Reserves Take Care of the Brass

I found out about this game only yesterday, but the Swope Park Rangers took on KC's PDL team, the Brass today out at the Swope Park training complex. Here's the lineup that started the game.

Pardo
Harrington - Leathers - McKenzie - Marquess
Morsink
Souter - Zusi - Gomez
Kraus - Thompson

The Rangers dominated the game from the start, but didn't create many good chances early. Once the Rangers got started, though, the flood gates opened. Herculez Gomez opened the scoring when he headed in a lofted cross from Michael Harrington. Gomez was on the back post and had all day to set himself and head the ball back into the far corner. Shortly after that goal the Rangers doubled the lead, again through Gomez. Kevin Souter sent a low cross through the box where Gomez ran onto the ball and easily beat the keeper to make it 2-0. After that goal the Rangers produced numerous other good chances, Gomez had a few chances to complete the natural hattrick, and Michael Kraus was foiled on a breakaway by the Brass keeper.

It wasn't long though before the Rangers made it 3. Abe Thompson sent a cross from the left corner into the box on the ground where Kraus out muscled his defender and was able to turn the ball into the net. Then right before half time, Matt Marquess made it 4-0 when he received a pass about 22 yards out from goal and let rip with a great shot that the keeper had no chance to stop.

In the second half the Rangers continued to dominate the game but once again it took them a little while to find the net. First, though, around the 55th minute, Harrington and Gomez both came out with guest player Josh White and second round draft pick, Doug DeMartin came into the game. The 5th goal came when the Brass failed to clear their end of the field. Souter, Thompson, DeMartin, and Morsink all had chances before the ball fell to Jonathan Leathers, who had his initial shot blocked. The shot went right back to Leathers who was able to place the ball into the corner to make it 5-0. It became 6 soon afterwards. Souter played another cross into the box where it was met by Kraus. Kraus headed the ball back across goal to Thompson who finished into the open net. Graham Zusi finished off the scoring when he worked a give-and-go with DeMartin at the top of the box and finished low to the keepers right.

The reserves could have made the score much worse with all the opportunities that they had, but didn't finish. DeMartin had a chance right at the end on another breakaway, but his last touch pushed the ball too far out in front of him. In the end, though, the Rangers took it to the PDL side exactly how you'd expect and hope they would to most of the college and PDL teams they play.