WIN: 2-1 vs CC United: No Keeper No Problem
Another week, another win for Cameron Road United in this successful 2024 Summer Campaign. This week Cameron Road took on cross town rivals CC United, always a tough opponent. With 6 subs, Badgertown was, once again, filled to the brim with quality soccering talent to throw at the short handed CC United, who had to rely on Chopped Liverpool’s keeper to field a full 11.
The Honey Badgers have three available keepers, but none were present today to nestle between the pipes, so up stepped Jefe who took the bullet for the team and stood tall firm in goal. Maybe too firm as Pete’s 20 yard back pass took a lazy stroll to the back post where Jefe would surely gather up and…. wait….. no….. not gonna touch it……
1-0 CC in what would prove to be their only offensive threat of the day.
Minus that small hiccup, it was all yellow on the attack as they sent in waves of forwards and midfielders in attack as CC provided f-all going going forward. The Honey Badgers were looking to get back into the game, but it was only a matter of time. On the sidelines, Chappy predicted 3-1, but Ciro preferred a bolder margin with a 4-1 prediction.
With lots of good play and passing, the Honey Badgers got close to their opening goal as balls were sent in across the box, but the finishing touch just wasn’t there… yet.
Oranges and no panic as the Badgers were down a goal, but already CC was showing signs of wearing down as they lost a player.
The second half picked up where the first one left off with the boys in yellow looking to right the ship. Mark was his usual handful, Andrew was looking lively, Gianluca was literally covering every blade of grass, but it was lil’D who turned things around as a defender carelessly passed a ball right into his path in the center of goal which he promptly buried to tie it up at 1-1.
After tying the score, there was no way back for CC United, who gave Jefe little to do at the back except try to stay cool as his stank-filled gloves compounded his ability to stay cool on a hot, muggy, sunny day.
The Badgers were on the move, and the chances started coming. Adam had a good one, but Gianluca worked his tail off to get the ball to Andrew in the middle of the box. Andy gathered it up with his back to goal, spun and went full Ruud Van Nistelrooy as he gave the keeper no chance as he roofed the winner to make it 2-1.
Not done yet, Mark and his boundless stores of energy pounced on a lose ball, drove at goal from the right and hit a wicked shot with the outside of his boot that surely was going in…. only it smashed off the inside of the post and somehow spun back out into play. So close!
Conor could have made Chappy’s prediction come true with a glorious chance from inside the box near the end of the game, but his sliding shot sailed towards the sky.
In the end, the Honey Badgers enjoyed a very ho-hum 2-1 victory in which they controlled the entire game. Well done from the best Summer Season Crew every assembled!
Man-of-the-Match: When there are 3 keepers on the books, but none of them are available, and you step up…. well, that earns you MOTM. Well done Jefe. Your first half “frozen Biden” moment is forgiven.
Post-Match-Report: Ciro was rained upon with his own jug full of sports drink by his usual nemesis, who later employed his Spiritual Shamen to perform the first “pickling” of his Captain. Manual also got a rather violent icing. There was a reenactment of Pete and Jefe’s first half comedy routine the dance tunes were pumping, and Ciro’s oxtail empanadas were a culinary hit.
