| Shares same fate as its German cousins Sudwerk Suffers Stinging Setback DAVIS, Calif., Sept. 18 (AP) -- Arsenal capitalized on FC Sudwerk's thin ranks Wednesday night and routed the red-and-black 7-0 after pounding the net for six first-half goals. With a lineup hit by more than half a dozen injuries and absences, Sudwerk had trouble controlling the midfield and keeping up with Arsenal's wingers, who broke free early and often. As a result, Sudwerk shared the same disappointment experienced by the Bundesliga's top three teams, which suffered debilitating defeats on Tuesday and Wednesday in the opening round of Europe's premier club championship, the Champions League. "This was not a good week for German football and the clubs associated with it," said Ramal Werdna, the German national who migrated to California and launched FC Sudwerk, which has business arrangements with several of Germany's top-flight teams. "For us, obviously, we were in a tough position being so undermanned," Werdna said. "We played hard and showed some great resolve coming back in the second half." Sudwerk played without any of its central midfielders--Aaron Stephens, Leon Shahinian and Andreas Agocs--and without either of its top two goalies, Chris Lief or Joncarlo Mark. Andrew LaMar, on extended injury leave, minded the net for the first 20 minutes and gave up three goals before giving way to Will Kjar. Sweeper Patrick Chandler, who reinjured his hamstring and is expected to be out for two or three weeks, played in goal for the second half. Superstar winger Katie Hamilton took over for Chandler on Sudwerk's back line and organized the defense well midway through the first half. Sudwerk had several good scoring opportunities, particularly in the second half, but couldn't convert. In the first half, the red-and-black's best chance came when striker John Acord gathered a pass on the right wing, juked a defender in the box and cracked a 10-yard, left-footed shot that went just wide of the right post. "We were a little disorganized in the beginning, and then things just didn't go our way," Werdna said. Sudwerk, which fell to 1-2 for the fall season, has its next game at 9 p.m. Thursday against the Davis Football Club. ## |