From the Lion's Mouth

            The boots have been packed away for a few months and all of the lads get to enjoy a couple months of respite before a new Cosmopolitan League season starts again. The Boys in Black and Gold ended their campaign with some highs, some lows, but overall, and objectively good season. After a wake-up call into their new home in the second division, losing in a controversially contested match 2:0 to NYPD, they went on to win 5 in a row and at one point, getting within 4 points of taking the automatic promotion spot. Outside of the league, they were making waves as well in the Kilby Cup, beating the likes of Hoboken, eventual Div. 1 winners, in the semifinals, drawing 1:1 against Shamrock Rovers in the group, and taking Div. 1 Powerhouses, Borgetto to PKs in the Finals. After the Cup run, the wheels came off a bit for the Lions resulting in a temporary feeling of disappointment, finishing 6 points off from the playoffs, in 4 th place. Ultimately the end of the campaign saw NYIC

     With a score line history of 2:1 and 1:0, NYIFC (R) and CPR Reds (R) are familiar with small margin affairs when they meet up and this Division Two Reserves Championship would be no different. The match itself was predominantly marked by stiff midfield battle between both sides leaving neither with many opportunities going forward on big breaks of counters for large periods. The Lions would open up scoring in the 4 th minute with a penalty and the meat grinder began. It would take until the 65 th minute for the Reds to answer with a penalty of their own. The penalty itself was questionable. In the buildup of the play, Claisse hustled back on a Reds’ counter, slid in for a tackle and based on all other eyes on the pitch, got all ball. Unfortunately, the sideline ref disagreed and Claisse picked up an injury and the Reds picked up their equalizer. This shot life into the opposition and they began adding even more pressure, in the 85 th , they fired an absolute rocket from outside

  Location : 998 E 6th Street New York, NY 10009-7128 KO: 6/12 @ 3PM NYIFC (R) face their final challenge of the season this coming Sunday as they square off against 2 nd place CPR Reds (R) for the Cosmopolitan Soccer League, 2 nd Division Reserve Championship. Each side has their interesting story coming into this. The Reds first team won their division and this group ended the regular season with the 2 nd best offensive record, 58 GS, and the best defensive record, 14 GA in the league. The Lions, on the other hand, went undefeated in the spring season, defeating the Reds in the process. Both previous encounters were closely contested, the Reds took the first match 2:1 and the Lions returned fire winning 1:0. As the lads prepare for the biggest match in the season, I sat down and had a chat with Manager Minty. The Pride : It should make for an interesting one, with each side picking up a win. They struck first with a 2:1 victory in the first half and your side winning 1:0 as part o