Mala Racha enters new FASe

What started a bright encounter finished as a genuinely exciting football match. Despite a heavy rainstorm in the lead up there was a decent number of Pantera fans for this match, and FAS brought about the same number. Just when you think Mexico is the king of the bizarre and inexplicable in the football world, El Salvador puts in its bid. With my 4 dollar ticket I got a free River Plate ruler and protractor set, most of you will guess who that ended up with (Maybe if Boca had won the superclasico we may have had a blue and yellow set – incidentally, that game was moved two hours for the rugby, must be a first, and sorry Ken, I promise no further mention of that).

The rain did make the pitch very heavy in places, and a couple of early San Salvador moves broke down when the ball simply stopped dead in the middle of the park. Nelson Ancheta reckons FAS could have gone in five nil up, but that is clearly nonsense. It was a bright and interesting half that FAS certainly had the best of, but only just. Defensively both teams looked very well organised, and in control. FAS were playing their usual 3-5-2 and I thought at the back they looked good, Marvin Gonzaelaz looking good, and it seemed impossible to get past the imposing figure of Joel Solanilla.

SanSal had Alas restored in the centre of 4-4-2, but he was not overly impressive, only occasionally making his presence felt, and his early free kick harmlessly hit the wall. Despite FAS being slightly ahead the home team grew in confidence as the half wore on. This led them to attack more and send more men up the field, full-back Torres having a decent game in defence, but lacking somewhat coming forwards,

Right on the stroke of half time it was one such failed attack that led to a fast FAS breakaway. With too few back a goal seemed inevitable, and Mardoq Henriquez made it 1-0.

After a half which saw much good work, including a couple of let-offs and the odd goal-line clearance SanSal were clearly disappointed to have conceded weakly so late on; one nil may have been fair, but it hardly seemed just.

Ten minutes in and the game seemed over. Sebastian Bini had made it two nil, and Quintanilla got his second yellow, for a hardish challenge, the first had been for a mild complaint about a clearly wrong offside decision. This was a hard blow for the locals, this Eliseo Quintanilla (pictured) is a winger out of the short, powerful, angry bastard mould, and his skill and determination had been causing problems all afternoon.

However, and credit to them, the SanSal boys did not put their heads down, and five minutes later William Maldonado (on since 26 minutes for injured Gochez) popped up to make it 2-1. This seemed out of nowhere, and suddenly we had a football game on our hands, the whole atmosphere changed, and FAS suddenly looked as indecisive and as unsure as they had looked so assured all day. The equaliser was almost predictable as Obregon made it two each and with less than quarter of an hour left, ten men San Salvador were now on top, and FAS clearly rattled.

This was by far the most exciting period of football I have seen in El Salvador, and soon afterwards a fine Ronald Cerritos cross was handled in the box, and Dennis Alas stepped up for the penalty which should have crowned a remarkable and deserved come back. He hit it hard, but at a nice height and not far from the keeper, Luis Contreras, who stopped it well. In the manic confusion that followed the ref stopped the game a couple of times to threatened both managers with cards, these stoppages along with the missed penalty put an end to San Salvador’s momentum; the comeback was over.

And deep into injury time when Marvin Gonzalez rose to head back across the goal, making it 2-3 the misery of the home side was complete – now 8 games without a win. Nelson Ancheta, who said afterwards he would have resigned if he had lost this game, was dancing a quite remarkable (and lengthy) victory dance in his managers “box”. For those of you with long memories it was a sort of mix between how John Peel used to dance on Top Of The Pops, and how Jimmy Corkhill reacted to his first experience of E.

I must say the level of dejection I felt leaving the stadium leads me to believe that my heart is softening to Los Panteras de San Salvador. I might just buy a hat.

San Salvador 2 FAS 3

Elsewhere in El Salvador
FIRPO’s trio of Argentinean strikers have come in for some stick recently (see my last post), and for their big game against Alianza they switched to 4-4-2, sticking Medrano on the wing. It worked; he had a blinder, and scored two. Barroche also got two, and Leguizamon the other, as they shut their detractors up with an emphatic win: - Firpo 5 Alianza 1. This may seem a surprising victory, but Alianza had to be a little out of shape. The players have not been paid for two months, and are on strike. Whilst agreeing to play, they are refusing to train until some wages materialise. They conceded a goal for each day of the strike so far.

Nejapa 2 - Vista Hermosa 1, Nejapa came from behind to make it four wins in four games, the Uruguayan Juan Carlos set up the winner. He looks like Iwan Roberts with teeth.

Once Municipal 0 – Metapan 1. Abel Moralejo lasted only 10 games for the Canaries, after yet another loss, and again no goals, he was sacked just after this game. I just hope another bunch of Canaries see sense and sack their manager soon. Alexander Escobar scored the winner for Metpan.

On Saturday night Chalatenango put pressure on the leaders, Aguila, with a good 1-0 away win.

Second Division News.
Santa Tecla beat Estudiantes well, four nil, back at home, the problems at Las Delicias now sorted. They are 3rd in Group A. I had a kick around Saturday morning, and thoroughly enjoyed it. After the game I discovered that two of the lads played for Atletico Marte, currently top of Group A, having beaten Santa Tecla last week, and drawing away at Arcense that afternoon. This excited me, because one of them I could take the ball off like sweets off a baby, and the other I skinned several times, at will. I saw El Salvadorian second division glory within my grasp. It turned out, of course, that these were the first choice and reserve goalkeepers. Oh well, it was a nice dream while it lasted. I did not score at all, by the way.