Day 10 - Dreaded Penalty Kicks...Again

G'day SC Bayern fans!
   
Today we spent our last day here in Northern Ireland taking a tour of some of the incredible sights this country has to offer.  We woke up bright and early for a quick breakfast, and then made our way to one of the natural wonders of the world, The Giant's Causeway.  Most of the boys and even some of the chaperones had never heard of such a place, but were delighted anyway at the thought of touring the incredible Irish countryside. 
   
On our way there we were greatly amused by the beautiful rolling, wild, green hills of farmland, with its stone hedges separating properties from each other, and spotted with different kinds of farm animals.  As we headed up north we could see into the far distance land protruding from somewhere on the sea, and incredibly enough it was Scotland!  Nobody realized how close we really were to the Scots, and all the boys crowded by the windows to take photos of the nearby nation. 
   
Our bus driver also made a stop to venture out to Dunluce Castle.  It is a castle from medieval times that is located on the Antrim coast, which currently has been reduced to impressive remains that are set over the Irish cliffs that overlook the Irish Sea/North Atlantic Ocean.  It truly was a beauty and everyone was incredibly excited to venture out and explore the castle's surroundings.  Beside the Castle there was a stairway that took us down toward the rocky beach as well as the ancient cave that was previously used as an entrance for ships to drop off their crew members and soldiers.  Some of us climbed up to the highest point possible to take pictures from above while others explored the marvelous cave that dug deep underneath the cliff.  It truly was an unforgettable experience for us all.

We then made our way to The Giant's Causeway.  It is a place of mythical wonder, for the rocks are all flat, hexagonal-shaped, and are piled into neat columns that seem to extend towards the Scottish coast.  The legend goes that it was built by a giant so he could cross the sea and fight an enemy Scottish giant.  After some clever use of deceit, the Scottish giant runs back to his homeland and destroys the bridge (that's what "causeway" means) to impede the Irish giant from killing him.  Nowadays, we know that the place was built after a volcano exploded and as the lava reached the Irish Sea, it cooled down at the perfect rate that would cracked into the stones we see today.  The boys took loads of pictures and souvenirs to bring home, and after a great morning of exploring we made our way to Roe Mill pitch, in Limavady.  It was a lovely little field surrounded by the usual wooden fence.  Not many people came out to see the 5th place match since they wanted to see the Milk Cup finals tonight between Manchester United and Sheffield United instead, but I suspect that the rainy weather was a factor as well.
   
The game started and while Bayern tried to adjust to the weather conditions and organize ourselves, Cherry Orchard managed to find the back of our net within minutes.  A long cross down the middle of the field found an open forward, Keeper Keon Parsa rushed out to close the shooting angle, the Cherry player volleyed the ball, hit the far post, and the ball slid in.  It was the wake up call our boys needed, and soon they started to play Bayern ball.  Many long shots were taken by Oscar Carillo and Jacob Bechtel, and surprisingly by Parsa himself.  His drop kicks reached far into the other end of the field, and on one instance had a perilous bounce that almost went over the other keeper's head!  Bayern created various opportunities during the half with our skillful midfield - Jeffrey Koval, Jacob Bechtel, Eddie Manella, and Oscar Carillo - clearly dominating the game.  The muscular Cherry Orchard boys, however, were relentless with their physical game and easily pushed our team around.  With just minutes left in the half, a cross by the opponent found the feet of an open forward, and he kicked the ball just wide of the near post. 
   
An early cross from Eddie Manella at the start of the second half provided one of the best chances for Bayern thus far in the game.  The ball was volleyed on Alec Sundly's first touch and barely missed the mark.  A few minutes later, Cherry Orchard came back with their reply and forced Goalkeeper Benjamin Gold to save a hard shot taken from 30 yards out.  Gold got the ball again a few minutes later and threw a long throw to Manella, who put a through pass to forward Reed McKenna.  He used his speed to get around the defender and send a low cross right in front of the goal line.  Sundly slid, and Bayern had their equalizer on the books.  Cherry Orchard was reduced to take shots from a distance at Gold when the Bayern midfield and defense started to successfully intercept most of their passes.  Our backline brilliantly worked the offside trap whenever possible, stopping any real threat from getting to close to the goal.  The referee sounded his whistle before our boys scored another goal, and for the third time in three days we headed for penalty kicks.
   
Bayern was first up for the shot and was also the first one to miss, as Eddie Manella's shot was guessed right by the keeper and was therefore blocked.  Cherry Orchard scored their first and second rounds, while Aidan Leonard and Andrew Jean-Baptiste also netted theirs deep into the goal.  Ben Gold managed to block their third shot, but subsequently Alec Sundly's was also obstructed by their keeper.  The last shot was taken by Oscar Carillo.  Despite having the all the pressure of keeping Bayern's hopes for a win alive, he confidently swung it into the right corner.  Cherry Orchard did too, ending the game and leaving Bayern with a 6th place finish in the tournament.
   
It was not a bad ranking at all within the world's most prestigious youth tournament, and our boys were clearly happy with their performance to cheerfully congratulate the other team and make their way home.  We finished out our epic day by attending the Milk Cup finals: Northern Ireland took the Cup in the Elite Section with a 2-0 win over Denmark, while Manchester United proved to be too much for Sheffield United with a 2-1 score in the Premier Section.
   
We will definitely miss Ireland and Northern Ireland on our journey back home. the boys have dubbed the trip as "epic", "eye-opening", "one of a kind", and "unforgettable."They have seen the beauty of the Irish land, have played some impressive football against incredible teams, and have gained life-long memories of the kind people they have met during their travels.  It is with this in mind that we return to California, more mature and knowledgeable of the kind of world we live in.

Day 9 - Friendship, Brotherhood, and a Victory!

Hello SC Bayern fans!

Today we had our match against County Down in The Warren, a neighborhood field in the darling little town of Portstewart.  While the boys warmed up for their 3:30 match, I took the liberty of touring the neighborhood to see what the place had to offer.  We were in the middle of suburbia, characterized by small homes with small front patios or lawns, and numerous back alleys that gave the town the feel of extreme comfort.  The beach was located a couple blocks away from the field. it was a calming scenery as the tide continuously broke over the rocky beach.  Portstewart seemed small but the perfect place for my future retirement.

I went back to the pitch to find that a good portion of the neighborhood had gathered around our wooden fence to watch the match.  People came out on their patios and had tea as they looked on from above, showing the clear tradition that holds Portstewart together.  President Marissa Pena, Coach V, our personable Milk Cup guide Stewart, and I met the County Down manager Donald Malomo Paris, from Nigeria, and traded wishes of good luck for the match.  His team lost yesterday in the quarterfinals, too, against Sheffield United, with a score of 3-1 and with the opponent having only 9 men on the field.  I'm sure it was just as tough a loss for him as it was for us, and as the game started the atmosphere was relaxed and casual, like a scrimmage.

Alas, the game started and Bayern played with all the woe they continued to feel from the day before.  They looked so demoralized by the defeat that they were unable to complete passes and lost the ball frequently.  Goalkeeper Benjamin Gold was under pressure often but he never succumbed to it and played his part well.  County Down created offensive attacks more often than we did, but neither team was able to find the net before the whistle was blown.  At half-time, the Bayern media team went about asking on-lookers about their thoughts on the game, and many said the game was even-sided and that Bayern had indeed gained the respect of the Irish people since our debut in the Milk Cup three years ago.  They also commented that both teams needed to bring the ball down more often and stop grabbing at each other so much.

Second-half was somewhat better.  Our offense created more opportunities after a surprise move by Coach V to use defender Andrew Jean-Baptiste as a forward.  Jean-Baptiste flicked the ball over the defense various times, and tried to hold on to it long enough to open up some of our other attackers.  Bayern was unable to capitalize on any of the chances despite several crosses, and the game ended nil-nil, leading yet again to the dreaded penalty kicks.  The County Down blocked two of our shots and keeper Benjamin Gold did likewise, sending us into sudden death.  Both teams missed their mark the first round, and the second round Gold emerged the hero when he saved the last shot from going in.  Bayern was thus through to the 5th place match against Cherry Orchard.

After the game we headed back to the University of Ulster to take showers before we went to eat dinner.   We went to Charly's Restaurant where we met with Sandy Wilson, co-coordinator of the Milk Cup and councilman of Broughshane, his family, a Ballymena coach, our own Ra-Ra girls, Stewart, and the team parents.  We feasted and enjoyed each other's company while we strengthened the bonds between all of our communities.  At the end of dinner, Councilman Wilson and President Marissa Pena gave speeches in which they asserted the huge significance that each other's company has in our lives.  They described how truly big of an opportunity we had taken advantage of, and also established the reality of the importance of friendship and brotherhood: Football is a sport that can only mean so much, and what truly counts is the connections people make along the way.  What will matter in the end is the kind of relationships we hold with various people and we should strive to help one another, as we are all always in need of help from each other.  It was the same message that was given to our Bayern boys last year, but one that can never be told enough.  At the end we all thanked Councilman Wilson and the community of Broughshane for organizing and providing the dinner, and gave them a gift of our appreciation: a glass memoriam with the South Coast Bayern name and logo, and "Milk Cup 2009" engraved on the bottom.  The boys said their goodbyes to the girls, and we headed back home to finish out our day.

Tomorrow we are to play Cherry Orchard for the 5th place rank of the Premier section of the Milk Cup.  It will be our last game, on our last day here, and it will end our amazing trip we have taken to the beautiful country of Northern Ireland.

Day 8 - A Valiant Effort and Heartbreaking Result

Hello SC Bayern fans!
   
The reality of battle, that there must be a loser for there to be a winner, sometimes is too hard to accept precisely when one finds themselves on the losing side.

Today we played our quarterfinal match against FC Porto from Portugal, the most exciting and nerve-racking game we have had thus far.  Bayern had a strong first half despite the rainy weather, accumulating ten spot kicks and five shots over time.  Both teams tested and exploited each other's weaknesses during the first ten minutes; Goalkeeper Keon Parsa was forced to dive and punch the ball three times during the first five minutes, and our Bayern offense did likewise through various combination plays and free kicks that were granted to us.  Forward Hector Lopez was given a free kick about 20 yards out, blasted it into the wall, the ball rebounded at midfielder Eddie Manella's feet, and he placed a rocket of a shot at the near upper-v.  The Porto goalkeeper was equal to the challenge, however, and palmed it up and over his goal.  Our midfield had a spectacular half, as Jeffrey Koval, Eddie Manella and Oscar Carrillo placed various through balls into Porto's box and connected well with our outside midfielders.  At the 22nd minute of play, a counterattack by the Portuguese forced Parsa to punch out a dangerous ball from the area, but soon after we were able to retaliate and create a goal-scoring opportunity:  Alec Sundly nearly headed the ball from a cross to the far post by Eddie Manella.  During the last five minutes of the half, both teams found themselves fighting against a hard, bellowing, pouring rain.  Those spectators who had sat themselves at the lower stadium seats were showered as well, and the scene was intensified by regular manifestations of lightning and thunder!  Forward Reed McKenna was not fazed by this, and stole a ball from Porto's back line, dribbled into a cloud of white shirts and placed the ball neatly inside the near post!  However, the weather was a little too much for Oscar Carillo, who seconds later went down suffering from breathing problems; his lungs couldn't handle the cold air.  He stepped out of the game, and with 10 men left temporarily in the pitch, Porto took advantage of it forced Parsa into another diving save just before the half ended.  The score was 1-0, Bayern, at the half.

It didn't take long into the second half for Porto to find their equalizer.  A series of passes within our penalty box enabled a Portuguese player to sneak one right beneath the Bayern goalkeeper and into the net.  Bayern immediately reacted with a header over the crossbar by defender Andrew Jean-Baptiste, and unfortunately a yellow for Hector Lopez for a slide tackle from behind.  At the 10th minute, Porto put a penetrating pass to a lone forward, who shot the slippery ball too wide of the far post.  Minutes later, they attacked again through the left side and Goalkeeper Parsa came up with an impressive save when the ball was shot four yards away from him, but the rebound found its way to a Porto forward who upper-decked the ball into the back of our net.  Fortunately the goal was discounted since the player had been offsides when he received the ball.  Both teams had a hard time connecting their passes throughout the second half because although they rain had ceased, the pitch was completely flooded.  There was a clear moat surrounding the field, and the water had swamped the pitch to the point that the ball would stop running on the grass.  A few more necessary saves from Parsa and various missed opportunities by both teams later (such as Jacob Bechtel's diving header), and we were all plunged into the dreaded penalty kicks.  Suddenly, Bayern was in the same spot again as last year and the year before on that same pitch, looking at penalties to determine the winner.

FC Porto was first up in the round of five.  The ball was shot directly at Parsa, who stood his ground and blocked it.  Next, Hector Lopez shot the ball, the keeper dove left, the ball went right, and hit the post.  Both teams were still even.  Porto shot, the keeper went left, the ball right, and the score was 1-0.  Ryan Malden took the second for Bayern, and shot the ball at mid-height at the left but the Porto keeper read it well and managed to get a hand on it; the ball still landed inside the goal.  Porto's next attempt found the back of the goal with ease, and Bayern player Jeffrey Koval's slipped it under the opposing keeper to get the equalizer.  Porto again put the ball into the low right corner, and Bayern blasted it in with a shot by Jimmy Bohunita.  The score tied at 3-3, and the pressure was so high up that some sitting in the could hardly bare to look.  The Porto player didn't waste any time and cleanly put the ball into the low right corner, and thus Reed McKenna stepped up to take his turn.  The ball was shot, the keeper read it, stayed on his ground, blocked the shot and shattered our boys' hopes for a return to the semi-finals. 

Coach Vishtasp Farhadi, who had given a halftime interview to the BBC Blast, who aired the game live on the web, expressed their desolation at the final score but sincerely congratulated FC Porto for their efforts and win over SC Bayern.  Farhadi also expressed the pride he felt for his boys just for making it this far and still felt enthusiastic for tomorrow's match against County Down, who lost to Sheffield United 3-1 earlier today.  President Marissa Pena also commented that she was happy with Bayern's performance.  She said that the boys achieved what they had come for: to reach the quarterfinals and gain a return invitation for next year's Milk Cup.  To come and lose at an important leg of the competition is a dream in itself at a tournament of the highest caliber.  The pot is even sweeter: we are playing in a country miles and miles away from our home land, what more could we ask for? 
   
Tomorrow's match is not a consolation match, but a chance to place 5th to 8th in the Milk Cup standings.  It is a great privilege and honor to be ranked within the youth international arena, to be categorized among the best of the best in the entire world, and for that our Bayern boys and the others that are in the same position deserve a hero's welcome when they return home.  As always, wish us luck in tomorrow's match!

Day 7 - Pulling Out a Last Minute Victory

Hello SC Bayern Fans!

After their grueling game against Watford FC, the boys enjoyed a pleasant day as they awaited to play their next opponent, County Tyrone, later today.  County Tyrone, a locally-based youth football club, needed a win to advance into the next leg of the tournament.  They arrived at the Riada Stadium, in Ballymoney, before we did.  It was a beautiful pitch, with little or no slant, and the grass as perfect as the rainy Irish weather allowed.

The match started at 7 o'clock, and Bayern was quick to assert its dominance over the game.  Within five minutes our strikers challenged the opposing keeper three times.  Forward Hector Lopez sent the ball just wide of the far upper-v, while midfielder Alec Sundley's hard shot was blocked away from the goal.  Bayern made most of its first corner when the ball was directed at defender Andrew Jean-Baptiste, who jumped an impressive 3 feet into the air to header the ball.  Unfortunately, the ball landed just on top of the crossbar, and County Tyrone was able to regain its composure with its awarded goal kick.  Bayern controlled most of the first half although it was the opponent who managed to do the most with its chances.  Goalkeeper Ben Gold came up with several important saves and asserted his clear authority within the box, providing a calming confidence that spread onto the rest of his teammates.  Midfielders Jeffrey Koval and Oscar Carillo gave a great performance distributing the ball with ease to the outer flanks and forwards.  Finishing out their attack proved to be our boys' biggest challenge: crosses were wasted or blocked while good, actual shots were almost none existent.  Bayern headed for the locker rooms nil-nil at the half.

Both teams increased their level of attack during the second half.  They fought hard to win air challenges, and defenders on both sides found themselves frequently racing to defend their own goals.  This was not nearly as physical a game compared to yesterday's against Watford FC, though both teams gained multiple yellow cards by the impartial Referee for reckless tackles.  The Referee, let it be noted, was perhaps one of the best and most professional ones we have had the honor of being arbitrated by.  Bayern's attack was greatly improved after forward Reed McKenna was substituted in.  McKenna pressured the County Tyrone keeper and defense relentlessly, gave us the speed we desperately needed up top, and managed to get a shot in after a pass was dummied by Carillo.  With five minutes to go, the ball was chipped right over the back line, McKenna found himself going one-on-one against the rival goalkeeper, but his second attempt was blocked by the keeper who came out to close his shooting angle.  Immediately after that, substitute Jimmy Bohunita missed his own opportunity too after spotting the goalkeeper off his line when he sailed the ball over the crossbar.  County Tyrone responded by quickly creating two opportunities of their own: a spot kick on top of the eighteen (punched out by Gold), and a shot just wide of the near post when one of their forwards broke away from Jean-Baptiste.  With one minute left in injury time, County Tyrone tried to clear the ball from their defensive third, but was intercepted by substitute Jacob Bechtel.  With the goalkeeper pushing up to rush out his back line, Bechtel sent a cross aimed at Lopez, and he headed a low ball past the keeper and into the back of the net!  It was quite the dramatic finish to a well-fought game by both sides.  a rainbow even appeared on the stormy sky as the Bayern boys celebrated the late goal.  Bayern won the game 1-0, securing a place in the quarterfinals! 
   
We are due to play FC Porto of Portugal at the Ballymena Showgrounds tomorrow at 6 o'clock for a spot in the semi-finals.  They lost to Cherry Orchard 0-1 on Monday night, and defeated New Zealand's Otago with a 2-1 score today.  We last played FC Porto on our debut to the Milk Cup, coincidentally at the quarterfinals as well.  Bayern was defeated by them during penalty kicks, a memory that our boys hope to avenge.  If we advance to the next leg of the competition, we will face the winner between Sheffield United and County Down. 

Make sure to tune in to BBC Blast for a live web showing of our game against FC Porto tomorrow at 6 pm in North Ireland and 10 am Pacific time!  Wish us luck!

Day 6 - A Rewarding Victory over Watford FC

Hello SC Bayern fans!
   
Nothing is more promising than a good start in any endeavor.  After a light morning of breakfast and practice, we made our way to Anderson Park, the site of our match against Watford.  Watford was a tall team, though their boys looked rather scrawny, but all the same they provided a great challenge for our Bayern boys.  Watford FC, as I have come to find out, is actually an English Premier League Academy Team.  Their senior team was recently in the EPL for two years, though this year they have been relegated to the Championship League 1.
   
The field we played in was wide yet short by football pitch standards, and our boys were amused by the crowds of people that lined the fences and watched the game.  Watford was incredibly fast at passing and maintaining possession of the ball.  During the first-half, Bayern stood its ground and retaliated against Watford's speed by attacking through the right side, though few penetrations into their box were achieved.  In the 20th minute of play, Bayern gained a corner and packed the box with white shirts.  The ball was cleared out by a Watford player straight at midfielder Eddie Manella, who lofted the ball over the defense as they attempted to perform the offside trick.  However, defender Ryan Malden was perfectly positioned to realize the play Manella was trying to create, located the ball after it bounced up and over him, and one-timed the ball to the far post far from the keeper's reach and into the side-netting of the goal.  For the rest of the half, Bayern contained the opposing team from reaching our goal, and our back line, Tyler Evans, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Corey Hostetter, and Jeffrey Koval were busy clearing the ball out of their defensive third.

   
Second-half highlights include more pressure from Watford through steady possession and through the numerous spot kicks they were awarded by the referee.  Midfielder Aidan Leonard received a yellow card ten minutes in, the reason being a clip at an ankle from behind.  Eight minutes later Watford received one of their own after a clear kick to Oscar Carillo's knee, who stayed down long enough for the pain to subside.  The worst moment came for Bayern after a cross into a packed six-yard box.  It flew over goalkeeper Keon Parsa's outstretched arms and was headed into the open goal, but thankfully Malden came through just as the ball was going to cross the goal line.  This half was definitely characterized by some brutality by the Watford FC players; they were lucky to not have the whistle blown on them, though there were a few occasions that merited at least a foul called on them.  They even averted giving away a penalty kick after Carillo was sandwiched within the 18 as he was about to take a shot.  Everyone present at the pitch shouted for a call to be made, but the referee thought nothing of it.  Watford relentlessly attacked the Bayern goal, their anxiety for an equalizer matched for our own anguish for the ref to bring the game to a close.  At what should have been the last minute of play, Goalkeeper Keon Parsa tried to delay time by taking a sip of his bottle water before a goalkick and was granted a yellow card for his effort.  The game dragged on for five extra minutes before the referee finally decided to blow his whistle and allowing Bayern to win 1-0!  The Man of the Match was awarded to Ryan Malden for his consistent defensive and offensive contributions. 

Just as exciting, was finding a BBC reporter videotaping the game as part of a short documentary he is doing on us.  Be sure to look out for it at the BBC official Milk Cup website!

After the game was done we headed to Coleraine Showgrounds to support the U-18 US National squad play against the Denmark National Team.  For the majority of the game the US played with a defensive strategy, as they seemed nervous and overwhelmed by the Danish attack.  Our Bayern boys and parents cheered them on and had a great time.  We were joined by our Shamrock Rovers friends and local youngsters, who sat with us and interacted while they asked for autographs and made deals to get the boys' boots or jerseys when the tournament is over.  The game ended 2-1, Denmark.
   
Tomorrow's match will be at the Riada Stadium, in Ballymoney, against County Tyrone.  They played and lost 1-0 against Sheffield United today, and if we beat them we will qualify for the Cup quarterfinals!

Day 5 - Off to Coleraine for Opening Ceremonies

Hello lads!

Today we faced the enormous task of waking up early to take our scheduled tour bus to Coleraine, North Ireland.  For those who don't know, North Ireland seceded from Ireland after the Irish Revolution, in which the Irish revolted against further British rule in order to preserve their heritage and culture.  The struggle really began back in the 17th century after rebellious Irish Catholics were forced out of the province of Ulster and the land was hence given to Protestant Irish and Scottish settlers.  This resulted in a bloody conflict between Catholics and Protestants that has lasted for almost 300 years.  It wasn't until 1914 that the Home Rule Bill was adopted into the House of Commons, which was the marker to the start of the Irish Revolution.  Also occurring during that time was World War I, and after the temporary suspension of the Home Rule bill, some nationalists were angered and refused to fight in the war.  Instead they chose to stage an uprising on Easter Monday of 1916, at the Post Office in Dublin, and declared an Irish Republic.  This subsequently led to the Irish War for Independence which lasted from 1919 to 1921. 

Northern Ireland was created after the British were willing to forfeit autonomy over Ireland so long as it remained part of their empire.  They offered the Anglo-Irish Treaty, which allowed self-government to be employed in exchange to continued alliance to the British crown.  This land would be called the Irish Free State, initially consisting of 6 out of the 32 Irish counties, and would defer from Ireland through religion, autonomy, and population size. 
   
As we made our way up north, we saw the amazing scenery that North Ireland has to offer.  We saw miles and miles of rolling hills and scarcely populated farmland, hedges and trees separating all the various plots of land, swaying wheat grass, a variety of bright-colored flowers; cows, sheep, bulls, horses were grazing the land, all beneath a sunny, pale blue sky.  It seemed that we were bringing our sunny California weather to Coleraine, and hopefully it will remain this way for we were told that we can expect rain for the remainder of our trip.  We had a quick stop at a local McDonald's to stretch our legs and get a bite to eat, and another one to meet Milk Cup committee member and Broughshane Councilman Sandy Wilson.  He wished to welcome us personally as we were eager to maintain the close ties we have created with the Broughshane Community since our beginnings in the Milk Cup.  Last year, they treated us with our very own team of cheerleaders, gifts, and a special homemade banquet and built on our friendship as we realized we cherish the same values - respect, discipline, humility, setting goals, and sustaining the well-being of our communities.  We can't wait until we can all get together again and create new, happy memories with the people of Broughshane.

Around 2 o'clock we arrived at the University of Ulster and the boys separated briefly to settle into their own dorm rooms.  They then went to the cafeteria for lunch where they got to see for the first time, the other competing teams.

The highlight of our day was definitely the welcoming parade.  We were assembled at a parking lot with all the other teams - less this year compared to last years (could it be because of the swine flu or the economy?) - and then we were off parading through town through a ring of yellow, orange, violet, and blue flowers and townspeople cheering us on as music was played by the marching bands.  We handed out South Coast Bayern keychains and pins to the crowd as we walked, the players gave a few autographs, and saw familiar faces like Kenny's (our bus driver last year), Lorna and friends from Broughshane, Tanya, Our Ra-Ra Girls, our number one fan, Lyndon,  and Milk Cup Committee members whom we have stayed in touch with.  We were all led to the Coleraine Stadium and each team was presented to an excited crowd.  There were teams from Denmark, Germany, Portugal, Israel, Mexico, Peru, and the United Kingdom.  It was all incredibly exciting, and the ceremony ended with speeches made by the Milk Cup committee members and by the Guest of Honor: Aaron Hughes.  The boys were impressed with him, as well as the attractive Milk Cup Girls he had at his sides. 
   
Tomorrow we play Watford, a very strong, physical, technical team, at 3:30.  It will be a deciding match for us for the rest of the tournament, so wish us luck!

Day 4 - A Friendly with Home Farm FC

How Y'doin SC Bayern fans!
   
Today was our last day in Dublin and it definitely was one to remember.  At about 1 o'clock we made our way to the Home Farm FC fields to play against none other than Home Farm FC.  The fields were about 40 minutes away from our home stay and we were blessed to see the streets and homes and shops of Dublin as we made our way there.  The Home Farm FC fields were glorious - they must have had at least one acre for themselves solely dedicated to the maintenance of perfect football pitches, both made of natural grass and turf.  As the boys unloaded themselves from the tour bus, they were in awe at the sight of the establishment.
 
The match started promptly at 3:00 and after a few minutes of adjusting the pace of the game, Bayern gained their composure and dominated the first half.  Merely thirteen minutes into the match, midfielder Eddie Manella stole a loose ball on top of the box, passed it to forward Hector Lopez, who chipped it perfectly over the keeper into the far corner of the goal.  The goal was however disallowed for Lopez had been caught offside by the referee.  Three minutes later, midfielder Aidan Leonard took a shot from 25 yards out at the far post, the goalie managed to touch it away on a dive, but Alec Sundly was there to pick up the scraps.  Bayern was thus up 1-0.  A few minutes later, Manella was given a spot kick and crossed a perfect ball just in front of the six.  Defender Andrew Jean-Baptiste received it and managed to volley it into the back of the net, however, the ref found him to have been offside and discounted his goal also.  Bayern must have had 8 clear shots alone in the first half, and recognition must be given to the Home Farm goalkeeper for keeping most of them at bay.

During the second-half, Bayern maintained clear possession of the ball.  They played attractive football and their talent clearly showed as they performed combination passes, wall passes, and constant switches of the field.  At eleven minutes in, Manella crossed a ball in front of the six at incoming forward Jimmy Bohunita, who managed to put the ball away in mid-air despite facing pressure for his guarding defender and the Home Farm goalie.  The Bayern defense rarely allowed Home Farm to reach our own box, as defenders Tyler Evans and Corey Hostetter did a fantastic job winning and distributing the balls in a consistent fashion.  A few fouls were given out throughout the match; the most notable one was when the referee asked one of our opponents what he was willing to do to avert a red card, and allowed the player to do push-ups in an act of forgiveness.  Everyone laughed inside and outside the pitch, and in my opinion it was a genius move from the referee: he wanted to allow the boy to finish playing the friendly, and showed that he wanted to protect the Bayern boys from injury before the Milk Cup.  For that, we would truly like to thank the ref and also for maintaining the match fun and flowing.  At the end of the game Bayern emerged victorious with a 2-0 score, and midfielder Eddie Manella was unanimously voted Man of the Match.

Afterwards, the Home Farm players and managers had set up a lunch to share with Bayern at Home Farm's club house.  Club President Marissa Pena acknowledged and thanked her hosts for the match and for strengthening the bonds between our club and theirs.  The other Club Manager did likewise and wished us luck during the tournament as Home Farm FC unfortunately will not be participating in this years Cup. We then parted ways knowing that Bayern will definitely see our relationship grow with Home Farm FC in the years to come. 

The boys then were given a decision: to either go back to the hotel and relax or go with a few team parents and see Dublin.  Those of us who chose to tour the city went to the Temple Bar district, which according to Kathleen Horeczky was actually a place people avoided a few years ago.  It was a dark and grimy place made of back alleys and sketchy people, and then an entrepreneur came along and had several well known stores set up shop.  The place eventually grew into a tourist and local favorite as it is now a very colorful place where music is played, arts and crafts are sold, there are numerous restaurants and traditional Irish bars, and dozens of shops.  The place looks terrific with its old-style stone paved streets, brick buildings, and flowers galore.  We picked up souvenirs, had dinner at a Flannigan's, and stopped by the Post Office.  It is a famous place within the Irish community for in 1916 it became the setting of the beginning of the war for independence from the British, which is known as the Easter Rising.  The story behind it is that the Irish soldiers were within the building when the British started to shell the building and eventually destroyed it.  It wasn't until 1929 that the building was rebuilt once more and it now stands as a monumental post-office, though it is still in use.  We finally headed back home on the train at 9 to pack for tomorrow's journey.

We leave for Coleraine bright and early tomorrow.  We have the welcoming parade to attend and participate in, followed by the ceremony in which Aaron Hughes of the Northern Ireland National Team, Newcastle FC, and currently Center back for Fulham FC, the Guest of Honor, is supposed to appear.  We surely have a great day ahead of us!

Day 3 - Light Practice Day and Afternoon Rest

Hello SC Bayern fans!
   
Today was a very light day.  The boys had a two-hour practice in which Coach V trained our boys to perfect their flaws seen in yesterday's game.  They practiced up at the Sacred Heart Fields FC Fields, which I have been informed that the suburbia they overlook is known as the Tallaght valley, home to several famous English Premier League players: Roy Keane (ex-Man U captain turned Ipswich Town coach), Richard Dunne (Manchester City), and Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspurs).  After practice, the boys were given the rest of the day off. 

Tomorrow we have a game at 3:00 o'clock against Home Farm FC - yet another team whom we are having the pleasure of playing again.  Last year we faired well against them - we maintained a dominant possession of the ball and ended the game 6-1 to our favor.  We shall see how Bayern matches up this year; nothing can be taken for granted. 

We will leave for Coleraine, North Ireland early on Sunday morning to attend the welcoming festivities of the Milk Cup.  Wish us luck!

Day 2 - Shamrock Rovers Friendly

G'day SC Bayern fans! Our day began bright and early as we enjoyed a traditional Irish breakfast down at the hotel's restaurant.  We were given the choice of scrambled eggs, country style black and white pudding (bloody sausage), sausage, bacon, beans, toast, cereal, juice. it was all delicious, however I think we took a team decision and stayed away from the black and white pudding.  Later this morning Coach V had planned a training session, however, his plans were thwarted after the weather turned the beautiful stadium pitch across the street into a swamp land.  The boys thus postponed their practice until tomorrow but still had to face the Shamrock Rovers later this evening. Midday they were instructed to relax and lounge around the hotel.  They met for a team lunch - sandwiches - where the boys bonded and talked about the upcoming game. At about 4 o'clock, we finally made our way to a turf field about 2 miles away from our residence.  It was built on the side of a rolling hill that overlooked the town and all of the surrounding, fresh suburbia.  It was owned by the Sacred Hearts Football Club, whom we had the opportunity to play a friendly against last year.  The field itself was wet and seemed to be very unforgiving for the joints, a fact that Coach V acknowledged and warned his players to not take lightly any injury since the Milk Cup is just days away.  The pitch was wide and the game was mediated by a single center ref who asked for assistance on the sidelines.  On to the first half, then.  The first 20 minutes were characterized by the clear uncertainty and anxiety of our Bayern boys, and the Shamrock Rovers were relentless with their possession and attack.  The team struggled to find a rhythm and our defenders found themselves running towards our own goal quite frequently to impede the ball from reaching our box.  The opponents controlled the ball both in the air and on the ground quite physically, but with time Bayern was able to complete passes as they eased their nerves.  The boys went to their locker rooms nil-nil at the half. Second-half highlights include more ball possession and distribution by midfielders Eddie Manella and Oscar "Motor" Carrillo.  Forward Alec Sundley managed to dribble his way through numerous defenders and get a few shots on goal.  The Bayern defense kept busy as they cleared the ball time and time again, with defenders Andrew Jean-Baptiste and Ryan Malden managing to header the ball away more than a dozen times.

Bayern took control of the game with a 60%-40% possession, at which point the Shamrock Rovers seemed to turn up their level of physicality. Midfielder Reed McKenna was brought down after a slide tackle from behind about 25 yards out, while fellow teammate, James Roe, suffered a minor twisted ankle.  Our boys produced a few spot kicks and several corner kicks, none of which were able to find the back of the net.    With five minutes left to go, the Shamrock Rovers crossed a low ball into the middle of the six only to be received by an open forward who one-touched it past Goalkeeper Benjamin Gold's outstretched fingers.  The game ended 1-0, Shamrock Rovers.

This was just the game Bayern needed to understand the level of play to be expected at the Milk Cup, and to be able to relieve their nerves at the thought of playing against the famed Europeans.  Tomorrow there is no scheduled game; however, there will be a practice, so long as the weather permits it.  The weather here is quite unpredictable - there are 10 minute showers followed by sunshine, and wind, and then more showers. 

And lastly, dinner was held again at Captain America's where Coach V gave his perspectives on the game and talked about future strategies.  We then walked back to the hotel to rest and to try to re-arrange our internal clocks to the Irish time.

G'night and until t'morrow!

Day 1 - The Americans Have Arrived!

Hello SC Bayern fans!

After ten hours and two plane rides later, we are here.  We are now officially in Dublin, Ireland!  We are currently residing in the Maldron Hotel, which incidentally is located across the Shamrock Rover's Stadium where just 2 days ago the Shamrock Rovers had a friendly against Spain's Real Madrid.  The match generated a lot of anticipation and excitement, for the man of the hour, Cristiano Ronaldo, made his debut with Real.  He recently made a historic 93 million Euro transfer to the most expensive team on Earth, though he only played the first half after his magic didn't come through.  It was nothing out of the ordinary for players rarely shine with their new squads right after they transfer.

Of course, Coach V and Assistant Coach Chris Lekavich gave the boys a talk about the rules and expectations to be followed throughout our stay in Ireland and Northern Ireland as soon as we settled in.  The boys know not to wander off by themselves, they are to do everything as a team, must go to sleep at a decent hour, and if they are late to practices they can expect not to start the following game.  Later in the afternoon, we walked to a mall where the team as a whole enjoyed Eddie Rocket's (sound familiar?).  Coach V emphasized the importance on filling up with food that is familiar to the players to maintain their strength up.  We all felt the travel fatigue creep up on us and headed back to the hotel for a nap before a light practice.  Dinner was held at Captain America's, a restaurant which is deemed to have Americanized food.  There, the players were surrounded by fellow dinners.  They were asked all sorts of questions such as where we are from and how are we associated with the real Bayern Munich from Germany.  We were given a lot of praise for participating in the Milk Cup, and everyone we talked to were impressed by the fact that we had played against Manchester United's youth team. 

Tomorrow at 6:00 we play the Shamrock Rovers.  We have been fortunate to play against them the couple of years we have been here.  Chris Lekavich retold a story of the how the first year we were here, a Rover player was having a hard time marking one of our most dynamic forwards.  His coach kept yelling at him to do a better job, and finally he yelled back in a thick Irish accent, "Lend me the keys to your car then! I'm cramping!"  Bayern has managed to maintain a reputation for being outstandingly fit, which has of course brought great pride within our players and coaches.  We will play a series of friendlies before we part for the welcoming parade and ceremony in Northern Ireland in a few days, an event that will surely stay engraved in the players' minds for a long, long time.

Thank you for all the support, and stay tuned to find out what happens as we take part in the world's foremost international youth tournament! 

Third Time's A Charm - SC Bayern Embark Again!

Hello to all our SC Bayern fans!

We are about to embark on our third trip to Northern Ireland to attend the 27th Annual Milk Cup! Our boys are currently preparing themselves with everyday practices to fine-tune the team's chemistry and individual skill, and no doubt preparing themselves mentally for the task ahead.  They will face teams whose skills and talents reflect their homesteads, and who similarly have fans that will cheer them on as they progress towards the cup title.  The competition include teams from all around the globe - South Africa, New Zealand, Russia, Austria, Peru, Brazil, Portugal - and we, SC Bayern, were honorably invited once more to participate as we have proven that we can challenge the competition.  Here is a brief look into last year's accomplishments:

After the welcome parade, in which all the competing teams were introduced to the town of Coleraine, we faced County Fermanagh, a local team, in an opening match.  Given to the previous year's surprising draw against unanimously-favored Manchester United, the townspeople knew better than to underestimate our Yank team.  Our Bayern boys were introduced to the Irish aggression, and after an interesting first half, Bayern was able to settle down their nerves and secure a 3-0 win.

The next challenge came from Ipswich Town FC.  Ipswich Town FC is a professional club who at one time played in the English Premier League, and thus their academy boys were considered one of the strongest squads of the tournament.  The game was indeed challenging as our opponents proved to be as aggressive, quick, and creative as our boys were.  Bayern was able to conceive a 3-2 win despite one of our own receiving a red card mid second-half.

Bayern thus earned its way to the Milk Cup's quarter-finals to face FC Fluminense, last year's winners.  The fearsome Fluminense, from Brazil, was so heavily favored to win that the match drew minimal attention from the media and tournament spectators.  However, with game experience easing our mind, we secured an astonishing 4-1 win! The media reported our win, the headline reading "Americans Shock Fluminense", and began the article saying "the Brazilians were expected to ease past the Californian outfit and book their place in tonight's semi-final but instead the South Americans will be playing in the play-offs."

We faced the Hearts of Scotland at the semi-finals.  First-half, Bayern was overwhelmed by a combination of a slippery field and seemingly professional opponents.  The Hearts of Scotland dominated the majority of the game, earning multiple spot and corner kicks. Mid first-half, disaster struck for Bayern as critical tackle to impede the match opener for Scotland resulted in a defender shown the dreaded red card.  Bayern went to the locker rooms nil-nil at the half, the only hope for a victory resting on the possibility of penalty kicks.  The boys achieved this feat, and as they left the pitch they were treated as heroes by their fanbase and fellow competing teams.

And thus SC Bayern was given the honor of participating in the Milk Cup finals against goliath, Manchester United.  We were the first American team ever to reach the finals, and throughout our journey there we gathered followers amongst the townspeople and fellow teams, and when we stepped onto that pitch Bayern saw that their efforts to get there had gained the respect of the community.  Though we lost the game 3-0, the accomplishments we racked on our way to the finals allowed our boys to keep their heads held high.  They came with nothing to lose and far exceeded everyone's expectations.  It is with this in mind, that we contain football "magic", that we proudly are going to make our way back to Northern Ireland to compete in this year's tournament.

The basis of the trip was centered on competing in the football tournament, but our boys got more than what they bargained for.  They attained lifelong memories of their adventures and lessons learned in a foreign land.  And now, as we are about the repeat the trip once again, we can look back and be confident about the American skill and perseverance that we bring overseas.  No doubt this year will be one to remember not only for our boys, but to the club as a whole and to the people they are bound to meet and befriend.  

Make sure to wish some good luck on your boys as they leave to take part in a trip of a lifetime!  Good luck to our boys in red: Benjamin Gold, Ryan Malden, Tyler Evans, Corey Hostetter, James Roe, Oscar Carrillo, Jacobe Bechtel, Aidan Leonard, Jeffery Koval, Eddie Manella, Alec Sundly, Hector Lopez, Jimmy Bohunita, Trey James, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Reed McKenna, and Keon Parsa.

Follow us right here for additional updates sent from Ireland.