[Dan]

RELEASE NUMBER: 071206-02
DATE POSTED: DECEMBER 6, 2007

1st SFG (A) ‘cans’ Canadians; beat northern neighbors 7-0

Story by Staff Sgt. Andrew Kosterman
1st Special Forces Group (Airborne)

FORT LEWIS, Wash. (USASOC News Service, Dec. 6, 2007) – When Jordan Veasey stepped in as the goalie for the Canadian team in what was dubbed a “friendly soccer match,” he got more than he bargained for.

Five minutes into a match between the U.S. and Canadian armies at Cowen Field Dec. 3, Marcos Ecute of the American squad let Veasey know it wouldn’t be an easy match. Ecute bounced a bullet-speed shot off the crossbar and tried in vain to keep a small grin to himself. It may not have put the first point on the board, but it did settle some good-natured heckling from the Canadians.

Seven minutes later, Ecute drew first blood and got what he was looking for when a drop shot got behind Veasey. It was the last time Canada saw an even score, and from there the game was put to bed.

The Americans, comprised of members from the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), took a two-goal lead in the 43rd minute when Matt Jones slipped the ball into a short breakaway.

The half gave the Canadians a break and Americans a chance to assess the weaknesses in the other team, said American team member Pedro Ochoa.

“They were playing good, physical defense,” Ochoa said. “We just had to play better and stop getting bunched up.”

This plan proved effective as Che Arosemena scored another point for the U.S. at the 49th minute, making the score 3-0.

A breakdown of the Canadian defense allowed more goals at the 51st and 56th minutes. These would be Veasey’s undoing as Cole Rosentreter stepped in as goalie to stop the American offense.

It was a fruitless substitution as the Americans scored again at 67th minute.

With 20 minutes remaining, the Canadians got their 4th of 5 shots on goal and missed by inches. It was the closest they came to scoring.

The final blow came in the 88th minute when Ruben Gonzalez eluded three defenders and chipped an inside-the-goal-box score. The landslide finally ended two minutes later. The damage: U.S. 7, Canada 0.

After the game, Ochoa said this was the most lopsided game in the four matches he’s played against the Canadians.

“I really didn’t expect the game to go the way it did,” Ochoa said. “It was a nice surprise.”

Others had a different opinion of the game.

“Regardless of the score, it was a great chance for our soldiers to meet and interact,” said U.S. Army Capt. Gabe Ramirez, a 1st SFG(A) spokesperson. “This game clearly shows the friendly rivalry between our two great countries.”

--usasoc--