ECNL-RL Texas: Albion Hurricanes FC G07 vs. Challenge SC G07
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Saturday was a big day in the ECNL-Regional League calendar in the state of Texas with a critical double-header involving Houston rivals Albion Hurricanes FC and Challenge SC at Burroughs Park. Prep Soccer was on-site on a day with very…
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Continue ReadingSaturday was a big day in the ECNL-Regional League calendar in the state of Texas with a critical double-header involving Houston rivals Albion Hurricanes FC and Challenge SC at Burroughs Park.
Prep Soccer was on-site on a day with very typical Texas weather and followed the duels between the club’s G06s and G07s teams in the Regional League. We’re dropping all the information about both matches on our website this week and this time we’ll present the top performers of the match between Albion Hurricanes FC ECNL-RL G07 and Challenge SC ECNL-RL G07 – click here to check the best photos of the match.
Albion Hurricanes FC ECNL-RL G07 1 x 2 Challenge SC ECNL-RL G07
The match was played under very hot weather, but both teams still managed to play with a good level of intensity. Challenge scored first, with Olivia Knight winning the ball in the final third and finishing from distance to beat Albion’s goalkeeper Mallory Sierra. Knight came up big for her team again in the first half, finding a beautiful through pass to Alynia Martinez, who scored the second. Albion was stronger offensively in the second half and got its only goal in the match with Madyson Hoffman, who got on the end of a confusing play in the penalty box and sent the ball across the goal line.
Top Performers
Olivia Knight
Olivia Knight
Knight was involved with both of Challenge’s goals, scoring the first with a beautiful shot from outside the box and assisting for the second with a difficult through ball that beat some Albion defenders and found Martinez. She displayed great quality on the ball every time she had possession, playing very directly and aggressively. Knight was excellent at beating opponents off the dribble, but also made some solid combination plays with her teammates and was a constant threat. She started the match more to the left of Challenge’s attack, but later moved to the middle. The forward used both feet well to pass and finish and almost got another goal in the second half, hitting the crossbar with a powerful shot. Knight also had great intensity on the defensive side of the game, putting pressure on Albion’s defenders when they had the ball.
Kira Schkade Kira Schkade F TX
Kira Schkade Kira Schkade F TX
A player capable of featuring in multiple positions, Schkade was used as a center back on Saturday and helped Challenge’s backline keep Albion’s offense quiet for most of the time. She was very strong in 1v1 duels, winning pretty much every dispute she was involved with and using her excellent positioning and physical tools to make stops. Schkade was also very important near the end of the match, when Albion crossed several balls into her team’s penalty box, as she used her size and strength to head them away and clear the danger. Her level of consistency throughout the match was truly remarkable and and she also did a fine job in possession, connecting good passes from the back.
Alynia Martinez
Alynia Martinez
Martinez displayed great work rate playing up top for Challenge SC and had a high level of energy when she was on the field. Her movement was constant and very intense as she circulated everywhere on the final third looking for good spots to get on the ball and made several runs off the ball to offer alternatives to her teammates. She was solid on the ball too, displaying good quality and vision to make plays. Martinez was very intelligent to take advantage of the miscommunication between Albion’s goalkeeper and her defender to get on the ball and very calm to dribble them and finish to an open net and score the game-winning goal.
‘Abby’ Friday was very smooth and creative on the ball for Challenge SC, helping the team dominate possession and create chances. She was very dynamic in the middle of the field, always looking for the ball, and used her technical skills to push her team forward. Friday was very good at beating opponents off the dribble, but also displayed excellent vision to find her teammates in good spots. She was very involved with the team’s chance creation and was one of the most dangerous offensive players on the field with her complete and efficient game.
Madyson Hoffman
Madyson Hoffman
Hoffman was a constant threat playing on the flanks for Albion – she started the match on the right and later moved to the left. Very quick and smart, she found solutions to difficult plays and made good decisions on the wings, often creating problems for defenders that stood against her. Hoffman didn’t always manage to end her attempts with a shot or a pass to a teammate, but kept Challenge’s defensive players on their toes with her ability to push the ball forward. She was very smart to collect a loose ball inside the penalty box and score Albion’s goal and sent the ball to the back of the net a second time with just a few minutes left, but the goal was called off due to offside.
Keeley Klenke
Keeley Klenke
Klenke was, in a certain way, the centerpiece of Albion’s game. Her teammates looked for her a lot when in possession and she often helped the team progress the ball and get on the final third. The midfielder’s vision is well above average, especially for a player of her age, and Klenke was always very intelligent with her decision-making, even if her execution wasn’t always perfect. She connected some very good passes and, on a number of occasions, was able to see plays not many other on the field did. Klenke was very good with her movement off the ball too and covered quite some ground when playing defense.
Analisse Cheema
Analisse Cheema
Cheema displayed some very interesting quality when operating around the penalty box. She did very well when she had to dribble in tight spaces and is the kind of player that keeps her head up when on the ball, always looking for a teammate to combine with. She found some good passes in the final third and also had some promising moments in solo runs, beating defenders and generating space for her to create chances. Cheema also tried some finishes near the end, but couldn’t beat Challenge’s defense.