LHQT Round 2

http://events.gotsport.com/events/results.aspx?EventID=47634&Gender=Girls&Age=14

Texans South
NTFC Black
Odyssey
Texas Spirit North Red

Fort Worth Red
Mansfield Revolution
FCUSA
FCD Red

I watched the NTFC v FWFC game although I am a Spirit fan.  I was not impressed.  NT played their usual kick ball but interestingly without the MMA aspect they usually bring to the pitch. Older ref was putting up with very little nonsense.  FW either played down a level or did not care about the result as they did not look like their usual selves.  OTOH, Spirit has added several strong players.  They are a better team than the team that entered PPL  D1 this last year.  I think they have what it takes to best NT but not FW or the Texans.   My guess is:

FWFC
Texans South
Spirit
NTFC

Only 3 teams qualify (not 4) as LH has allowed Lighning white (using Ghost players) and Cosmos (using younger girls) to field a team and keep the club bye.

Don't believe me- try finding #8 on Lightning and try bringing a bunch of candy to Cosmos games without being candy-robbed!

Rumor is that Sydney Leroux coaching one of the teams as her bench time has allowed her extra time to coach...

FCUSA BABY!!!!!!

How great would that be to have Leroux as your coach. Agree with the sentiment Pedro. First post on the forums by the way. Very entertaining reads here.

Oh I so want to post the 3 teams that I think would get out based on the play I saw this weekend. But i am not going to but I will add some colour. I did say I am pulling for Spiriting and Mansfield I am kind of shocked they were not on the top 4 of anyone's list even thought there are only 3 spots.

If you break it down Fort Worth ( President's cup winner, winner of Arlington, winner of last few tournaments) looks like a good pick as well if your into picking games.

With a 9:30 AM game and 15 minutes of play time followed by a 5 minute water break and a 10 minute half. Mansfield should be strong enough to get good points but the game against Fort Worth Sunday Morning should be a great one. I see the A brackets as more evenly matched sides. ( Sorry FCUSA fans and FCD Red) I like both coaches and it's soccer so anything can happen but I wouldn't be me if I didn't call it like I see it.

In bracket A. A lot depends on the health of a certain player. If she is healthy to go it changes that team significantly. If not it is going to be a wild and crazy ride.

Best of luck to all the teams playing this weekend drink a lot of water, keep the games clean and hug a ref when he/she blows an obvious call. It's not as easy as it looks....

FWFC took it to FCD Red 3-0 in round 1, and now they play again in round 2.

Thus, FWFC is a favorite IMO. North Texas black was tough in PPL last year but not seen them play.

Don't know about the other teams.

Like you said, 25 min games don't really give the teams much time to work with.

Interesting game this morning. This is a big game for both teams. The GF difference will play a big part in the winner of Bracket A. NTFC has 2. Spirit has 5. Looks like if Spirit wins this game, they will win bracket A based on goals. Am I seeing that right? If Spirit loses it looks like Mansfield will take the third spot based on their points and a tie. Spirit has everything to lose which may make them a dangerous team.

FC Dallas Red had a nice showing for a team who's first game together was in this tournament against FWFC! Congrats to the teams that advanced.

helvetii wrote:I watched the NTFC v FWFC game although I am a Spirit fan.  I was not impressed.  NT played their usual kick ball but interestingly without the MMA aspect they usually bring to the pitch. Older ref was putting up with very little nonsense.  FW either played down a level or did not care about the result as they did not look like their usual selves.  OTOH, Spirit has added several strong players.  They are a better team than the team that entered PPL  D1 this last year.  I think they have what it takes to best NT but not FW or the Texans.   My guess is:

FWFC
Texans South
Spirit
NTFC

It sounds like the ref didn't allow each team to play their normal game. You have a different ref, you likely would have had a different result. Sometimes the ability to knock the stuffing out of someone can win you a game. Sometimes you have to play soccer. Rest assured, both will be back to form when they get to league play.

Worth noting that #Mansfield13 probably had the 3rd spot locked up leading FCD 3-0 in second half (max 10 points). But they gave up 3 second half goals and tied.

DallasMessi wrote:Worth noting that #Mansfield13 probably had the 3rd spot locked up leading FCD 3-0 in second half (max 10 points).  But they gave up 3 second half goals and tied.

I heard that there were complaints to LH about them only having 13 "true" players. In order for LH to not have to deal with the issue, they instructed the refs to make sure Mansfield did not advance.

Mansfield lost their composure during the 2nd half of the game against FCD Red and fell apart.  The girls were screaming at each other on the field.  

I seriously doubt the LHGCL would instruct the refs to make sure that Mansfield didn't advance.

How would the ref be able to allow 3 goals. I saw one pk kick given in the 2nd half to fcd. I was trying to watch 2 games at once so did not catch the infraction.

complaints yes, but no way the refs deciding a game.

LH added this to their rule sheet:

In the unlikely event there is a question regarding admissibility of a team or teams into the league,
the LHGCL Executive Board has the absolute authority to decide on the question. No appeal of the decision is
allowed.

Haters gonna hate. The #Mansfield13 were easily a better team in this Tournament. Yes there was a lapse in a game (one game) and didn't advance. Kinda hard to imagine, they never trailed in this tournament, until the last game (lost 1-0) on a fluke goal and very physical game that was not officiated well. @DallasMessi - Move on. Get over it. Get another hobby.

Mansfield fell apart in the second half of the FCD game. Player called for the foul in the box giving the PK was screaming at the ref. FCD to advantage

Mansfield came out strong in the FWFC game. All FWFC needed was one goal (one point) to guarantee at least the wild card spot into LH. They scored on their second possession. Mansfield fought hard but they looked very worn out in the second half.

Congrats to DTS, they needed a lot to go right on Sunday for them to get in and it all worked out for them.

Not sure the LH qualifier format produced the best wild card team.

I gotta think Mansfield & FCD Red are just as good.

DT may have gotten a better second round draw....

What's the definition of a fluke goal? Wind blow it into the back of the net? Game was one of the best I was able to watch over the weekend. Physical game? yes. Most the calls went man revs way. They somehow avoided a red in the 2nd half with a nasty tackle. But still a fun game.

FWFC goal came off a hard shot that the keeper punched out and a FWFC cleaned it up by putting it in the net. That is not a fluke goal, that is a heads up offensive play. FWFC also had a break away late in the second have, forward beat the last defender and just outside the box the defender took out the forward. Should have been a red but only a yellow was given.

GoogleSoccer wrote:Not sure the LH qualifier format produced the best wild card team.

I gotta think Mansfield & FCD Red are just as good.  

DT may have gotten a better second round draw....

Maybe Mansfield but FCD Red squeaked in to the second round.  And they had the benefit of playing Andro Red and Odyssey in 1st Rd.
They lost to Odyssey who lost decisively to DT.

What's that I smell? I think it might be sour grapes.
Congratulations to all the teams who qualified for LH! All teams fought hard and will have to continue to "up" their game in striving to be the best.
I think someone posted about "proving it on the field", and I believe that's what happened this weekend.

FCD Red squeaked in because 6 other teams in round 1 didn't have enough squeak. I thought they look pretty good for a group that had a few practices and never played a game together until this tournament.

happyfeet wrote:FCD Red squeaked in because 6 other teams in round 1 didn't have enough squeak. I thought they look pretty good for a group that had a few practices and never played a game together until this tournament.

I'm not disagreeing with that.

But being "pretty good for a group" with some qualifications added doesn't equate to being good enough for LH.
That's a vastly different statement than your original comment about FCD being as good as DT South or Mansfield.
DT South beat a very good Spirit team as well as beating up an Odyssey team that had already beat FCD.

Not saying FCD isn't a good team. But the results don't support them being good enough to earn the WC.

That's a vastly different statement than your original comment about FCD being as good as DT South or Mansfield.
DT South beat a very good Spirit team as well as beating up an Odyssey team that had already beat FCD.  


That wasn't my comment.

I agree that DT played well and gets the WC they deserve. But who knows if FCD played DT they might have squeaked by again. Only time will tell.