IMG Cup 2015 – Day 2
Thursday 17th December, 2015

Spurs 8 – 0 Jacksonville Armada

Spurs Team(4-2-3-1):– Whiteman; Duncan, Brown(Owens 60), Tanganga(C)(Tsaroulla 41), Muscatt; Stylianides(Edwards 66), Goddard(Pritchard 51); Tracey(Loft 51), Roles, Shashoua(Bennetts 51); Oteh

Unused Subs:– Austin; Marsh, Sterling

Scorers:– Oteh 8, 64, Tracey 15, Muscatt 42, Shashoua 48, Pritchard 60, Roles 72, Loft 78

Booked:– Bennetts 77(Foul)

Jacksonville team from:– Abreu, Bajramovic, Brubaker, Campbell, Columbo-Sanchez, Harding, Kurtanovic, Langlois, Middleton, Prestridge, Reid, Roserie, Sanon, Sexlus, Smith

The East coast side were a late addition to the tournament and had little preparation time before the start which showed in their performance. Their players kept asking me about the Spurs side asking how old they were.

The first chance came in the second minute when Muscatt got down the left and his cross was just missed at the far post by Oteh. Shashoua fed Oteh on the left who pulled the ball back for Goddard to strike wide. Goddard fired over from the right corner of the area at the second attempt before Spurs took the lead. Goddard played in Tracey through the right channel and his cross shot was turned in at the far post by Oteh.

The Jacksonville keeper was the busiest player as he saved from Roles, who had been played in by Goddard. The keeper followed that with a reaction save from Oteh who had seized on the loose ball when Duncan's effort was blocked. He could not do anything to stop Spurs getting a second goal when Roles played in Oteh who set up Tracey at the near post.

Shashoua had an effort blocked as he ran onto the ball from Oteh's blocked shot. When Roles hit the inside of the left post the keeper pushed out the ball and had to make another save when Oteh connected inside the six yard box.

Jacksonville had a chance from a corner when the centre-back headed straight down allowing Whiteman to gather. Muscatt crossed for Shashoua to meet with his head at the far post drawing a save from the keeper. The busy keeper saved from Shashoua again and then from Stylianides who had played the ball inside the full back and ran onto it only to be flagged offside.

Whiteman had to make a save when a corner was deflected to an attacker. Shashoua played in Roles who fired wide, before Oteh played in Stylianides for a chance that was blocked. Tracey hit the post from another Oteh pass before the keeper saved from Shashoua at the end of the half.

Spurs made one change for the start of the second half with Tsaroulla replacing Tanganga going to left back with Muscatt joining Brown in the centre of defence. Brown took the captains armband.

Muscatt got Spurs' third goal two minutes in when a corner was played back to him. He hit a thirty yard volley that dipped into the net for a stunning goal. One of the Jacksonville players subsequently said he could not believe it.

Duncan had a goal ruled out for offside when played in by Oteh, but Spurs got their fourth four minutes later when Shashoua fired in from another Oteh pass. Shashoua got round the back to play in Tracey who sent the ball wide of the far post.

Spurs then made a triple substitution. Loft replaced Tracey up front; Pritchard replaced Goddard in midfield and Bennetts came on for Shashoua on the right with Oteh moving to the left.

Whiteman saved from the centre back at a corner, setting up another attack which saw Loft played in for a chance that was saved. Bennetts' follow up was also saved by the busy substitute keeper. Spurs fifth goal came from another Jacksonville corner with Bennetts running from his own half to draw the keeper before playing in Pritchard for a simple finish.

Spurs then took off their other centre back Brown, replacing him with Owens. Pritchard took a free kick finding Roles beyond the far post who floated the ball in for Oteh to head in for his second and Spurs' sixth.

Whiteman saved from Columbo-Sanchez before Loft fired wide from Roles' cross. Edwards replaced Stylianides in midfield taking up an attacking position. After Jacksonville had another chance fly over, Roles sent Pritchard away to play in Loft to hit wide. The next goal was not long in coming as Bennetts got down the right passing inside to Roles who fired in.

Pritchard sent Bennetts away to cross for Loft to head over. Bennetts was booked for a late challenge as he helped out Duncan. Loft made a run down the right and drew the keeper before squaring for Edwards whose effort was blocked with the ball coming out to Loft who slotted home for the eighth. The referee ended Jacksonville's misery by blowing early.

This was very much a one sided match with all the midfielders helping to create chances. Spurs were able to take off both centre-backs. The goal of the game has to be Muscatt's first time effort. With Toluca only beating Baltimore 2-1 it gives Spurs a better goal difference going into the third and last group game when the two unbeaten teams play what is the group decider. That game will be on Friday evening in the IMG stadium. In the other group Maccabi Haifa matched Spurs by beating the Tampa Bay Rowdies 8-0.

Ray

· IMG Tournament Day 1 report
· IMG Tournament Day 4 report(No Day 3 game for Spurs)
· IMG Tournament Final report

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