Fans of the Calgary Storm have endured a tough season with very few
occasions to cheer
their club. The team’s first and only victory occurred 85 days ago on
May 4. To put the
length of time passed in perspective, consider this example: the World
Cup was almost a
full month away from starting when the Storm last won a match.
Today the side finally ended their 18-game winless streak in spectacular
fashion by
dominating the Indiana Blast and coming away with a 3-0 victory. The
faithful
assembled at Foothills Park easily saw the Storm’s best performance of
the year. The
club scored more goals than ever before, and two of them were
superlative efforts. The
Calgary lads also secured their first 5 point victory.
Calgary’s assault began early when new forward Brett Bachelu’s shot in
the opening
moments hit the side of the net. In the ninth minute, Storm midfielder
Kurt Bosch put
another quality through ball to Bachelu, who shot it over the far.
Moments later, Indiana had an excellent opportunity on a quick throw-n
that caught the
Storm defense off guard. However, Blast forward Moussa Dagnogo’s shot
went right
into the arms of Calgary keeper Wojtek Zarzycki.
In the 25th minute, Martin Dugas of the Storm made a great run down the
middle of the
pitch. Neither he or Bachelu could put it past Blast keeper Mark
Spears. Dugas also
made a long pass in the 29th minute to Nicholas Zuniga, who crossed it
to Conrad Chala,
who chipped it high over the net.
The Blast’s next opportunity occurred in the 34th minute when Eric Rue
crossed the ball
in to DiGuardi, but Zarzycki made a quality chest save
The 38th minute saw Zuniga launch a rocket from 20 yards out that Spears
brilliantly
punched over the bar, saving a sure goal.
A minute later, Blast midfielder Myron Vaughn blew past Calgary defender
Liam
DeSilva and had a clear path to goal, but Zarzycki came off his line to
make a great save.
In the dying moments of the half, Bachelu seemed destined to put the
Storm in front when
he went in on a clear breakaway from just past midfield. However,
Spears made another
quality stop.
The Blast had one more chance before the half, but Dagnogo’s shot was
saved by a diving
Zarzycki.
The second half began with a change of tactics for the Storm. Hilaire
Kamden, a
Cameroonian making his first appearance for the Storm, moved up to
become Bachelu’s
strike partner. This move worked to great effect for the club.
After a few quiet minutes to start the half, the Storm intensified their
attack. In the 53rd
minute, Dugas ended his run with a shot that hit the post. Bachelu
collected the rebound
but Spears made an unbelievable save at close range. Kamden shot the
resulting rebound
over the bar. Shortly afterward, Kamden crossed a ball into Chala, who
headed it high
over the net.
In the 63rd minute, Bachelu and Kamden broke to the net together, but
Bachelu’s shot
and Kamden’s rebound were both stopped by Spears.
Finally the Storm hit the scoresheet in the 67th minute when Kurt Bosch
scored a
world-class goal on a spectacular bicycle kick from about 20 yards out.
This was easily
the best goal scored at Foothills Park this season.
The Storm continued to pressure the Blast. In the 75th minute, Kamden
crossed another
ball to Chala that was not converted.
The Blast had a chance to tie in the 79th minute, but DiGuardi’s shot
from the left side
was deflected away by Zarzycki.
In the 80th minute, the Storm’s supporters were rewarded with another
brilliant goal.
Jamie Auvigne’s cracker from 30 yards out blew past a stunned Spears to
put Calgary
ahead by two.
The final ten minutes were controlled by the Storm, with their players
buzzing around the
Blast’s penalty area like a swarm of hornets. In the 87th minute,
Kamden crossed a ball
in to Bachelu on the left side, but he put it off the right post. The
rebound went to
Kamden, who capped a brilliant debut with an easy goal past an
out-of-position Spears.
The last moments ticked away, and the Storm finally ended their winning
drought with a
3-0 victory.
Lineups:
Calgary: Zarzycki, Sestito, Gillespie, DeSilva, Dugas, Pesznecker,
(Kamden 34),
Auvigne, Chala, Bosch, Zuniga, Bachelu
Indiana: Spears, Less, Rue (Descombes 45), Ihekoronye, Sweet, DiGuardi,
Ottesen,
Camarena, Tenoff, Dagnogo, Vaughn
Goals:
Calgary: Bosch (67th), Auvigne (80th), Kamden (87th)
Indiana: none
Cautions:
Calgary: none
Indiana: none
Attendance: N/A (estimate 1700)
Weather: 25 C (80 F)
STORM WARNINGS:
There were several Storm regulars absent for this match. Damir Jesic
sat with a
suspension. Mark McKenna and Mike Pavicic remained sidelined with
injuries
Chris Lemire and Waldo Dutra were training with Canada’s U20 club. Nik
Ledgerwood
was playing for the province of Alberta in the Canadian U17
championships.
Ledgerwood will be home in time for the club’s next game on Tuesday.
Joining him on
the roster will be 16-year-old phenom Ryan Gyaki, who is also at the
nationals. Gyaki
played with the PDL side this season and is considered one of the top
prospect in the
Storm organization...
Wojtek Zarzycki leaves the Storm with his first
clean sheet in his six
game tour of duty. He now returns to the Hamilton Thunder of the
Canadian Professional
Soccer League...
Four players made their debut with the club today.
Kamden, Bachelu,
and C.J. Pesznecker all played for the PDL side this year. Gyaki and
Phil Amahazion are
other PDL grads expected to see A-League action this season. Dugas, the
fourth
newcomer, is a 30-year-old veteran of the soccer scene, spending time in
Holland and the
A-League with Toronto, Hershey, Staten Island, and Montreal. Last
winter he played
indoor soccer with the Milwaukee Wave. He’s not exactly a stranger to
Alberta where he
was a regular on the NPSL Edmonton Drillers throughout their
existence...
Several new
players are expected to arrive shortly from Europe. Among them is head
coach Tommy
Wheeldon’s son, Tommy Wheeldon Jr. Also expected is Irish goalkeeper
Allan Flanagan
and English midfielder Shawn Wimble...The Storm’s next match is at
Foothills Park on
Tuesday at 6:30 against the Toronto Lynx. This match has special
significance because it
counts in the Voyageurs Cup standings. The Voyageurs Cup is an
initiative started by
Canadian soccer fans to reward the Canadian A-League side with the best
record between
themselves. For more information, check out www.voyageurscup.ca.
