LA United F.C. Takes the Gold Medal
Team members
standing: Coach Hugo Cepeida, Moises
Gomez, Sean Norwood, Mark Hubert, David Blake, Edgar Ramos, Geoff
Carlson, Brad Golden, Coach Don Barfield.
Kneeling: Jim Erwin, Kenny
Pintado, Luis Interiano, Joel Dominguez, Phuong Do, & Brian Oliver. Missing:
Alberto Buenas, Joe Stevenson, Brian Rivas + Kevin
Bonilla.
Bonilla.
Team Photo –
standing: Coach Hugo Cepeida, Moises
Gomez, Mark Hubert Geoff Carlson, Kevin Joe Stevenson, Edgar Ramos,
Brad Bolden, Brian Oliver, David Blake, Kevin Bonilla & Coach Don
Barfield. Kneeling: Kim Erwin, Sean Norwood, Brian Rivas, Luis
Interiano, Joel Dominguez, Phuong Do & Kenny Pindato.
The US
Police & Fire Championships, Soccer Event, consists of five day of
competition at the highest level for law enforcement and fire personnel throughout
the U.S. When all was done, LA United
played six games in 5-days. This is both
physically and mentally challenging for all involved. Fatigue, injuries and emotional ups and downs
are elements all players experience.
Monday June
23rd – 1st Game – Vs San Joaquin PD
A new team
to this event. We did not know what to
expect from them. They had good skills
and would challenge us at every ball possession. They came at us hard, playing “physically” to
try and knock us off the ball. Initially
we were slow to respond, but as the game wore on Moy Gomez struck the first
goal. This only caused San Joaquin to
come at us harder. By the end of the
game, Moy Gomez got another goal and we walked away with a 2-0 win.
Tuesday June
24 – 2nd Game – Vs LA County Sheriff’s
LASD is an
old time rival of ours and has been for many years. They have improved over the years adding new
younger/skilled players to their squad.
They came at us hard at the first whistle. In the first 7-min they scored against
us. LA United was flat at the start and
having that goal scored against us shook us up.
Again the Sheriff’s kept coming at us.
LA United collected themselves and started playing their style of soccer
and stopped trying to do it all individually.
Again it was Moy Gomez that fired the next goal into the Sheriff’s net
just after the 2nd half started, tying the game 1-1. This was a real nail bitter of a game. Back
and forth, each team tried to break the tie.
It was a chess match and finally the Sheriff’s committed a foul just
outside the penalty box. With only 4-min
to go in the game, Joel Dominguez stepped up to take the shot. The Sheriff’s stacked their defensive wall in
hopes of thwarting the shot on goal.
This was to no avail as Joel struck the ball firmly and accurately,
putting it in the back of their net. The
Sheriffs were shocked! That score
prevailed as the clock ran out. LA
United 2-1 over LASD.
Wednesday
June 25th – 3rd Game – Vs San Diego PD
Another new
team to this tournament. San Diego were
favored at this point of the tournament, being the local team and also being
undefeated thus far in the standings.
Realizing our slow start with the Sheriff’s the day before, LA United
came out strong and fast, putting San Diego on their heels and scoring the 1str
goal by Moy Gomez. San Diego was never
able to recoup from that or adjust to our superior soccer tactics. LA United players Joe Stevenson, David Blake
and Kevin Bonilla all scored during the course of the game. LA United 4-0 over San Diego PD.
Wednesday
June 25th – 4th Game – Vs San Francisco PD
San
Francisco (SF) has been one of the premiere soccer teams we’ve competed against
over the last decade. Unfortunately, SF
did not come with sufficient players to compete at the level necessary to
advance. No substitutions and only
10-playrs. LA United subsequently won
this game 6-1.
Thursday
June 26th – 5th Game – Vs Riverside PD – Semi Finals
This was
another physically demanding game as the Riverside team was big and
strong. They tried to muscle our team
off the ball and get into our heads and distract our game play. Unfortunately, they did not realize that this
type of tactic against us does not work.
LA United is a veteran team that prides itself in using its skills and
tactics to dominate games. And that was
what took place in this game. LA United
won this match 4-1 with goals from Moy Gomez, David Blake and (2) goals by Joe
Stevenson.
Friday June
27th – 6th Game – Vs San Diego PD – GOLD MEDAL GAME
Finals.
As we go
into the finals, we reflected that we had won every single game we played to
this point. Not even a tie, just all
wins. It has been many years since we
were able to accomplish this feat.
San Diego
came out tentative and hunkered into a defensive mode, hoping to draw us in so
they could counter with their speed. As
the game progress, LA United made the necessary tactical changes to thwart that
idea and subsequently penetrated their defense with a goal by…. Guess who – Moy
Gomez! However, a 1-goal lead is not a
comfortable lead and it would only take one mistake to tie us. San Diego continued to use their speed to
challenge our defense and at times, we had to hold our breath as our defense
stood tall and stopped their attempts.
Our goalie, Luis Interiano did a spectacular job of warding off two “A”
shots on goal by San Diego that could have changed to complexion of the
game. With only 10-mins left in the
game, Joel Dominquez gave us a little breathing room by putting in a 2nd
goal for LA United. This took the steam
out of San Diego PD and as the week long tournament wound down, you could read
the fatigue and hurt and see minor injuries taking its toll on everyone. LA United won the final 2-0 over San Diego
who gave us a good fight for the medal.
In the end,
LA United managed to win each and every game they played in this
tournament. Some of the wins were close
and nail bitters for sure, however, we give our players the credit they deserve
for being the “Gold Medal Winners”
LA United
players came to this tournament with excellent physical preparation,
self-determination and “not give up” attitude that allowed them to prevail and
become the champions they well deserved to be.
An overall team effort by everyone, the players, staff, family support
and guest support. We are all proud of
their accomplishments.
Here are action photographs of the
tournament. To enlarge the photo, place
your cursor over the photo and double click on it. You can then copy and print them out for your
own use.
Joel Dominguez is tackled by Sheriff's player
Moy Gomez avoids the Sheriff defense
Joel Dominguez
Moy Gomez is fouled from behind
David Blake is block by Sheriff's defense
Sheriff's move up field
Kevin Bonilla on the ball
Kevin Bonilla
Joel & David go up for a header
Joey Stevenson heads the ball forward to Moy Gomez on the wing
Sheriff's defend Joey's centering of the ball on the attack
Mark Hubert distributes the ball downfield
Kevin & and Joel Dominguez form a defensive wall on a foul kick by the Sheriff's
Kevin & and Joel in the wall
Sheriff's send to ball wide to avoid the defensive wall of Kevin & Joel
Sean Norwood heads the ball out of the defensive zone on a corner cross
Another defensive wall by LA United. David, Kevin, Bonilla, Gomez & Joel
Joel kicks the ball wide of the on the defense
LA United defends on a corner kick. Sean heads the ball to safety
The clearing header by Sean
Joel sends the ball up field on the attack
Joel moves the team down field
#16 Gomez on the attak
Both teams fighting for the air ball
Joey heads the ball to Gomez who strikes the ball on goal
Joey fights for position on a head ball
Gomez fights for position on the header
Sheriff's defending their goal
Mark Hubert chasing down the ball against a speedy Sheriff. Mark won the battle!
Geoff Carlson looks down field to set up the offense
Joel distributes the ball to David Blake running down the wing
David continues his offensive rush
Joey, Blake and Bonilla fight for an offensive corner kick
Kenny splits the defenders
Kenny working hard to keep the offense moving forward
Kenny
Kenny
The ball is not in view in this photo, however, Joel Dominguez scored the winning goal on this defensive wall due to a foul by the Sheriff's with just 4-minutes left in the game
Sean clears the ball from the defensive end
Sean in command of the defense, moves the ball up field
Bonilla fights for position on a defensive header
Joel fights for position of a defensive header
Sheriff's cross for an attempt shot on goal
LA United vs San Francisco Game - Geoff Carlson distributes down field
#15 Brian Oliver, #10 Joel Dominguez, #6 Mark Hubert and #21 Kevin
#16 Gomez distributed the ball down field to Kevin running down the wing
Kevin Bonilla anticipates the ball
Brian Oliver distributes the ball down field for the offense
Geoff Carlson passes to Kevin
Brad Golden passing down field
#13 Kenny Pindato challenges SF with the assistance of #21 Kevin
LA United surrounds SF player
Brad Golden intercepts a pass from SF
Brad Golden goes into his defensive mode
Brian Oliver distributes the ball
Mark Hubert
Joel Dominguez
#19 Brad Golden
Joel challenges SF player
Goalie Luis Interiano covers the ball and works it up field on to support the offense
Brad Golden strikes the ball for a shot on goal
#13 Kenny Pintado and #21 Kevin on an offensive rush
Kenny dikes the defender
Kenny strikes the ball just wide of the goalie and goal net
Edgar Ramos on the ball
Edgar moves down field
#13 Kevin tries to center the ball to fellow players
Kevin drives through the SF defense
Edgar assesses his options for a pass
Kevin on a drive offensively
Kevin
Edgar's shoots on goal
Goalie Jimmy Erwin
Mark Hubert
Kenny takes a shot on goal
Gold Medal Game vs San Diego PD in white. Joel Dominguez with the ball
Kevin Bonilla passes through the middle
#16 Moises Gomez distributes down field
San Diego gets up defending a corner cross by LA United.
San Diego clears the ball
Clearing ball from a corner kick by San Diego
Gomez setting up an offensive play
LA United clears the ball from the defensive zone
Bonilla tries to set up a counter offensive play against San Diego
David Blake centers the ball offensively
LA United Defensive wall
The defensive wall does the job. Now a push forward on the offense.
David Blake prepares to strike a shot on the goal
Coaches Hugo Cepeida (white) and Don Barfield
LA United F.C.
2014 US Police & Fire Championships
Gold Medal Winners
Soccer Open Event
