Game Summary (by Jason):

  With our three o'clock kickoff 10 minutes away, we had 5-6 players on the field, and Goyang Loko had a full squad. It certainly didn't look like we were there to do anything but have a friendly kick-around. Luckily at the last moment, our team showed up after taking the subway--many for 90 minutes or more. We attempted to get composure and organize, with the previous day's FUBARed fiasco with Dream Time still fresh in many of our minds. While Will was whistling for the captains to come to the center, a good portion of our team was still putting their shin guards on. It wasn't pretty. The pitch was hard-packed dirt, and the nearest thing to a square any of us had probably ever played on. We weren't used to the imperfect concrete-like surface, and the high bounces that it created, not to mention we had little cohesion due to our inability to arrive in time to have a proper warm-up and chat.

  The score quickly reflected these weaknesses--2-0 Goyang after the first 30 minutes or so. We were dazed after their first goal--an extrememly unlucky high bounce that was misjudged by our backfield, giving their nimble Korean striker a one-on-one with Dean. Later in the first half, we failed to protect a free kick which was promptly booted into the net, quite to the left of the pretty wall we were assembling 8 yards away or so [Note to us--we must place a man on the ball and force them to call for 10 every time]. At that point we weren't looking each other in the face; we were beginning to see what "clusterfart" we had assembled. We were beating them on the pitch, but the score wasn't telling that story. We were a tad sloppy everywhere--surface partly to blame--and we were pretty unlucky on a good number of our finishes--posts and crossbars. After some constructive team criticsm and some heavier pressure, things began to change. We just COULDN'T lose this game--not THIS season--not with the quality record we had worked so hard for thus far. Second place was hanging in the balance.

  A perfectly placed corner kick from Christophe found Jason's head and then the back of the net to make it 2-1. Then Will whistled the half. We looked each other in the faces and began to design our plan for a comeback. We just needed that 5-10 minute break to calm down and gain composure again. We took to the pitch in the second half with a new mission: Salvage what we had and win the game! In less than 20 seconds, Guillaume Cario, one of the sickest forwards in the Super Sunday Football League made that job a little easier. He found the top right corner of the Goyang net from way out after a stunning Han River attack down the center of the pitch. We were tied 2-2. The same thing almost happened another 30 seconds later when we attacked tenaciously again and Georg slammed one just wide, hitting the right post--again from 25-30 yards. Game on. We took it to them, but because of the surface and our tendency to play down to teams we perceive as weaker, we were only able to put forth spurts of brilliance, rather than a continuous campaign of destruction. Lots of hustle by Randal up the left wing, playmaking by Christophe in the middle, and jostling for position up front by Evan sticks out in my mind at this time. We began to pass better and use the wide wings, but we still were anxious on the ball. Our defense was winning everything in the air, but Loko was still able to put together little attacks that threatened to do us in here and there. Our midfielders were running and beginning to show more for each other--[great speed from Sean as usual beating poor souls around the corners], but the rubble surface prevented them from making their usual near-perfect touches on the ball. Our strikers were getting shots off, but it was still 2-2.

  It gets a tad foggy here, but we finally went up 3-2 on another goal from Guillaume. The momentum was shifting, and we were getting ready to put the nails in the coffin when we got called on a rough challenge in the back (which was legal) and they got another free kick 4-5 yards outside the box. We didn't make the same mistake as we had on the previous one--we defended the ball and constructed a good wall, but this time we were unlucky in the net, and before we could say, "comeback", it was 3-3--tied again. To make a long story short, after another frantic 15-20 minutes, Guillaume scored another to complete his hat trick.Then Evan burried one to seal the deal (and 2nd place in the league).

Final result: Han River Harriers 5 --  Lokomotiv Goyang 3

By the way, I should mention that we didn't receive so much as a warning, not to mention any cards. It's almost as if we gained 4 points today in that sense. We can say good job and slap each other on the back as our season appears to be over; however, we should take one lesson from this game: Late arrivals = Messy starts
Be on time & don't get high off your own supply.