El Clásico de Nueva Orleans que se disputará esta jornada entre el Motagua New Orleans y el FC New Orleans ha sido nombrado el Third Coast Partido de la Semana. Aparte de ser una rivalidad intensa, estos equipos se están peleando un sitio en la liguilla, pues ambos han sumado 15 puntos en la tabla de la Conferencia Central. El FC New Orleans ha ganado 4 partidos y empatado 3 y se mantiene en sitio número dos, mientras el Motagua New Orleans está en tercer lugar con un record de 5 victorias y 2 derrotas (el desempate está basado en resultados de enfrentamientos directos, y no en diferencia de goles). El vencedor de esta batalla estaría en posición para reclamar el primer lugar de la tabla Central, y por lo tanto se espera un partidazo.

Tras caer ante el FC New Orleans en la Jornada 1 de la temporada regular, el Motagua busca vengarse en el partido de este sábado. Las Águilas Azules no se han olvidado de aquel juego en el que se vieron inferiores en el marcador final, y se han estado preparando diligentemente para buscar superar a este contrincante.

“Nuestra preparación para este juego es igual que cada semana, con un énfasis en la eliminación de los errores mentales que cometimos en la primera jornada,” comentó el director técnico de Motagua New Orleans Mario Martínez. “La posesión del balón es clave para llevar acabo nuestro estilo de juego, y por lo tanto nuestra preparación está basada en el juego en conjunto. Entrenamos la presión de balón y la condición física es vital para nuestro equipo veterano, sumando piezas jóvenes para desarrollar una fórmula perfecta rumbo al éxito.”

Aunque el Motagua New Orleans no está acostumbrado a estar en un sitio tan bajo en la tabla Central de La GCPL, lo han usado como impulso para retomar sus hábitos victoriosos y estilo de  uego único.

Al mando de esta resurgencia está el mediocampista Kenroy Rodrigues, jugador completo cuya habilidad de llevarse el equipo a la espalda en momentos vitales, lo ha caracterizado como pieza fundamental de este conjunto. El rol de apoyo en la delantera, se encuentra Nestor Peralta Jr., atleta ágil y versátil quien mete goles a placer. Viene de marcar cinco goles ante el Mississippi Blues SC y con hambre insaciable de anotar más. Adueñándose de los tres palos para el Motagua está el veteranísimo arquero Donaldo Morales. Su posicionamiento y su habilidad de comandar el área grande han sido vitales en el éxito del equipo en juegos claves.

El FC New Orleans está emocionado por volver a encarar a su rival neo-orleanés, con preparación
específica para este segundo enfrentamiento.

“Seguimos con la preparación que nos caracteriza, enfocándonos en el juego en conjunto y gozo por mejorarnos como equipo” dijo el director técnico del FC New Orleans Wilmer Peralta. “Este partido tiene sabor especial por varias razones – en cuanto al talento profesional y experiencia internacional, estos dos equipos son inigualables. A la misma vez, se está disputando un partido que puede llegar a definir la liguilla en este grupo. Nuestra preparación será igual de intensa con múltiples sesiones de entrenamiento, enfocándonos en lo sicológico y en mantenimiento de nuestro estilo tranquilo pero letal – receta cuya eficacia se comprobó en la primera iteración de este clásico.”

Plagados por lesiones a lo largo de la temporada, el FC New Orleans por fin logrará tener un plantel al 100%, con la mejor alineación hasta la fecha. La confianza de estar completos y saludables podría darle la ventaja mínima al FC New Orleans, quien necesita esta victoria para mantener el invicto y asegurar su pase a la siguiente ronda.

Una de la revelaciones del FC New Orleans ha sido el lateral izquierdo Ibrahim “Ibra” Belkouche. Este estadounidense de origen árabe es proveniente de los New Orleans Jesters y el equipo de la Universidad de Tulane, y una fiera en la banda zurda. Su velocidad impresionante, visión de campo, y su baja estatura crean una combinación difícil de marcar para cualquier defensa. El arma secreta de FC New Orleans es el joven Erick Gunera, canterano de Louisiana Fire e hijo nato del estado. A este mediocampista le encanta encarar a la defensa, con avocación depurada de atacante.

Sin duda, este Partido de la Semana patrocinado por Third Coast será un evento histórico para los aficionados de estos equipos y para seguidores de futbol en la ciudad de Nueva Orleans. ¿Cuál equipo de NOLA prevalecerá y se adueñará de un boleto a la liguilla en la Conferencia Central? No se pierdan de este partido este sábado, 29 de junio 2019, a las 8pm en el Estadio Tad Gormley. Nos vemos allí.

The Big Easy matchup between Motagua New Orleans and FC New Orleans is this week’s Third Coast Soccer Game of the Week. This New Orleans Rivalry game is shaping up to be something special as both teams currently have fifteen points in the Central Conference standings. FC New Orleans is in second place in the conference with an undefeated record of 4-3-0, while Motagua New Orleans is in third place with a 5-0-2 record. The winner of this matchup has a chance to take over a playoff position in the Central Division, so it should be a great game to watch.

After losing to FC New Orleans in week one of the regular season, Motagua will be looking for redemption during Saturday night’s contest. The Blue Eagles have not forgotten about the first meeting and have been diligently preparing themselves for the upcoming match.

“The week’s preparation is no different than any other week, the only emphasis is to eliminate the mental mistakes we made in our 1st meeting,” stated Motagua New Orleans Head Coach Mario Martinez. “We prepare in a way that allows us to capitalize on our style of play, possession is key, we train to pressure the ball, and Fitness is vital in this weeks preparation for we are a veteran team, yet the implementation of our young guns, we feel it’s a perfect melting pot for success.”

Even though Motagua New Orleans is not accustomed to trailing in the GCPL Central standings, it has pushed them to dig deep and concentrate on getting back to their usual standards and Motagua style of play.

Leading the charge for the Blue Eagles is attacking midfielder Kenroy Rodrigues who is a complete overall player with the ability to take over the game in a moments notice. Supporting Kenroy, in the forward position is Nestor Peralta Jr, an agile and versatile athlete who can score at will. He is coming off a five goal game against Mississippi Blues SC and is hungry for more goals. Holding it down between the posts for Motagua is goal keeper, and former Honduran international, Donaldo Morales. His positioning and ability to command the box has kept the Blue Eagles in almost every match that they have played.

FC New Orleans is excited about the rivalry matchup as they have also been preparing for the second meeting.

“We are very much looking forward to preparation this week,” commented FC New Orleans head Coach Wilmer Peralta. “This game has a special flavor to it on multiple accounts – it’s undoubtedly the biggest rivalry seeing two teams who are stacked in terms of talent and international playing experience. Not to mention, there are massive playoff implications at stake. Our preparation will be as intense as ever, with a special focus on maintaining our unique style of play with cool heads – a recipe that has already proven effective in the first leg of the New Orleans derby.”

Riddled with injuries for the better part of the season, FC New Orleans will finally be able to play at full strength as they plan to field their most impressive starting lineup to date. The confidence that comes with a full and healthy squad could potentially give FC New Orleans the edge they need to win and keep their undefeated season alive.

One of the breakout star players for FC NOLA is left back Ibrahim “Ibra” Belkouche. Ibra is a former member of the New Orleans Jesters and Tulane University Club Soccer Team and he is a relentless force to be reckoned with on the left side of the field. His superb speed and vision make him incredibly difficult to mark on overlap plays on the wing, making it hard for the opposing teams to attack from the left flank. Another player to look out for is midfielder Erick Gunera, a sharp player who likes to attack the goal.

There is no question that this Third Coast Soccer Game of the Week will be one to remember for the fans and supporters from New Orleans. Which NOLA team will prevail and claim a playoff spot in the Central Conference? Come find out on Saturday night at 8:00 pm at Tad Gormley Stadium. See you there.

This weekend’s Eastern Conference matchup between Tallahassee SC and the Gulf Coast Rangers at Fairhope Municipal Stadium has been selected by Third Coast Soccer to be this week’s Game of the Week. With both of these teams tied at the top of the Eastern Conference standings with eleven points apiece, this game could potentially decide who takes the number one seed in the East. AFC Mobile also has eleven points in the Eastern Conference, so the top of the table is up for grabs as things start to heat up during the second half of the regular season.

After starting the season undefeated, the Rangers are coming into this match hoping to recover from a devastating 7-2 loss in last week’s outing versus Pensacola FC. Sitting in last place in the East, the 59ers handed Gulf Coast their first loss of the season as they were able to shut down the Rangers with their outstanding offense and stubborn defense.

For Gulf Coast Ranger’s Head Coach Daniel Whelan, there was a lot to reflect on after the game.

“The result against Pensacola was disappointing but it was what we deserved,” stated Coach Whelan. “Pensacola FC were much better than us on the night. I think it’s a reflection of the strength of the league. There are no easy games in the conference and if you don’t play well you don’t win. In terms of competitiveness, there isn’t much between all of the teams and on any given Saturday anyone can beat anyone.”

Gulf Coast will be looking towards forward David Hall on Saturday night to lead them to victory as he has scored five goals in the last six games for the Rangers this season. Hall has a strong work ethic and positive attitude which makes him a role model for his teammates on and off the field. Two other notable players to watch for during this weekends matchup are Yan Livenu and Sergi Cebrian. Yan is a fierce forward and the reigning MVP in the Eastern Conference, while Sergi is a hungry young defensive midfielder who just finished his junior year of high school.

In their inaugural season in the GCPL, Tallahassee SC has a surprisingly impressive record with three wins, two losses, and one tie. It often takes a new club about a year or two to get acclimated with the level of play in the GCPL, but it seems as though TLHSC has come ready to compete.

“Knowing the level of teams competing in the GCPL and the quality of the players and coaches, we knew we had to assemble a team up to the league standards,” commented Tallahassee SC Head Coach Josh Bruno. “We were able to identify local talent from various sources that help make up the community such as FSU, FAMU, TCC, Thomas University, Local youth coaches from FL Elite Tallahassee, local high schools, Tallahassee Adult Soccer, and former college and ex professionals who now reside in Tallahassee.”

Even though Tallahassee SC has had a great deal of success on the field, the club has also made an impact on the surrounding community.

“Our board was excited to create an experience for the community to watch local players compete at a high level. We knew that there was talent in our area and we were focused on developing a program that those players would feel welcomed and supported in. Our goal was to be competitive and we are proud of our athletes for having our team in the playoff conversation in our first year. We cannot wait to see how the next four weeks play out.”

Tallahassee SC is backed by a brick wall for a goalkeeper with Hugo Peruzzi playing between the posts. He has led one of the best defenses in the league, securing two shutouts and only surrendering six total goals on the year. His distribution and communication keep the defense together through the offensive attacks. Another star player for Tallahassee is Aron Wimberly. Wimberly leads a stellar midfield with his defensive prowess and ability to read the game. He has no fear when it comes to making a tackle and can distribute the ball to the playmakers ahead of him. The last player to look out for during the contest is winger Boneco Bazil. He has all the talent to put pressure on the opposing defense from the first to the final whistle and he has proven that he can distribute the ball and score on his own.

It’s obvious that this is going to be an exciting match to watch over the weekend, so whether you are traveling to Fairhope Municipal Stadium or live streaming the game from your couch, be sure to tune in at 7:00 pm on Saturday night to support these two Eastern Conference competitors.

Saturday night’s matchup between Louisiana Krewe FC and Boca Knights FC will be this week’s Third Coast Soccer Game of the Week and the game will be held at UL Lafayette Soccer Stadium in Louisiana. Losing to the Knights in their first game of the season with a close scoreline of 2-1, the Krewe will be looking to defeat Boca this time around.

The early loss in the season must have motivated the Louisiana Krewe to get their act together because they have won their last three straight regular season games. Currently tied for second place with Alexandria PBFC, the Krewe will have a chance to take the top spot in the Western Conference on Saturday night if they can come up with a win against the first place Boca Knights FC.

Backed by Head Coach Joan Oliva, the Krewe from Louisiana will find out if they have improved since their first encounter with the Knights earlier this season. It will be a major test for the men from Lafayette, but they are confident in their starting eleven and feel as if they have what it takes to take down the 4-0-1 Boca Knights.

“We have been competitive in all of our matches so far this season, and we are happy for that,” stated Coach Oliva. “Now we have an opportunity to show if we have really been progressing or not. We are happy with our dynamic, the players are so committed with practices and everybody shares the same vision.”

The Louisiana Krewe have been thriving in the first half of the 2019 GCPL season and are hoping to carry their winning energy into their last five games of the year and into the playoffs if they make it that far. The Krewe continue to grow as an organization with each and every game they play and they have been strictly focused on developing their players.

“Our focus is to develop local talent with the mix of talent from abroad to compete at the next level,” commented Louisiana Krewe Club Director Kevin Mooney. “We also aim to put a quality product on the field so that members from our club and fans can strive to learn and see how the beautiful game is played and hopefully that our fans can take this style of play back to their youth teams. This is not possible without the right person at the helm and Joan Oliva for sure is the man for the job. He has tons of experience in the game, coaching licenses out the wazoo and a passion for the game that is unprecedented. Most importantly he is a players coach and he has a great connection with the players.”

Offensively, the Krewe are very sound and they have some incredible talent in the midfield with Oscar Castellanos at center mid, Dillon Gallet on the wing, and Adrian Olivares at the striker position. Castellanos is good at distributing the ball and finding space off the ball, while Winger Dillion Gallet is a fast player who has a lot of talent and the ability to finish in front of the net. Adrian Olivares is another top player to keep an eye on for the Krewe as he is the “go-to” target man for his teammates with four goals in just five games so far this season.

Per usual, the Boca Knights are in first place in the Western Conference and with a perpetual target on their backs, the Knights have been preparing for another opportunity to make it back to the GCPL playoffs. Even though Boca has been troubled with player injuries, they have still managed to hold onto the number one spot in the West.

“Each game is approached the same. We have a game plan, a focus and a belief in our system,” commented Boca Knights FC Head Coach Sergio Perez Sr. “The team continues to perfect its efficiency, conditioning, strength and team chemistry. These players know that it is each of their responsibilities to be the best they can for their teammates and club, and train that way. Injuries seem to be starting to get a hold of players. The challenge it presents is already worked on regularly and so is the chemistry of the depth of players in the club. This gives us, as a team, the ability to keep quality through a deep depth in our bench.”

Boca has built its club from the top down, something the American soccer landscape has been doing backwards for many years. The Knights philosophy for constructing their club has been based around providing an academy that educates and molds their youth players into skilled athletes.

“The athleticism, skill, and professionalism of Boca FC eventually created multiple requests from the community to provide an academy to teach their youth the same system and qualities displayed by the team,” stated Boca Knight FC Club Director Joseph Winningham. “The club deemed it to be important that everyone regardless of status in life, age or gender, or race or creed or anything else that makes a person unique, be provided with the opportunity to learn and train at the highest level they want to reach. In time, FC BOCA hopes to continue to develop youth and provide unique training opportunities. BOCA is looking to grow and continue to create beneficial relationships locally, nationally and internationally in order to provide as many opportunities as possible for experiences, growth, and training for all levels.”

One of the Knights top players to look for during Saturday night’s matchup is last year’s leading league goalscorer, Quesi Weston. Physically very strong, and fast, center forward Quesi Weston has a great ability to be in the right place at the time. Rafa Muniz is another skilled forward to watch for as he has explosive speed and quick ball handling skills, making him a lethal player with or without the ball. Defensively, Boca FC relies on Abdulah Rayyan to hold down the backfield. Rayyan is a striker’s worst nightmare with the ability to match the speed of just about anyone and his teammates look to him for confidence on the pitch.

Everyone in the GCPL will be interested in this week’s Game of the Week because the match will have a tremendous impact on the Western Conference standings. So, come on out to support these two fearless clubs as they take on each other at the UL Lafayette Soccer Stadium at 7:00 pm on Saturday, June 15th.

In a match where neighbors become enemies and families turn foes, this week’s Third Coast Soccer Game of the Week will be between the only two undefeated clubs left in the Eastern Conference, AFC Mobile and the Gulf Coast Rangers. These two teams from Alabama both sit at the very top of the Eastern Conference standings with AFC Mobile in the number one spot with 10 points and the Gulf Coast Rangers right behind them in the number two spot with 7 points. With that being said, both teams will be looking to secure the three point victory and the rights to the throne in the East come 7:00 o’clock on Saturday night at Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex in Mobile.

Undefeated so far, the Gulf Coast Rangers have a difficult task ahead of them and Ranger’s Coach Daniel Whelan is fully aware of just how important this game is to his team. Even though this is a big game for Rangers, Whelan seemed very calm and collected when asked about their upcoming matchup against the also undefeated squad from Mobile.

“We have really just tried to follow up from the work done last year by Gerardo, the club, and coach Wiezorick,” Coach Whelan commented. “We are only a few games into the season so it’s still early but hopefully we can get a few more wins under our belt and try and sneak into the playoffs.”

With both sides off to an impressive start to the season, this weekend will certainly be a true test of strength to see which club will be able to maintain their impeccable undefeated record.

Taking a closer look at the Ranger’s squad, last year’s eastern conference MVP, Yan Livenu, will definitely be a key player to keep track of on the pitch as he is a dangerous forward that likes to go after the ball. The youngster, Sergi Cebrian, will also be a key player to keep up with as he is a good defensive midfielder who has really risen to the challenge of the GCPL. The last player to be aware of is another midfielder by the name Cameron Cranton. Craton is a crafty and energetic player from Mobile who fully completes the unstoppable Ranger’s offense.

Coming off a narrow 4-3 win against Pensacola FC last week, AFC Mobile will be looking to stay on top of the Eastern Conference once the weekend is over. Having already won two big road games and a match at home against their league rivals, Mobile has proven to be a top competitor in the GCPL. AFC’s approach to their first four regular season games has been systematic and straightforward and it’s paid off for them this season so far.

“My approach has been to deliver a clear and consistent message to the team in terms of our style of play, expectations for being an AFC player as well as taking methodical steps to accomplish our stated goals,” AFC Mobile Coach Steve Wieczorek stated.

Mobile let in three goals in the second half of action after leading 4-0 at halftime in their previous affair against Pensacola FC. Coach Wieczorek took full responsibility for his teams sloppy second half performance and vowed that it wouldn’t happen two weeks in a row.

“The second half performance was down to me. I am responsible as the coach for the goals that we gave away in the second half,” Coach Wieczorek continued. “The players were magnificent at 4-0 and my choices alone were the reason we conceded. I won’t make the same mistake again so I expect to see a similar performance from the first half throughout the game against an excellent opponent on Saturday.”

Iba Ndaw and Tilman Schober are two AFC Mobile top players to be cautious of during Saturday night’s matchup. Center forward, Iba Ndaw is a lethal player in front of the goal and an instrumental part of Mobile’s offense while Tilman Schober is a winger who provides great service in the box for his teammates and can deliver a moment of brilliance at any time. Schober had four assists in last week’s match against Northshore United, so let’s see if he can continue to roll with the assists this weekend.

Taking all that into account, this Saturday’s Third Coast Soccer Game of the Week should be a doozy as we will find out who remains undefeated and who will fall at 7:00 pm in Mobile.

Friday night’s Third Coast Soccer Game of the week will feature FC New Orleans and Northshore United, two unbeaten teams that sit on top of the Central Conference standings. FC New Orleans is undefeated in their last three games with a draw at home versus Gaffa FC while Northshore United has won their last three straight matches.

Northshore Coach Chris Penton seems unfazed by FC New Orleans’ impressive undefeated record as he has not changed his team’s game plan going into this weekend’s tough matchup. “The approach will be similar to the last 3 games,” Coach Penton commented. “We have to work on how to dictate space and create opportunities for transitions into the final 3rd. We’ve been getting to know the players and are starting to get a better feel for our own teams strengths and weaknesses. FC New Orleans gives us a different challenge in terms of style of play and experience. It should be a great game for the fans on Friday.”

In just their second season in the GCPL, Northshore United has been extremely dominant and have been putting in a lot of hard work during the off-season as well as regular season to get to where they are now.

“Learning from year-one mistakes through what worked and what did not helped us get back on track for this season,” United Owner Robbie McCray commented. “We, as a club, wanted to refocus on training which is most important to us. Winning is a result of all the hard work the guys are putting in at training.”

United Midfielder Cameron Robinson is among the top players to watch for come Friday night. Robinson is a winger who has a lot of pace and likes to run. He has two goals and one assist on the season. Another Midfielder to keep your eyes on is Eric Schwing. Schwing is a defensive mid with great ball distribution and outstanding counter attacking plays. The last player to look out for is Andrew McInnis who is a physical forward that likes to motivate his team and lead by example. He is Northshore’s leading scorer with four goals on the season.

FC New Orleans Coach Wilmer Peralta also seems unbothered by Northshore’s intimidating unbeaten record because his club has been preparing for this Central Conference powerhouse matchup in the same way that they did for their first three games.

“We are approaching this match with the same seriousness as always,” Coach Peralta commented. “Every rival is to be treated as a high-level opponent and this is no different. Northshore United has proven itself worthy of being the top team in our Conference and our preparation will be tailored to try to expose their weaknesses. At the end of the day, however, we will be focused on honing our strengths, as that is our best defense against a strong team on their home turf. Continuing to fortify our formidable back line, perfecting our tiki-taka style of passing, and finishing all of our opportunities on goal – those are just a few of our big preparation aims. We will hold nothing back and are confident in obtaining a convincing win.”

The men from NOLA have yet to lose a game this season, but they still feel as if there is room for improvement and they are striving to get better with every match they play.

“Though FC New Orleans has had a great bout of success, early on, it is still a very new team,” FC New Orleans Director of Operations Pepe Serrano stated. “That comes with a lot of growth, and a lot of room for improvement. The strength has come from our adversity. We played a few pre-season matches that didn’t go our way and are still growing accustomed to the unique league rules (e.g., hockey-like substitutions). Nevertheless, the struggles we have faced have brought us closer together – and our drive is our fortitude.”

A top player on FC New Orleans to watch for is nifty Forward Roger Llergo. Considered to be FC New Orleans’ secret weapon, Llergo feels right at home between the defensive backline and midfielder set. He uses his speed to pressure opposing teams in their own half which allows him to quickly transition to attack where his finishing accuracy is to be feared by any keeper. The second player to look for is Gustavo Castillo. Castillo’s face-value talent is his crisp ball distribution and high pass accuracy, but he is good for a few knuckleball shots on target from long range. Not to mention, he had a 40 yard upper-90 bomb of a goal in his club’s home opener v. Gaffa FC, so you can expect him to put constant pressure on the United keeper as well.

This Central Division matchup between these two top dogs will be on Friday night at Wolverine Stadium at 7:00pm. It will be a great match to watch and I wouldn’t want to be someone who misses it.

The highly anticipated GCPL Game of the Week is a big one as the 2017 champs, Gaffa FC, look to take down the undefeated league leaders FC New Orleans. Winning both of their last two games by 3 goals, the boys from NOLA are on a run and are determined to keep their winning streak going in their home opener on Thursday night. This will mark the first meeting between these two Central Conference clubs.

“We are excited to host Gaffa FC, but (it is) difficult to prepare for a team we’ve never encountered before,” FC New Orleans Head Coach Wilmer Peralta commented. “They are the 2017 champions, so rival respect is going to be paramount in our preparation for this match. What I tell our players is that we have to face every match as if it were a championship game, especially when it’s our home opener for the season.”

This is the first year that the Louisiana club has been apart of the GCPL, but they have proved to be a tough team to beat and have become very popular among the community, drawing in over one thousand fans and supporters in their first home friendly back in March.

“We were definitely impressed with the supporter turnout, but not surprised,” FC New Orleans Director of Operations Pepe Serrano added. “It is satisfying to give the city a team they can be excited about. We want to carry this momentum into our home opener, and our marketing team is working diligently to spread the word about this game.

Some FC New Orleans top players to look out for during Thursday night’s matchup are goalkeeper Eduardo Salazar and Forward Jesus Manuel Rivera. Standing at an intimidating 6’5”, Eduardo is known for his remarkable footwork and ability to dive from post to post with one step. He has two clean sheets in two GCPL appearances so you could say that he’s a serious force to be reckoned with. Rivera, on the other hand, is an elite forward with a strong center of gravity. Look for him near the goal because he has a hot foot coming into this game with two goals in the first two games of the regular season.

Gaffa FC Head Coach Ousmane Coulibaly is also excited about the upcoming match and has been training his squad for the competitive clash between these two Central Conference teams. “Our main focus in training has been to get fit, stay sharp mentally and improve our technical ability and tactical awareness in order to compete in this tough conference,” Coach Peralta commented. “We expect a great battle versus FC New Orleans as we do and always will against any other opponents in our conference. It should be a great game to watch for anyone who loves soccer.”

The Jackson squad has been a strong addition to the GCPL since joining the league in 2017. In their debut season they were crowned GCPL Cup champions. In 2018 another strong season saw them advance to the playoffs but fell short losing to Cajun SC, 1-0. A tough loss for Jack Town crew, but they have high hopes for this season as they seek to make their way back to the title game.

Over the offseason, Gaffa FC Owner Brian Strong worked tirelessly to help prepare his players for another shot at the title. He made some noticeable differences within his organization since last season to increase his team’s chances at winning another Championship.

“Narrowing our clubs’ focus down to three key management personnel, incorporating an intern and hiring a Head Coach is the functional difference,” Brian commented. “Increased player pool by adding a U-23 squad. The increase in player pool also demands players to reaffirm their commitment to the club. Youth and potential being able to receive playing time depending on circumstances. A title for both squads is our initial goal. Further down the road playing in the US Open Cup and advancing is another goal we are eyeing.”

Gaffa FC Center Back Tom Cosgrave is one of the players to watch for during this Game of the Week matchup. Cosgrave is the Captain and anchor of the Gaffa FC defense. He provides leadership, stability, and composure to his teammates as he controls the Gaffa backfield. Another player to keep an eye on is Center Midfielder Cillian Thompson. Thompson is a box to box midfielder who can provide options for any type of situation. He is strong to win the ball, but fluid when in possession.

The match between Gaffa FC and FC New Orleans will start at 7:00 pm on Thursday night at Muss Bertilino Stadium in their first-ever matchup.

This week’s Third Coast Soccer Game of the Week for the 2019 GCPL season will feature Alexandria PBFC and Cajun SC. These two western conference rivals have been battling with each other since before the existence of the GCPL and just recently joined forces to foster the athletic development of their young players.

In an effort to provide more and better opportunities to the players in Central Louisiana, Cajun Soccer Club of Lafayette and Crossroads Soccer Association (PBFC’s parent organization) of Alexandria partnered up in between the 2018 and 2019 youth soccer seasons.

“With this partnership and the fact that our coaching staff is made up of CSC youth staff, there’s an obvious respect for CSC’s youth development, but ultimately, a shared vision of providing an upper level outlet for standout youth players and alumni (in the GCPL) is the connecting link that makes the CSA/CSC partnership so special.” said PBFC Head Coach Jeremy Poklemba . “Now that the clubs have a joint venture in developing youth talent, it of course adds another layer to the great rivalry we’ve had over the past 6-8 years.”

The Pool Boys had a roller coaster season last year after a solid run in 2017. They recently added some new college talent and made some significant changes to their roster.

“We have a strong connection to the local colleges in the area (Louisiana College and Louisiana State University-Alexandria), and we have been fortunate in drawing some serious talent from all over the world into our roster.” added Poklemba “With all that talent, it’s sometimes difficult to gel into a cohesive team. Hopefully we’ve learned from the past and our new roster additions will fit into their roles as we push forward for another playoff birth.”

One of the new players to watch for on Pool Boys FC is midfielder Elias Hanna. Hanna, a local Crossroads Soccer Association product and current CSC Academy Team member, has an unmatched work ethic and is a great distributor of the ball. Another off season addition to look out for is center midfielder Matheus Fulini, former Louisiana College and LSUA player who is expected to do great things from the middle of the pitch. Supporting these new players at the forward position is Mackenzie Young, a Scottish skipper who has the ability to play anywhere on the pitch.

Cajun SC is coming off a strong start to their season after dismantling Shreveport United 5-1. The Lafayette unit has made it to the GCPL finals the last two years, but have unfortunately come up short both times. Mark Hiller, the new Cajun SC head coach, is determined to help his club bounce back from these devastating finals loses as he has been preparing his players during the off season for another opportunity to compete in the championship.

“We have tried to implement a clear style of play which the boys have bought into,” said Cajun SC Head Coach Mark Hiller. “Everyone knows the roles they are expected to fulfill within the system we have implemented. We are confident as always of reaching the playoffs but know the teams in the league are very tough and every game will be close. We will take it one game at a time and try to improve with each game.”

This talented Cajun SC squad is also full of young college talent as they are the only team in the GCPL to feature over 80 percent of homegrown players.

“The GCPL has given our collegiate players an avenue to come home and continue to train in an environment that pushes them all,” stated Cajun SC Executive Director Michael Ritch. “They go back to their college teams in great shape and as better players. The local guys that still play have done an amazing job of creating a buy in from everyone where they are all accountable to each other. They set the foundation of what this team is made of and the give the future generations something to strive for.”

Kade Kling and Jordan Angelle are two top Cajun SC players to look out for come Saturday night’s matchup. Kling is a goal scoring winger who possesses strong one v one skills while Angelle is an athletic full back who has the potential to add some needed assists from the dangerous areas he gets into. These two players seek to lead Cajun SC to a much needed victory over their western conference rivals early in the season.

The journey to the playoffs continues on Saturday for these two clubs as Cajun SC hosts Alexandria PBFC at LUS Fiber Stadium at 7:45pm. Come on out to watch these two Louisiana teams duke it out in this game of the week.

May is here, which means the 2019 GCPL season is finally upon us. This Friday night’s kickoff will be one for the history books as Hattisburg FC looks to make a statement in their first ever matchup in the GCPL. The milestone matchup won’t come against an easy opponent, but rather Port City FC, the team that hoisted the GCPL Cup trophy just last year.

“We are extremely excited about kicking off our inaugural season within the GCPL,” Executive Director of Hattisburg FC Drew Sides commented. “We have a great opportunity right out the gate to showcase our talent on a Friday night against the defending champions, Port City FC. I really don’t think we could of asked for a better scenario to kick the season off. I know that Port City will be looking to build off last years success, however we are confident in our team and look to make a statement in week one.”

Hattisburg FC Head Coach Barry Farrell also believes that his club has what it takes to go head to head against the reigning champions in their inaugural season opener. “The expectations are high going into the first game. Port City has a lot more pressure on them coming into this game than Hattiesburg. They will want to continue from last year, as they had a great year. I feel Hattiesburg has a squad that can compete straight away with the top teams in the league.”

Even though these two teams have never faced off against each other in the GCPL, they are far too familiar with one another. Both teams will features players from William Carey University’s Men’s Soccer team, so as you would expect there has been a lot of buzz between the players in the days leading up to their first game of the season.

President of Port City FC Steve Simkins has also heard about the buzz that has been going around and expects a heated rivalry to form between these two squads during Friday night’s match.

“Both head coaches are former William Carey all-Americans, and players from both squads have been friends and teammates for years. With Hattiesburg FC full of William Carey talent, it should be quite a battle. One could expect quite a future rivalry between the two clubs, and quite a bit of trash talking on the field this Friday night.”

One of the players to watch for on Hattisburg FC is Matias Pazos, a ball playing midfielder from William Carey University who has the ability to score goals and take over the game. In the backfield for HFC, all eyes will be on Logan Stone, a very good young defender who is also captain of the u19 HFC team. Coach Barry expects the young defender to see a lot of playing time for HFC during their upcoming season.

Port City FC will also feature some serious talent as they look to continue their great success from last year. The team will be led by powerful and relentless striker, Jordan Hall. Hall is an elite Division I college player who topped the Big 10 list for goals scored last year. Supporting Hall at the midfielder position is Patrick Harrison, last year’s reigning league MVP. He is a quick and strong player who can create something out of nothing. Holding it down in the back field for Port City is Joe Guinchard, a tidy and composed center back who commands the back line.

The long awaited match is scheduled to be played on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. on Hattisburg FC’s home turf at William Carey University’s Crusader Field. Surely, this will be the game to watch for this weeks soccer action and you definitely don’t want to miss it.