The firsts were at Tibbetts Brook Park against Lansdowne Bhoys. We started off very strongly, passing the ball around with accuracy and confidence. Unfortunately, that only lasted about 10 minutes and we started to wilt in the blazing heat. Lansdowne took advantage of this and got the opening goal after a deep cross led to a mix-up between Ben and Eli, and their striker squeezed in the ball into the empty net from a tight angle. Later on in the half, Adam had a goal crossed off for offside and Dave had a good chance when he broke into the box, but couldn't find the finishing touch.

We had most of the possession in the second period as we pushed for an equaliser, but found it difficult to break through the well marshalled Bhoys defence. Then late in the half, we gave away a penalty and the opposition made no mistake to end our chances of a come back. This was the third penalty we've conceded in four games, and we have to be more careful and smarter when making challenges in the box as players will go down very easily in these situations. The game ended 0 – 2.

Regardless of this second loss in as many games, Los Blancos finished in second place in the East, and have qualified for CSL’s Final Four for the first time in the club’s history. In their semi-final, they will play the Pancyprian Freedoms in a couple weeks.

The firsts needed to beat the NY Greek Americans to claim first place in the 1st division east. It was truly a game of two halves, with the first half seeing most of the possession belonging to the Greeks. Our defense was dealing well with what attacking threat their forwards offered and we mostly played on the break and had a couple of chances, including a whipped in cross from Nick that Tony just missed connecting with. Just as the half looked to be ending scoreless, a ball over the top beat our offside trap and a Greeks striker lobbed the ball over Ben, who was coming out to close the angle.

We took the game to them in the second period, pretty much camping out in their half. Still, we found it hard to find the cutting edge that would provide a scoring opportunity in open play. Our best two chances came off free-kicks. First, Dave curled a kick from the edge of the area which beat the keeper but smacked back off the crossbar. Then, near the end, another Briefel kick from the right was curled in and was well met, only for the ball to come cannoning off the far post. It was not to be our day and the game ended 0 - 1.

This was our first defeat of the spring season.

Introducing guest blogger, Yuval, Manager:

The firsts faced a physically imposing Polonia side who are in relegation trouble and fighting for their D1 survival. We found it hard to get into a rhythm in the first half as Polonia didn't allow us to play our quick passing game, putting in some crunching challenges. An early half chance came to Tony on the edge of the area, but he chose to pass when the shot was on. The teams cancelled each other out for much of the half and no clear chances were created. Then, out of nowhere, and for the second week in succession, a penalty was called against us. Evan made a soft challenge on the edge of the area and the Polish striker leaped like a salmon and conned the wanker ref into awarding a spot-kick. Unlike the previous week, Ben was unable to save the well dispatched penalty and we would end the half behind.

We came out for the second period playing in a more determined fashion and within ten minutes had the equalizer. A great passing move down the right released Danny D into the area and he made no mistake with an expertly placed shot into the far corner. With so much at stake both teams now pushed on for a winner. Polonia continued to physically impose themselves and started picking up yellow cards, but their play unsettled us and also produced a couple of good scoring chances, both expertly saved by the outstanding Ben Lucki. With 5 minutes to go the inevitable happened and Polonia were down to ten men as Adam Shindler drew a Polish player into yet another foul, that was to be that goons second yellow.

Playing with the numerical advantage we pushed for the winner and in the last minute of regular time a through ball from Rhodri released Eli on goal. With only the keeper to beat, Eli was taken out from behind on the edge of the area. A straight red for the offending Pole and a free-kick to us from a dangerous position. The depleted Polonia built a six-man wall and neglected to mark all our attacking players. Dave lined up the free-kick with Patrick and in an excellently worked play, Dave ran over the ball and Patrick played the ball square to the unmarked Rhodri. The elegant Englishman took one touch to control the ball and cooly found the back of the net.

The goal sparked mass jubilation amongst the CPR ranks, as the defeated poles sank to their knees in disbelieving dismay. We comfortably saw out the last two minutes of added time and posted yet another win in our push for the title. This was another "professional" display, with everyone showing great ability, composure and patience in a difficult match. You have a lot to be proud of but we have still a ways to go and need to keep focused on the prize.

Our next game is against the NY Greek Americans at Cardoza High School in Queens. Their firsts are our main title contenders, so this is a massive game that may well decide who tops the CSL 1st Division East. (http://www.cslny.com/standings.php)

Goals: Danny D'Angelo, Rhodri Harvey

At Ichan Stadium this past Sunday, the streaking First team took down another East Divison rival, New York Athletic Club, 2 – 0, to continue their chase for a title. With a bunch of fans in tow, (Jannie, Mike’s parents, and Mr. Good-Luck, Adam’s dad,) Los Blancos started play in a typical way, by harassing their opponents into losing their nerve in their own half, much thanks to the midfield and the unmerciful press of the starting forwards, Tony Delorenzo and Kwesi Mills.

Early in the first, central middie David Briefel took advantage of those NYAC turnovers to loose a few shots, the first couple of which went wide. Then one of these rockets was deflected, only to bounce in the box in front of Kwesi, who held off a couple of defenders to bury the ball in top corner for the first score.

Against the run of play, NYAC was awarded a penalty kick when their soft forward was softly taken down in the box (even while I softly told his hackers not to foul). But no harm, no foul, because goalie Ben Lucki would retort with a magnificent save, to turn away the only serious NYAC chance in the first half.

Later in the first, Eli Vovsha continued his extra creative play of late by weaving his way from the left wing through the middle, creating space for Tony D and Kwesi; the latter of whom drew a couple of defenders to the right, leaving the former wide open on the left when he made a hard, curved cut; and from Eli, Tony deftly pushed the ball into the net with his left to make it two, nil at the half.

Subs Nick Cooke, Brett Mack., and Adam Shindler, came on with fresh legs in the second half to put together some excellent football, as they and the CPR defense held strong to preserve the shutout, excepting one scare that hit off the post.

The Rangers are tied for first in the East Division with Greek American Atlas with three games to play: next week are Polonia, followed by Atlas, and finishing with the Bhoys of Landsdowne. Stay tuned.

Goals: Kwesi Mills, Tony Delorenzo

The First team’s race for the playoffs were kept alive as they downed Stal Mielec, one of the two Polish sides in the Cosmo League’s top flight, at the Met Oval on 4/20. Eli Vovsha started; Tony D finished. Opening the scoring midway through the first half, Vovsha played a slick ball through to Tony, who pushed the ball past the keeper with a soft, no – gentle caress, with the outside of his foot.

Props to Los Blancos, especially the back four, who harassed Stal M. all over the field. However, the bad guys equalized later in the first half with a lucky but grand shot, and that was how the half would end.

The second installment proved more CPR domination, and Muzza, the guttural Scotsman also known as Steve Murray, was taken down by the goalie, earning a Penalty. This game-winner was converted by Ivy League tough guy Patrick White, who got his first of the season at a great time.

Broadly, the Firsts need to get points in every remaining game in order to stay within striking distance to the top of the table.

Goals: Tony Delorenzo, Patrick White

FC Bulgaria hosted the Rangers at Francis Lewis HS (near Forest Hills in Queens), and although the Europeans lie at the absolute bottom of the table, they gave good competition during the match…

The half ended scoreless, and the second half started out with more of their same ten-acious attack. Sub Nick Cooke came on to score his first first-team goal, thanks to an Eli Vovsha ‘cross,’ that found Cooke with an hairline route to goal that he found.

After that, the Bulgarians brought 4 bruisers forward, yet new first-team goalie Jason Bell parried all chances, and the game ended.

Goals: Nick Cooke (his first first-team first)

At the Met Oval, the Whites opened the spring season with a good game against the Brooklyn Italians. After a scoreless halftime, the first goal came from the Italianos. Yet a tireless return brought an equalizer from Rhodri Harvey with a bicycle, yes, a bicycle off an Andreas cross.

The game ended 1 – 1; anything less for the CPR side would’ve been undeserved. Check out http://www.firsttouchonline.com/cosmo/cosmo4_2_08.html for quick recap, with much ado about Rhodri's great goal (from an unbiased source).

Goals: Rhodri Harvey

It was a cold, dark, and stormy night in the nether regions of Yonkers where the NY Albanians beat the First team 5 – 0.

The halftime score was only 1 – 0. Couldn’t get anything started due to a modestly surprising Albanian team. Other excuses include:
Very wet, freezing, and sloggy conditions
Late start time in Yonkers - yep, that’s in Westchester County
Referees didn’t show any love

This was the last game of the fall season; the Firsts stand at 5 – 3 – 1, second in the division, trailing NY Greek American Atlas by two points. Action begins again in late March.

The Pancyprian Freedoms edged the Rangers in last week’s state cup, but could not keep pace with the White team this week in league play. The undefeated league leaders could not find easy quarters in the CPR D, midfield, or front line, and had no answers for the talent and pressure of the Firsts.

Kwesi Mills got the scoring going with a volley off a Tony D flick to stun the Freedoms within the first five minutes. But they quickly countered with one of their signature balls over the top for an equalizer. Kwesi would create his second of three goals by stealing the ball from a blue defender and taking it to the end touchline, where the goalie stepped out to challenge him; from a nearly impossible angle, Mills lobbed a ball over the keeper that bounced into the side netting – a sweet goal. Eli would find the net next, off a restart that was passed through from Tony for a 3 – 1 lead that would stand until the half.

Feelin good with their first half performance, they were a little off guard when the Cypriots scored on a header to make the game interesting at 3 – 2. The Firsts went back after it, dominated all the play, and found the net three more times to put the game completely out of reach. Tony connected on a header from a Kwesi cross; Dave Briefel sliced and diced past two defenders, swung around, and with his back to the goal, no-looked a backheel to Eli (for his second); and Kwesi got his hat trick beating the keeper on breakaway fed by Tony.

Propers to the forwards and Eli for all their goals and assists, el capitan Dave Briefel, and Ben Lucki, who made some hot saves, including a notorious kicksave off a close-range open shot that kept the damage to only two goals.

Goals: Kwesi Mills (3), Eli Vovsha (2), Tony Delorenzo

CPR hosted the NY Pancyprian Freedoms in a second round cup game that finished in a 1 – 1 draw. Play began with good ball movement from the White but the few opportunities that were created were left unfinished. The White midfield dominated most of the play, and the defense bottled up the Cypriot’s killer Brazilian striker, and the half ended scorelessly. And, for anyone curious, ancient Cyprus was the birthplace of the goddess Aphrodite.

The bad guys drew first blood late in the second half on a weird play, but the Rangers equalized soon after. Back Dan Patton pressed on the left side then played a slick ball to a sprinting D Briefel, who maneuvered his way past a dude and found Kader (Kade) Zebentout open on the left side. Kade took it in the box and found the opposite side netting for a great finish with time ticking down. Yet before the end of regulation, the game was almost decided by a PK awarded to the Cypriots for a flop – but the “killer” Brazilian striker thankfully and--likely uncharacteristically--missed the mark wide.

State cup matches have no golden goal periods; they go straight to PKs. Here’s how it went down – the Rangers went second – x is a score, o is a miss:

1: x x
2: x x
3: x x
4: o o (goalie Ben Lucki save; and we were robbed as a shot off the inside crossbar bounced inside the line, but it was not counted.)
5: x x
6: x x
7: x x
8: x o

Goal: Kade Zebentout