LOSS: 2-1 vs Mean-Eyed-Cat – The 2-1 Curse Strikes Again!

The dreaded 2-1 loss stakes again! What is it with the Honey Badgers and a 2-1 scoreline? This is the 6th out of 8 games played this season already. Unfortunately, Cameron Road was on the wrong end of it yesterday as they fell to Mean-Eyed-Cat in the dying light of the sun.

Everyone was stoked to see the game moved from NEMP to Onion Creek, but a unique 6pm start time had everyone a bit out of sorts. What was the appropriate time to stop day drinking? Will we need a tent? Who would show up? Why was it already a thousand degrees at the start of the game?

Luckily most of those questions got answered as the team assembled. 3 subs made for a good sideline, and Jeff Z’s family tent provide extra shade that the rocks and trees didn’t.

The Honey Badgers had a full complement of defenders this week, as Big Dave, Guillermo and Chris G were back in action. Ciro and Peterson were also back to help Miguel and Schwarzy in central midfield, although Ciro found himself with a lot of playing time on the wings.

The Honey Badgers were having a hard time finding their footing in the game early on as the defended against Mean Eyed Cat. However Gianluca did have an early close range pop at goal as Derek slid him a ball, but he must not have been used to his new white boots yet as his left foot shot fizzled out with a whimper.

With a bit of a breakdown, Mean Eyed Cat scored a nice headed goal from the back post to take a 1-0 lead at the water break.

The Honey Badgers were under more pressure than they would have liked during the first half, but managed to get to halftime being only one goal down in the oppressive texas sunshine.

With no Adam or oranges on the day, Chappy backfilled the need for fruit with some tasty watermelon slices.

The Badgers started off the second half better, but Mean Eyed Cat weren’t going away. But with a flick of the new white boots, Gianluca tied up the score with a trademark low, driving shot to the far corner.

With the score all tied up, it was shaping up to be a fight to the finish.

But speaking of new boots, Big Dave may need some with 5″ studs so nothing will escape his attempted traps as one got by him and a Mean Eyed Cat break was on. Damn those guys as the netted a second just before the water break.

After the final water break, in typical Cameron Road fashion, it was all Honey Badgers for the final 25 minutes and there are Congressional Committees being formed (on both sides) to try and determine how exactly it was they didn’t score their 2nd goal.

There were chances galore. Gianluca nailed a corner kick which sailed just over the bar. Chappy had two attempts: The first an excellent cross from Ciro that caught him in “no man’s land” between a header and a flick. He accomplished neither as Jefe screamed from the sideline to just use his damn head. They Pete found him on the left of the box but Chappy’s shot just went over the bar as well.

Speaking of Pete, he smashed a nice shot that went just to the right of the post. And as the game was dying down, Miguel tried to curl one into the back corner, but didn’t get enough on it to move past the keeper.

The biggest chance, and one that came with much controversy, was when Cameron Road set Gianluca lose on a breakaway as the keeper was way way out of the 18 yard box. Gianluca tried to round the keeper, who surely seemed to foul him and take him down, but without a linesman to lean on, the referee didn’t call anything.

Too bad that Cameron Road didn’t find that same momentum they had in the final quarter of the game earlier, or it might have gone a different way.

Man-of-the-Match: Well, Guillermo called his shot here. After Gianluca’s non-call by the referee, he got a little hot at the ref, but managed to administer some self control to reel back in his tirade. He said he deserved MOTM for such a display of mental growth, so who are we to deny him?

Post-Game-Report: Strange to end the game at 8pm, but it was a nice way to spend an evening. Jefe iced Chappy through 3 separate shirts. Ciro got lemon-iced. The tiny p/k shootout was on. It was a good time.