No Place Like Home

This past Thursday night I had the opportunity to shoot the FC Tucson soccer game against the OC Blues Strikers. I've shot FC Tucson soccer games before but this was to be a bit different. Different because I would now be attending and shooting as part of the media. I recently joined up with the Tucson Sentinel news organization and FC Tucson soccer team to shoot games for their media departments. I can honestly say since 2010, when FC Tucson was established, this has been something I've been incredibly interested in. Fast forward to 2013 and here I am, covering games up and down the sidelines. It's an exciting thing to me and I can't wait to see what it brings in the future. When the game started the sun had just started to set and the field looked absolutely beautiful. This visual beauty can fool some, as the temperature at kick was roughly 100 degrees. Difficult conditions for any team to play in, let alone one from Southern California. FC Tucson stormed out of the gate and push OC on the back foot early. The early pressure would play a part in what was to be the largest win in PDL history. FC Tucson struck early in the 10th minute through Isaac Ikyurav, who slid in to stab home the rebound off a Dakota Collins shot. The lead got the crowd going, but what happened next wasn't in the scripts. A defensive error on a back pass allowed an OC Striker to send a low shot past the FC Tucson goal keeper and level the scores. At the restart I could see Tucson was clearly upset but they looked determined to back get into the game, which they did. FC Tucson would go on to score 8 more unanswered goals on the night, completing the largest win in PDL history. Overall, it was a great game and my first experience shooting the game for a media entity. Until next time,

Players on the pitch before the game

The pitch at Sunset. 

#11 Connor Brandt pressures the OC right back in their own half

Sooooo close to connecting with a cross from the right

#25 Gave Silveria runs at the OC defense

#14 Dakota Collins fires in a shot that the goal cant hold

Goalie spills the shot that leads to the opening goal

#16 Isaac Ikyurav slides in to stab home the rebound for the opening goal on the night

Goal!!!!!

#11 Connor Brandt brings the ball out of defense after some nice work to win the ball back

FC Tucson restart the game after the equalizers from OC

#14 Dakota Collins pressures the OC defense in their own half

#16 Isaac Ikyurav looks for an open teammate in an attacking sequence by Tucson

The team celebrates the goal that puts them into the lead

OC attempt to get back into the game at 4-1

#23 David Clemens skips past a challenge at the top of the box

#25 Gabe Silveria fires a well hit shot that evades a covering defense and goalie

Goal!!!!!!

Final score. Incredible game

The team celebrates the historic with the home fans