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October 11, 2012
CSL ROUNDUP
Another Mega(loudis) performance powers, keeps unbeaten G-A Atlas atop First Division
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Chris Megaloudis can't stop filling the net.
Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images |
By Jay Mwamba
BigAppleSoccer.com Contributor
The hottest player in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League cannot stop scoring.
Chris Megaloudis, the burly 28-year-old New York Greek-American/Atlas forward with World Cup qualifying experience, connected twice in four days to keep the CSL champions atop the East standings.
Megaloudis bagged his seventh goal of the season a week ago Wednesday in a gripping 2-2 tie with Hellenic archrivals Pancyprian Freedoms on Randalls Island.
Four days later, “Mega” notched a first-half brace [13th, 25th] as Atlas came away from Overpeck County Club, with a 2-1 victory over Hoboken FC. That brought the former New York Red Bull and current Puerto Rican international’s fall tally to a remarkable nine goals in six matches.
“Mega is quality. Between him and Keith Detelj, we have the best forward pairing in the league,” Atlas player-coach Joe Ruesgen said.
Detelj, who also has played for the Fort Wayne Fever, Long Island Rough Riders and the Westchester Flames, was the other scorer against Pancyprian. The Greek- Cypriots, meanwhile, hit back through Peter Pavlakos and Brazilian ace Julio Cesar Santos.
“We were 2-0 up and [then] had Yahayal Musa sent off for a straight red card and conceded two goals,” Ruesgen said. “Obviously we are disappointed at drawing a game that we led by two goals, but at the end of the day it could have been worse after we went down a man.”
The Scotsman described Atlas’ performance against Hoboken “a little disjointed” because of the absence of several players but he was happy enough with a deserved win that upped their record to 4-0-1, 13 in the East.
For Hoboken, spotting the Greeks' two goals was a mountain too high.
“When you go down 2-0 to the Greeks, it is very hard to come back,” said general manager Bill Marth, even though his lads gave it a shot with Hugo Lourenco [45th] pulling one back just before halftime.
In the curtain raiser, Atlas’ reserves pegged back Devin O’Connor's early strike in a 2-1 win.
NYAC THREAT
How competitive is the CSL top flight?
Despite Atlas’ near perfect record, they only lead New York Athletic Club [4-1, 12] by a point. This after NYAC, which finished with 10 men, trounced Barnstonworth Rovers, 5-1, at Icahn Stadium.
Dane Murphy, Peter Nolan [two] and Alex Cunliffe [two] tallied for the six-time champions. Matt Langton had Rovers’ consolation.
“The scoreline does not reflect the match this time,” argued Rovers coach Stavros Zomopoulos pointing out that it was 0-0 until he lost his best player, midfielder Jordan Chirico, to injury in the 33rd minute.
The reserves drew, 0-0.
DÉJÀ VU
Pancyprian’s 5-2 shellacking by then promotion side United FC in Brooklyn last season was stunning. So it must have felt like déjà vu for the former U.S. amateur champs last Sunday when the same United side hammered them 5-0 at St. John’s University.
Adam Himeno [two], Frank Alesci [two] and Pasha put the Greek-Cypriots to the sword.
United’s reserves prevailed 3-1 courtesy of Yuriy Gajev [two] and Denis Laletin.
CPR EXPRESS
Pancyprian’s loss left the seven-time CSL titlists four points adrift of First Division West leaders Central Park Rangers, who knocked off Manhattan Celtic, 3-1, at Pier 40 to stay a point ahead of United FC.
Kwesi Mills-Odoi [two] and Conor O'Donoghue connected for the 3-0-2 [11] Rangers.
“We managed to keep our unbeaten run going against a spirited Manhattan Celtic side. [They] put us under pressure at the end and though we gave up one goal we managed to hold out for the win,” CPR manager Yuval Lion said.
His second unit lost 3-1 in what he described as a “scrappy game played by a much depleted CPR team and a talented Celtic side.”
Devon Roche scored for CPR.
JERSEY DOUBLE
Jersey City Eagles celebrated two emphatic victories in a successful 48-hour period during which Paulie Nuttoli reeled in five goals.
First, Nuttoli chalked up a hat-trick for the CSL First Division newcomers, coached by former Manchester United man Kevin Grogan in a 6-0 rout of New York Croatia in Boonton, N.J., last Sunday. Kevin Vasquez, Scott Waddell and Raldino Powell added a goal piece.
Two days later, Nuttoli notched a brace with Moriken Sangary the other scorer at the Aviator Sports Complex where Jersey dismissed United FC 3-0 from the U.S. Amateur Cup.
“Great back and forth game played at highest level. Three assists from Sammy Nikocevic, who was the player of the game,” Jersey’s Oliver Papraniku said.
BHOYS REBOUND
In the perfect response to the previous week’s 4-0 drubbing by United FC, Lansdowne Bhoys crushed Polonia by the same scoreline at McCarren Park.
Player-coach Austin Friel [15th], Senegalese Papa Thioune [60th, 75th] and Shea Whelan [85th] wrapped up Bhoys’ third win of the season [3-1-1, 10].
“Great performance and a good [way] to bounce back from last week,” Friel said. “We dominated play and were easy winners in the end.”
Lansdowne’s reserves drew 0-0 to remain undefeated [3-1-1, 10] atop the West.
KICKERS WIN
Man of the Match Jens Jorgensen [35th], Gilad Bloom [80th] and Luka [90th] fired Division Two frontrunners Manhattan Kickers past third-place NYPD 3-0 at Flushing Meadows Park
The Cops took the curtain raiser, 2-0, on goals by Rene Lopez and Diego Martinez.
Kickers’ first team improved to 3-0-1 [10], two clear of New York Ukrainians.
RARE STREAK
Steve Kovalenko’s suddenly hot Ukrainians dispatched FC Gwardia, 4-1, at Bushwick Inlet to record back-to-back wins for the first time in recent memory.
Lukasz Prawozin [10th], Mike Glass [15th] and Gambian Alagie Janneh [35th, 40th] were on target for the visitors. Marcin Januszko [38th] was the Gwardia scorer.
The Gwardia’s reserves earned a 1-1 draw after Tomasz Gorka canceled out Chris Valdez’ opener.
ROCKS HELD
Shamrock forward Pablo Graham and Flank United’s David Lawrence exchanged goals in a 1-1 draw on Randalls Island.
In the reserve fixture, Shamrock’s big Sean McMullan had a goal and the assist on Kevin Farrell’s strike in a 2-0 win.
FIVE-STAR CD
Metro One East pace setters CD Iberia have won five straight since the start of the season following a 3-0 romp over Lansdowne Bhoys on Randalls Island.
Antonio Trillo and Steve “El Caballo” Nyarady [two] connected after a goalless first half.
“Another solid effort,” David Lago said. “This was the first game of the season that we kept up the intensity all game and [didn’t] give up any late goals.”
MISSILE GAP
Missile FC, Iberia’s closest pursuers, remain five points behind in second place after pipping CPR Reds, 3-2.
Jo Valentin, Jeff Durosier and Ricardo Vil tallied.
THRILLER
In an early candidate for match of the year, Metro Division West, leaders Mr. Dennehy’s and Sporting Astoria both scored in the last minute in a thrilling 4-4 draw on Randalls Island.
Dennehy’s, whose 100 percent record was snapped, had played catch up all night, trailing 1-0, then 2-1 and 3-1 before tying the game at 3-3. Then Ben Espinoza, who had scored earlier, made it 4-3 for Astoria in the 90th minute.
But refusing to die, Dennehy’s somehow conjured a dramatic equalizer within seconds to snatch a vital point.
“I have always thought that one of the greatest compliments you can pay a team is to say that they don’t know when they are beaten,” Ronan Gardiner said. “And so it was on a cold and wet Randall's Island, when Dennehy's dug deep for the second week running.”
He had Terrence Ahoua, Shawn Dos Santos, Lance Pitterson and Gerry Smith to thank for the point that kept Dennehy’s [4-0-1, 13] unbeaten.
Said Astoria’s Ed Romero: “It was an amazing game between two strong teams. My young team is finally getting it together.”
His marksmen were Matt Blake from a Haroon Karabay cross, Damian Paz and Espinoza [two].
ARGO AGONY
Elsewhere in Metro Division One, Anatoliy Tarankeno’s brace for Gotham Argo could not avert a 3-2 defeat to previously winless Clarkstown at Zukor Park.
Tarankeno would score twice again in the evening for Argo Silver in a 2-2 draw Over-30 Div. Two stalemate with Mega Alexandros.
Peter Molloy had an assist for Silver.
On Randalls Island, Caio Kac [80th] had Homenetmen’s face-saver in an 8-1 thrashing by Dynamo SC.
METRO TWO
New Amsterdam United, one of three teams tied for second place, rolled over SC Eintracht, 7-0, on Randalls Island to boost their goal tally.
Spencer English struck twice while Cody Taff, Hamilton Tobar, Samuel Gozlan, Andrew Dickler and Cristian Campoverde had one each.
At the Greenbelt Recreation Center, FC Partizani’s Pirro Cece had a brace in a 5-1 triumph over NYPD. John Swietlik, Brandon Young and Kirk Patiniotis accounted for the other goals
There were also wins for Barnstonworth Rovers and New York Bravehearts. The latter decisioned AO Brooklyn, 1-0, on Fidelis Idoko’s strike, while Rovers defeated New York Itthiad, 5-3.
Aldo Morales [15th], Brandon Rowley [25th, 80th], Sergio Restrepo [30th] and Remo Enea [70th] produced the Rovers win.
KICKERS CLIMB
Jerry Reidl, player-coach Paul Cowler and Man of the Match Kevin Adamson connected in a 3-0 romp over SC Eintracht that lifted Manhattan Kickers’ Over-30 team into joint first in Division One East.
Kickers [3-0-1] joined New York Dinamo on 10 points.
HEROIC KELLY
Over-30 champions Shamrock had Donal “Ducky” Kelly to thank for their first point of the season, from a dramatic 3-3 draw with Barnstonworth Rovers.
The diminutive fullback recorded a timely brace [51st, 90th], including a last gasp equalizer after the Rocks had twice trailed despite drawing first blood through a Brian O’Connor free kick [40th].
Mike Alexander [44th], Richie Purge [50th] and Stavros Zomopolous [88th] starred for Rovers.
“We’re struggling for numbers at the [moment] and are happy to get the draw,” said coach McCarry, whose lads snapped a run of four defeats.
MARC FOUR
Marc Luxamr accounted for all but one of the goals in Jersey City Eagles’ 5-2 Over-30 Division Two thumping of Manhattan Celtic Bhoys. Giuseppe Battaglia got the other.
HANA SHINES
Khalil Hana’s hat trick led SC Gjoa to a 3-1 defeat of 10-man RTG.
His first goal was canceled out by Kenton Gomez, but two strikes in the second half saw off RTG who played a man short.
“I was able to keep the damage to a minimum by blocking a [penalty] taken by their goalkeeper. It was a great game. Wish we had a full squad,” RTG goalkeeper Meikle Gardner said.
TURKEY SHOOT
Darran “Magoo” Cronshaw also banged in three against Troy Turkish in a 5-1 rout by Nieuw Amsterdam.
Kent Bailey and Ronnie Swinkels [penalty kick] also scored in what Ken Deane called a “nice and needed victory.”
MIXED FORTUNE
Hoboken FC 1912 blanked Over-30 Division Two rivals BW G Cosmos, 2-0, on goals by Sascha Maric and Dennis Thun.
Hoboken Veterans, however, slipped 2-1 to CPR Legends with Gavin Moore [penalty kick] the Hoboken marksman.
OUTGUNNED
Brooklyn Gunners edged FC Partizani, 2-1, courtesy of Andy English and Carlos Andrea Herrera, after Ergi Janku had converted a penalty.
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