When the swedish 1st division side Boden's americans signed with MLS clubs rather than returning and Ludvika got relegated to the 3rd division, I tought I could give the YA's a rest this year. Then suddenly, just before the season opener, Ytterby IS, a 3rd division side from a town north of Göteborg, announced that three americans had joined the team: Nate Kolano, Mark Oehlman and Gregg Schroeder. Kolano and Oehlman played for Ludvika last season and I think it's a reasonable guess that Schroeder is yet another Westmont College alumni. This deal seems, just like the Ludvika deals, to have been made through a Westmont soccer coach's friends and relations in Sweden. So, for the selected connoisseurs among you The past weekend Ytterby IS went on the road to IFK Trollhättan in the season opener and took a slightly surprising 3 to 1 win in front of not quite 100 in the crowd. Gregg Schroeder took the corner kick that set up the second goal, scored the third himself and was named man of the match. The club's match report called Oehlman, a forward, "unpredictable", which in swedish football usually is a good thing, and Kolano "hardworking" in the midfield. All in all they seem pretty pleased with their yankee reinforcements. If they keep up the reporting I think I will too.
Ytterby had their home opener today, played Lärje-Angered in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 225. They were 0-2 down in the mid of the second half, but after Mark Oehlman started scoring for the home side they got a 3-2 lead in 15 minutes. Only to see Lärje-Angered equalize minutes before time. Still, after two games they are 2nd in the league, promotion position!
Thanks for the news. I'm interested in following how these Yanks perform for Ytterby IS so please keep the news coming. I have no other way to track the team. Do you know any other way. Regretfully, I don't read Swedish. Thanks again.
I got my eyes on a more detailed match report: Mark Oehlman's goal was probably from an offside position (but since nobody blew the whistle...) and he also made the assist to the 3-2 goal. Gregg Schroeder assisted the 2-2 goal with a corner kick. In spite of all this Nate Kolano was the best of the americans in an overall great team effort. Ytterby is surprising the fans with a more entertaining game and better attacking play than last year and the americans are blending better and better into the team.
This is great stuff, Dandal. Giving us info that we could only get by reading Swedish is a really good addition to this board.
Ytterby played at home friday night, hosting Lundby. First half a disaster, 0-2 at half time with only a Mark Oehlman header just outside the goal to show. Some changes in the midfield from Ytterby turned events and Mark headed inside the goal after only four minutes, on a Gregg Schroeder cross. The next 20 minutes there are several Ytterby attacks and finally another Gregg Schroeder pass results in the 2-2 goal, also the final result. Oehlman and Schroeder are as you can see involved in most Ytterby goals and Nate Kolano is "working copiously" and "is a very intelligent player". Ytterby on 3rd place after three matches, promotion position (even if it's a bit early to speculate in that).
Would have been fun if that was the case. But the Ytterby known to scientists is located in eastern Sweden, not far from Stockholm, while the Ytterby known to YA fans is in the west, not far from Sweden's second largest city, Göteborg. Ytterby literally means "Outer village", and there are a few. In the case of our Ytterby it is an outer village in relation to the medieval fortified town of Kungälv.
I'm having great fun reading about these American Yanks at Ytterby. Please keep the news and game reports coming.
Ytterby went to Finlandia/Pallo last friday, anticipating a not to strong opposition (F/P were 0-2-1 after the first 3 matches with only 1 single goal scored). But Finlandia/Pallo were better at everything while Ytterby were mostly slow and unfocused and went home defeated 3-0. Schroeder and Oehlman mentioned for missed scoring opportunities, but I guess Kolano also played. The match report on Ytterby's website finished with a request to the players to get their act together and shape up!
I understand Ytterby IS is in the tank. Whatever happened to the Yanks Oehlman, Kolano, and Schroeder?
I'm sorry, this thread has kinda slipped my mind. So, a big recap of the events of the last month or so. May 12. Ytterby hosted Inland at home. Ytterby has a pretty thin squad, and with injuries and one of their more important players suspended (red card in the last match) they had to take a look at the junior team for replacements. Ytterby still dominated against the relegation zone team, but had big problems converting opportunities (Oehlman and Schroeder creating several of these) to goals. Ytterby took the lead on a penalty kick after Mark Oehlman was brought down, but Inland manages do equlize with just minutes left. 1-1. May 21 was at Velebit, a much better team than Inland and a draw from the away game would have satisfied. It became a hard fought match on a wet and heavy pitch. Gregg Schroeder equalized Velebit's lead in the first half and Ytterby took the lead in the 66th as a Velebit defender put it in his own goal, trying to clear a cross/shot from Schroeder. But Velebit equalised shortly efter and in the 89th the scored the winner. 2-3. Not a win since the season opener and the club sliding down the table - something had to be done. Ytterby did what football clubs do and found themselves a new coach. Grebbestad at home on May 27 ended 2-2. Ytterby played well and Mark Oehlman gave the team the lead both 1-0 and 2-1, but, as we've seen before, with only minutes left to play Grebbestad scored and equalized. Kongahälla are the local rivals and hosted the first derby for the season June 3. Ytterby, still injury-ridden, showed up with 7 of their 16 man squad 19 years old or younger. Still Ytterby managed to dominate great lengths with Nate Kolano important in midfield. But Kongahälla scored off a second half cornerkick and Ytterby had to return home with a 1-0 defeat. So, at last, in the 9th round Ytterby managed to bring home their second win, 1-0 at home against Lunden. Lots of opportunities, especially from Oehlman, but the match wasn't decided until the last minutes. In round 10, June 17, Ytterby played Slottsskogen/Gudhem away. Ytterby dominated, Oehlman with many scoring opportunities and Kolano the creative hub at midfield. Everything worked, except scoring. Slottsskogen/Gudhem scored on a counter and won 1-0. The halfway mark was yesterday, when Ytterby hosted Åsebro. And finally the scoring worked. Mark Oehlman scored 2-0 (with Schroeder assisting) and 3-0 and Nate Kolano took the corner kick that gave 5-0 before Åsebro got a late consolation goal. Gregg Schroeder played the first half and then jumped into a car that got him to the airpost just in time for his flight to USA. The league now takes a month long break (this is amateur football and the guys need their summer vacation) and Ytterby playes their next match July 31. They will be spending it at 7th place, just 1 point from relegation zone, but on the other hand only 4 from promotion play-off. Mark Oehlman has started all 11 matches, Gregg Scroeder and Nate Kolano 10. Oehlman is with 6 goals the teams best goalscorer and Schroeder (3 goals) has the lead in assists, 4.
The autumn half of the series started this weekend, Ytterby playing the same Åsebro they defeated a month ago. But it doesn't seem like Ytterby has benefited from the recess - they lost 4-0 and their play is described as nervous, tired and sloppy. Can't tell if Kolano et al played or not, since Ytterby hasn't updated the player information. But I presume they did since at least Kolano and Schroeder played in a warm-up game a week ago.