Match Review: Hotspurs FC vs Swiss FC

• GK Martyn U'ren
• DF Barry McVeigh
• DF Charlie Moss
• DF Tom Hine
• MD Joshua Donavan
• MD Ali Roseburgh
• MD Lionel Kong
• -- Duncan Elias
• -- James Riddoch
• -- Dmitry Pismenny
• -- Adam Kiley

• -- Joe Quinn
• -- Justin Schoeltens

Solid 3 Points

Hotspurs did well on Friday evening against a solid Swiss side whose lack of points in the league certainly doesn't do credit to their performance. Both sides were strong in possession, but it was Hotspurs who found more joy in the final third, particularly with some good through passes and balls over the top. Lionel Kong opened the scoring, and new signing James Riddoch (making his first start for the club) added 2 to make it 3-0 to Hotspurs. The Swiss pressed well in the closing stages, but Hotspurs managed to keep them at bay for a pleasing victory. Thanks to the Swiss for a well-fought game, and congratulations to Riddoch for his brace which earned him man of the match.

• Muhammad Fadhil DF
• Cyrill Binder DF
• Marc Fink MD
• Sean Sukarman MD
• Paul Le Helloco MD
• Julian Rehkopf MD
• Mohamed Aly MD
• Dimitri Getsios MD
• Heinz Braegger --
• Winnie Holthuizen --
• Joe Giani --

• Talant Begaliev --
• Urs Brutsch --
• Hassen Kared --
• Takayasu Yamamoto --

Getting closer

After three defeats to start the campaign Swiss FC was eager to get some points on the board. The coach changed the formation to a 4-4-2 to make the team more compact and hopefully add some firepower upfront. The plan worked, the team played well and the first half was a very balanced affair. Hotspurs probably looked a bit more dangerous, but not really troubling Joe in goal much. It was only because of a "switch off" of one of our defenders, who let the ball go past him thinking the goalkeeper was there - except he wasn't, and the striker had no problem whatsoever to score. A minute before the break a similar "unforced error" and a far too simple goal to give Hotspurs a 2:0 lead at the break. The second half saw some of the Swiss' best football this season. There was no difference between the teams, and Hotspurs only got dangerous when the Swiss pushed up in search of a goal, which allowed them a couple of one-on-ones - but Joe was massive in goal and he kept the Swiss in the game. A good spell of pressure from 60 to 85 minutes but nothing to show for, before the third Hotspurs goal, courtesy of another unforced error sealed the game for the Hotspurs. While the table still looks ugly, the team seems to be finding a better balance and starts to gel. Today's game had seven players who never played for the team until four weeks ago, so no surprise if it takes a bit of time to see results. But they will come. thanks to Hotspurs for a game played in the best Cosmo League spirit. No yellow cards, no thrash talking. Well done! Referee had a great game, one of the linesmen a bit less, he seemed to get most decisions wrong (both ways). For the intellectual discussion we had after the game, the FIFA rules seem pretty clear (i.e. the situation in the first half, which fortunately did not lead to a goal, should have been called offside): “Gaining an advantage by being in that position” means:
Playing a ball that rebounds to him off a post or crossbar, having previously been in an offside position.
Playing a ball, that rebounds to him off an opponent, having previously been in an offside position.