Years have gone by and I've finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football. I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: "A pretty move for the love of God."
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don't give a damn which team or country performs it.
Eduardo Galeano
Frank Hejduk, US National team member and currently a midfielder for Bayer Leverkusen, said that it "rains 8 or 9 months in Germany." He must have felt at home in Pittsburgh last night. Up to an hour or two before game time it rained. The weather report called for rain all day. Because of the rain or possibility of rain, only 2236 fans made the trek to Bethel Park stadium. Some 3500 tickets were pre-sold for a stadium that holds 5000.
Those that braved the elements saw good football. Full of pretty moves and crisp passing, rocket shots and great saves. The crowd cheered both teams equally. The fans of Pittsburgh know a "pretty move" when they see it.
Even though Bayer Leverkusen beat the Hounds by a score of 6 - 4 it does not matter. This was an exhibition game between one of the top teams in the world, and an A-league team from a working class town. The only A-league team to play Bayer on their brief tour of America. Bayer recently played D. C. United of MLS, defeating them 4 - 3, and will play Columbus on this coming Wednesday. After which they will return to Germany and start practice for the European Champions league.
Scoring started fast and furious, when Bayer's Bernd Schneider sidestepped four Hounds defenders on the top of the box to unleash a rocket off his left foot which T. J. Hannig, the Pittsburgh goalkeeper, waved at as it passed him. We were in the fifth minute of play.
Three minutes later Pittsburgh's Jamon Tripoli evened things up off a corner kick taken by defender David Wright.
In the 13th minute, Robson Ponte performed a tap dance with the ball and found the back of the net off a Thomas Brdaric cross. Ponte put on an offensive show and single handly taught the Pittsburgh defense what a great forward can do. Ponte managed to score one goal, have two assists and take 6 shots within 90 minutes of play. A minute after Ponte scored from a Brdaric cross, he returned the favor. Making a long pass from the back that Brdaric ran onto and tucked home. Coach Kai Haaskivi smiled when he talked about the level of play. "It was good to see the goals. If you give them any kind of room out there, they'll punish you. They don't need much space or time."
Pittsburgh however did not seem that much in awe, taking advantage of a defenders' mistake in the 17th minute, Welton stole the ball and had a brief breakaway. The finish however was lacking as the shot sailed high. The speed of Bayer's recovery on the play was amazing. Welton may have heard the footsteps and rushed his shot.
David Flavius showed his speed a few minutes later and surprised the Bayer defenders; his cross to Welton resulted in Welton putting the ball over the goal. I can not make an excuse for Welton on that one. The cross was dead on.
Scoring in the first half ended when Phil Karn played a beautiful cross from Andrew Gregor into a goal. Credit should be given to John Jones who made the play happen with some really lovely dribbling up the touchline. Beating two Bayer defenders in the process before a dead on cross to Gregor. I'm not exaggerating when I say it was the best work the Hounds have done so far this year. It was only the 24th minute of play, and already five goals had been scored.
After Karns' goal the play settled down a little bit. In the 35th minute Hannig saved a shot by Bayer's Brdaric. Ponte picked the pocket of a Hound defender but his shot went wide. In the closing seconds of the 41st minute, a cross from Gary DePalma found the head of Alfredo Ulloa who was able to get the ball past Maurice Gillen, Goalie for Bayer, but also past the net. It bounced wide.
At the end of the first half, Pittsburgh had seven shots to Bayer's eleven. Both teams were offside three times. Pittsburgh only trailed by a goal.
Two minutes after the half time break T J Hannig made a good save off a Bayer shot. But he was unable to do anything about the goal that was scored three minutes later. Hejduk scored from about seven yards out after a Bayer forward made a neat little dummy move that sucked the Hounds defense in. It was a world class goal.
A minute later Pittsburgh answered with a world class effort of their own. Alfredo put the ball away after receiving a dead on pass from Michael Apple, who made is first appearance of the season. Alfredo teamed up with Gary DePalma roughly seven minutes later to put on a passing exhibition. Quick and precise passes between the two lead to Alfredo nearly getting a shot on goal. The last touch however was just a little bit too hard and squirted away from Alfredo.
Apple, who has been on injured reserve most of the season, showed his ability in the 66th minute, when his curving dipping shot surprised Bayer's goaltender Maurice Gillen and found the side netting. Apple showed no signs of the injury that has been plaguing him all season. Ed Child got the assist.
In the 73rd minute, Bayer scored their fifth goal of the game. Midfielder Ersin Demir tucked the ball under a sprawling T. J. Hannig, who originally made a great save on a rocket of a shot by Thomas Drdaric. Unsure if Demir was onside, the referee, Rich Grady had to confirm with his assistant referee. The assistant confirmed that Demir was onside.
Bayer was not done with the scoring. Levererkusen's last goal of the evening came in the 84th minute when Bernd Schneoker trucked down the touchline and placed his shot high into the side netting. Hannig may have gotten a hand on the shot.
Pittsburgh's last effort came in the 90th minute of play. Defender Michael Green found himself about twelve yards out from goal and made a sliding shot towards the net. Gillen stood tall and made the save.
NOTES:
· This was the first ever international match played by the Hounds
· Both teams agreed to unlimited subs, due to the fact that Pittsburgh plays Hershey on Monday, May 28 at Bethel Park Stadium
