Jason Leopoldo and Brad Rusin of UCLA, Alfonso Motagalvan and Chris Pontius of UC Santa Barbara, Dylan Riley of Cal State Northridge, Brian Jones and Anton Pertlin of Cal Poly and Jean Alexandre and Lee Porter of Lynn University (Fla.). The other two are Englishmen Lee Stephens and Mark Draycott, who led the Fusion with 10 goals last year. Brazilian Henrique De Paula of Marshalltown (Iowa) Junior College, who was unlisted, is also expected to join the team. Draycott, who is currently playing with his local club, Swindon Supermarine, wasn’t expected to return. But that sentiment seems to be changing. “There’s a good chance,” said Fusion general manager Ranbir Shergill.
Wow. Thanks for the coverage - that was great. I think we all needed a bit of a fix, and this was good. To echo a previous question: Any thoughts on on trialists/draft picks/incoming transfers for Real? How was Joy, Nunez, Nimo, Horst, Beltran, Simic, Bullen? Any standout in that group? Of the "veterans" for RSL who stood out? I assume Movsisyan as he is a focal point of your article and had the 4 goals. Anybody else? Great work.
Joe Scribe! Said with enthusiasm, that user name alone sounds like a compliment. Or I could just be jonesing for Arrested Development and Steve Holt! Thanks Joe Scribe - Joe Scribe!