Los Angeles Blues News Release -- www.bluessoccerclub.com
Sunday, May 1, 2011
FULLERTON, Calif. – The visiting Antigua Barracuda FC spoiled the party on Sunday night by taking all three points in the Los Angeles Blues’ 2011 USL PRO home opener. A first-half strike by Stefan Smith was enough for Tom Curtis’ side to earn a 1-0 win as the new International Division leaders prevailed behind courageous defending and dangerous breakaways by their three main attackers, Smith, Lawson Robinson and Peter Byers.
The first 15 minutes of the match saw a spirited affair, with the Blues pressing for the first goal and the visitors sitting back and looking for the occasional counter. One of those counters nearly put the ‘Cudas on the board in the fifth minute of play, Orlando Mitchum sprinting into the box and centering a pass to Robinson, whose low effort was saved by Blues goalkeeper Oscar Dautt.
The hosts very nearly scored on the other end at the quarter-hour mark. Chukwudi Chijindu swung in a corner kick from the right that sailed past everyone and found a wide open Erlys Garcia. The defender missed an absolute sitter as he sent the ball wide from about five yards out. However, the Blues would not be discouraged and created another chance just two minutes later, Edwin Miranda finding a streaking Colic on the right only to see the Serbian fire just high from inside the penalty area.
The home side would keep dictating the tempo and nearly got on the board in the 20th minute. Josh Tudela lobbed the ball to Jhonatan Bravo, who took it down beautifully on his chest and fired a rocket off the crossbar. Even with all the chances for the home side, Antigua continued to transition into the attack quickly whenever they won possession and executed beautifully on a 24th minute counter-attack to get on the score sheet first and stun the home crowd.
A streaking Byers found himself all alone in the penalty area and tried to round the goalkeeper, allowing Blues defender Leonard Griffin to recover and poke the ball away. However, it fell straight to the feet of Robinson, who tested Dautt with a wicked far-post shot. The Blues netminder came up with a nice reaction save, but the rebound was met by Smith at the doorstep, and the striker tucked it away for an easy finish and his third of the campaign.
The goal took some of the wind out of the Blues attack, as it took them until the 39th minute to create their next opportunity. Akeem Priestley found Bravo with a wonderfully threaded through ball that put the midfielder in one on one with Antigua goalkeeper Keita Decastro. Instead of taking a shot from close range, Bravo attempted to lay the ball off to Colic in the center, but the Croatian was unable to make full contact and his attempt from 10 yards trickled wide of the right post.
The home side nearly found themselves two goals down five minutes later. Defender Nelson Akwari fumbled the ball to Antigua’s Lawson Robinson just inside the area but was rescued by his captain Josh Tudela, who slid in to deflect Robinson’s low cross and deny Byers a wide open attempt. The remainder of the half belonged entirely to the visitors, who created two more huge chances to double the lead in stoppage time.
First Byers found a streaking Smith with a long ball over the top and the 21-year-old fired into the side netting from a promising position inside the area. Then Byers saw his own rocket from just inside the box whistle wide for a near miss.
The second half started the way the first had ended, with the ‘Cudas nearly extending their advantage. Byers found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper following another soft giveaway by Akwari, but Dautt did a fantastic job of cutting down the angle and blocking the striker’s attempt. Los Angeles then finally upped the tempo around the hour mark, as Antigua increasingly bunkered in and tried to defend the one-goal lead.
In the 59th minute, the Blues’ Akeem Priestley displayed fantastic foot skills deep inside the area but couldn’t keep his hard shot on frame after dribbling around two Antigua defenders. Edwin Miranda had another opportunity for the home side, his dangerous long-range effort sending Decastro low to his right to parry the ball wide for a corner.
The Blues’ desperate efforts to find an equalizer picked up even more steam after Antigua’s Randolph Burton picked up his second yellow card for a hard foul in midfield in the 77th minute. However, the visitors got some relief from Byers, who proved a handful once more in the 83rd minute, blasting just wide from long range. The night would finish on a golden chance for the Blues. Just minutes from the final whistle, Mike Randolph and Bravo exchanged some nice short passes to free up substitute Adriano de Lima in the area, but the Brazilian shot wide from very close range for the game’s final agonizing Blues miss.
The Blues will have a chance to redeem themselves in their May 12 home game at Centennial High School’s Husky Stadium in Corona, Calif. (7.30 p.m. PST). Meanwhile, Antigua Barracuda FC will look to extend their four-game winning streak when they welcome River Plate Puerto Rico to Sticky Wicket Stadium on Friday, May 6.