Day 11 - Semi Finals USA vs. Israel

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Today we played our best game against an Israeli starting side that was much different than the one we played two days ago. It turns out that they rested 5 key players in their last game against us as their position in the table could not be improved or jeopardized. Today they put their A-team on the pitch. The game was very even from the start to the finish with both teams defending well and giving up few chances. USA started the game with Fishel in goal, Rosenberg, Alhadeff, Zweiback and Stone in the back line, Moshal, Abudaram, Glancy and Green in the midfield with Indech and Wiznevitz up front. Glancy was forced to leave the game in the 10^th minute hampered by a knee injury. Wiz dropped into the left outside midfield and Mogul came into the game at striker. Kent entered the game in the 30^th for minute and provided the USA with its best scoring opportunity of the half. Wiz received a ball from Stone on the left flank and slicked his man cleanly moving quickly into space up the left wing. He served up a penetrating cross with his left foot to the right side of the field finding the streaking Kent at the 22 yard line. Kent propelled a thunderous header towards goal just narrowly missing the right post by no more than six inches. The first half ended with no score.  In the 55^th minute, the USA threatened again as Indy checked back and received a crisp ball from Adamo in the middle of the field with his back to the goal. He turned sharply to his right and fed a seeking diagonal ball on to the feet of a streaking Wiz and sent him into the clear at the 20 yard line. Wiz struck the ball towards the goal but unfortunately for the USA, the Israeli defender closed very quickly and managed to get his foot on Wiz’s shot deflecting the ball just wide of the goal. In the 70th minute (all our games have been 80 minute games), disaster struck USA as Israel was awarded a penalty kick when our keeper challenged a ball that got behind the defenders on the left side of the goal. While it appeared to be a 50/50 tackle with Fishel getting to the ball just ahead of the strikers foot, the Israeli player went down in a heap and the referee blew his whistle pointing to the spot. The penalty taker slotted his shot to the left side of the goal beating Fishel who dove to the right. The score was 1-0. USA pressured the Israelis in the last 10 minutes but the keeper was able to turn away two shots on goal from Indy and crosses into the box from Wiz, Mogul, Silverman and Pollack. The final whistle blew and the tremendous disappointment was evident on the faces of all the USA players. So close and yet so far!!!