Los Angeles Blues News Release -- www.labluesprosoccer.com
Monday, April 2, 2012
CARSON, Calif. – The Los Angeles Blues registered a convincing 5-1 win against the U.S. U-18 national team on Saturday. Park Cheunyong led a dominant attacking performance by the USL PRO side, bagging his second brace in as many matches while adding a pair of assists on tallies by Chad Bond and Brian Farber. Israel Sesay also scored for the Blues, while Marco Delgado had the only goal for the U.S. prospects.
The Blues had their first dangerous look in the 16th minute, Sesay letting the ball get away from him on what could have been a one-on-one with goalkeeper Zack Steffan following a well-threaded pass by Luis Gonzalez. The 21-year-old Sesay would redeem himself two minutes later, as he ran on to a through ball by Farber and calmly slotted past the helpless Steffan for the day’s opening goal.
The Fullerton-based side could have added a second just before the half-hour mark, Sesay causing havoc in the U.S. backline once again. The agile Blues attacker received the ball from Farber, who had displayed great skill at the top of the box by taking down a pinpoint accurate long ball by Gonzalez and laying it off to Sesay on the left. The latter cut to his right and released a curling effort that sailed just over the crossbar.
Gonzalez would be involved in the action again in the 37th minute, picking up an assist as he released Park with a beautiful one-touch through ball. In all by himself, the South Korean beat Steffan with a determined finish to make it 2-0.
The Blues could have added another five minutes from halftime. Sesay dribbled his way past several defenders to put himself in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, whose unsuccessful lunge for the ball had the attacker going down in the box and adamantly appealing for a penalty kick.
Head Coach Charlie Naimo’s men continued attacking after the break, Park being released by a Farber through ball and rounding netminder Alex Bono, who had come on to replace Steffan for the second period. Too far wide to slot into the open net, Park tried to pick out Farber in the center and saw the ball fall to the feet of Sesay, whose failure to make full contact on his shot gave Bono a chance to recover for a diving stop.
The young U.S. players would pull one back moments from the hour mark, a giveaway by Blues defender Matt Hall allowing Philadelphia Union midfielder Zach Pfeffer to set up Delgado for a confident finish. Visibly energized by the goal, Delgado could have added another moments later, as goalkeeper Amir Abedzadeh had to leave his feet to keep out the 16-year-old’s snap-header from close range.
The USL PRO side subsequently regained control of the match and made it 3-1 in the 65th minute. Park muscled off a defender on the left and took the ball all the way to the by-line, from where he used the outside of his right foot to send it whizzing across the goalmouth. The pass turned out a perfect one by the 23-year-old, as it found the foot of a streaking Chad Bond, who slammed home from close range.
Sesay nearly made it four in the 73rd minute, displaying great skills in the box to pop the ball up to himself on a cross in from the right and using his second touch to redirect it on frame. The shot seemed goal-bound until it was touched around the post by a scrambling Bono.
The Blues would not be denied moments after Sesay’s look. Trialist Omar Jesseh whipped in a dangerous ball that was intelligently headed on inside the box by Erlys Garcia to a wide open Park, who side-footed it inside the near post for his second of the match.
Rather than rest on his laurels, Park recorded another assist a mere minute later to help round out the day’s scoreline, as he muscled off a defender on the left and sent a pinpoint accurate cross into the area that was beautifully controlled by Farber. With a defender on his back and facing away from goal, the former Portland Timbers man managed to turn and hit a precise right-footed shot inside the far post to make it 5-1.
Sesay could have added another on a Park layoff five minutes from full time, but his right-footed shot from close range went just wide of the near post.
The Blues’ attacking performance on the day should have fans excited for their April 14 home opener against traditional USL PRO power Rochester Rhinos at Fullerton’s Titan Stadium. The match is set to kick off at 7.30 p.m. PT and will feature plenty of pregame, halftime and postgame festivities. Tickets start at $10 and may be purchased by visiting www.labluesprosoccer.com or calling 714-738-8011.