On a sunny, warm and humid Sunday evening, the MN Axmen took on the Keg Legs in an MRSL matchup. With nearly ¼ of their roster missing from the game for various reasons, the remaining Axmen still viewed the Keg Legs as a team that they should surely beat. To help with the cause, the Axmen would welcome back the team, Goalkeeper/Midfielder Ivan Woyno, and injured Forward Rob Manely.
As the game began, confidence was overflowing for the Axmen. This confidence was backed up by the fine early play of the team as the ball never once crossed the halfway line into Axmen territory. The Axmen relentlessly attacked the Keg Leg goal as shot after shot came and went without any payoff.
Finally, after what seemed to be hours of work for the Axmen, forward Dustin Fuchs was sent through on goal all alone and was cruelly dumped in the box by a Keg Leg player. No card was issued to the Keg Legger, but Fuchs was awarded a penalty kick for his efforts. Fuchs calmly stepped up to the ball and awaited the whistle from the referee. As the whistle blew, Fuchs smashed the ball and the outstretched goalie could not reach the incoming missile. Unfortunately for the Axmen, Fuchs was just a little off on his aim as the shot went wide of the goal post and missed the net completely. The Axmen were still not rewarded for their hard work as the score remained 0-0.
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Moments later however the Axmen would get their just rewards with a pair of electric goals. Forward Rob Manley, who was coming off a severe ankle injury, sent a rocket into the bottom right corner of the net to give the Axmen their first goal of the night.
A corner kick was then awarded to the Axmen shortly after the Manley goal and a beautiful cross was played into the box. Multiple players from both teams leapt into the air to try and corral the ball, but it was just high enough to stay out of their reach. Axmen midfielder, Todd Landry, however, awaited the ball on the back post. Landry didn’t leap for this ball as the others had done before him, but rather used his head, literally and figuratively, to smash the ball into the back of the net. 2-0 Axmen lead.
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Midfielder Ben Bridell, would add a third goal by shooting the ball in the oddest place, directly at the goal keeper. Bridell softly shot the ball low toward the Keg Leg goalie, who bent down with his hands behind the ball preparing to make the save. The goalkeeper forgot one crucial step to the save however and left his hands wider than the ball. This resulted in the ball going directly through his hands and rolling weakly over the line. 3-0 Axmen.
As the half wore on, the goals continued to pile up for the Axmen. Manley would add a second and Forward Donovan Gross and Fuchs added a goal each. Halftime arrived with the Axmen firmly in control 6-1.
Being up by so many goals was unfamiliar territory for the Axmen and it began to show in the lackluster play to open the 2nd half. The Axmen must have put it in neutral during the halftime break as they were outhustled to nearly every ball by the Keg Legs. The Keg Legs also switched up their strategy from the first half and decided to start chipping the ball over the back line of the Axmen and onto the feet of their two most reliable players. This strategy wound up working very well for the Keg Legs as they managed to slot home 3 goals in the 2nd half.
On the flip side of that, every aspect of the Axmen game was suffering. From passing to shooting, nothing was going right for the Ax. With the large cushion secured in the first half, the Axmen players were just not as sharp as they could have been. As the 2nd half wound down, the Axmen did manage to fire home their last goal of the night wrapping up a 7-4 victory.
Getting the win was all that mattered on this night and the Axmen made sure to secure the victory early on. Each and every game has seen the Axmen build on the one before it and, for the first half at least on Sunday, that was certainly the case.
Next week the Axmen welcome Chaska/Chanhassen to STMA. 6:30 Kickoff.
Man of the Match: Todd Landry
Follow the Axmen all season at www.MNAxmen.com