League

Emporia Park
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Sherwood Joyce started the match with the kick off. Chad Lefler showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Sherwood Joyce in the 3rd minute of the match. Chad Lefler took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Sherwood Joyce, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. After some fancy dribbling in the 7th minute, Kristopher Adkins managed to get in a good position for a shot. Emporia's supporters rose to their feet, but Kristopher Adkins was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Elton Vernon breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Sherwood Joyce sent away a hard shot on goal in the 10th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Ron Rowe in the 15th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Elton Vernon saved Rialto AFC from getting behind. Chad Lefler took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Thomas Varela, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. A collision led to Rialto AFC getting a freekick after 19 minutes play. Shawn Dupre hit a great ball. After a defensive mix-up in Rialto AFC's zone, Ron Rowe stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Elton Vernon came out of the goal and Ron Rowe tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. After a rather tough play, Rialto AFC's Von Rosa got a free kick in the 26th minute. In the 31st minute, Saul Dawkins hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Ron Rowe sent away a hard shot on goal in the 33rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Sherwood Joyce struck a weak shot in the 34th minute. Chad Lefler didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Rialto AFC. Saul Dawkins's late challenge caught a Rialto AFC's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Saul Dawkins helped the player get up and apologised. When Thomas Varela came up free with the goalie in the 37th minute, the Rialto AFC fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Thomas Varela couldn't finish the play. In the 41st minute Sherwood Joyce shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Chad Lefler saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Emporia were awarded a corner in the 46th minute after Rialto AFC's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Damon Boudreaux took the corner. After taking down the ball on Emporia's corner Damon Boudreaux fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Elton Vernon quite easily take care of the ball. After the first half the score was level. The break gave the players a chance to catch their breath, whilst the managers went over the tactics with them again.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Kristopher Adkins to make the kick off. After 55 minutes, Damon Boudreaux mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Emporia and the Rialto AFC players grew even worse after the yellow card. After 55 played minutes Emporia got a freekick which was hit by Damon Boudreaux. After 57 played minutes Rialto AFC got a freekick which was hit by Lance Elliot. Chad Lefler made an important save on a dangerous shot by Thomas Varela in the 63rd minute. With his leg Chad Lefler managed to avoid a goal in the 66thth minute, when Rialto AFC's Sherwood Joyce fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. After a rather tough play, Rialto AFC's Felipe Rosales got a free kick in the 71st minute. In the 72nd minute, Damon Boudreaux sent off a long shot on goal, but the shot was nowhere near the goal and Rialto AFC's Elton Vernon didn't even have to move. Emporia's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Damon Boudreaux in the 78th minute. Sherwood Joyce received a nice pass, split the defenders, and ran untouched towards the goal. Chad Lefler came out and tried to block the shot, but Sherwood Joyce slotted it home off the left post making it 0-1 in the 79th minute. 84 minutes in the game, Sherwood Joyce fired away an excellent shot, which passed to the side of the right post without Chad Lefler having to interfere. The supporters of Emporia booed when Rialto AFC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 91 match minutes in a wonderful position. Gilberto Cesario didn't get a good kick on the ball. Ron Rowe sent away a hard shot on goal in the 93rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Kristopher Adkins fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 95th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Elton Vernon having to interfere. Shawn Dupre hit a great freekick 96 minutes into the match. Jeers came from both ends of the stadium when the final whistle went. Neither team had looked impressive and the draw seeemd a fair result.