Div 2 [VMSL DIV 2] Predictions, Results and Banter 2015/2016

[Canucks4Ever]

Division 2A six-pointer: Twin Arrows 0-1 Bby Selects W Eagles

A must win for Bby and they came away with the points. Keeps the 2A relegation race VERY interesting.

 

[Blue and White Army]

Astro FC 4-4 Rich FC Olympics

Meraloma AC 1-2 Punjab Hurricanes

Hmmmm......

 

[dezza]

Rino's Fury 2-0 Euro FC

Pretty good match, that was even at the half. 2nd half our fitness carried the day, as apparently Euro have gone 3 weeks without a game which I guess is the unfortunate result of the way the cup is scheduled. We move another few inches closer to our goal and on to face Van United next week!

 

[club_i_champ]

Snipers 2 RFC 2

Go On You Greencaps!

 

[Blue and White Army]

GN Sporting Club 2-1 NVFC Viking Storm

GN Sporting now two points behind, but with one match in hand.

 

[Blue and White Army]

Snipers 2 RFC 2

Go On You Greencaps!

A Tanoa win today would see five clubs level at the basement on 18 points. Lovely stuff.

 

[Stringer]

GN - 2
NVFC - 1

GN survived the last 30 mins with 10 men. Good game by both teams, NVFC didn't seem too bothered by the loss but I could be wrong.

Need Campo to lose a match and for us to win our final 2 games.

 

[Football.Goalie]

4-0 Campo vs Meraloma

 

[Soccer Coach]

Campo Atletico 4 - Meraloma 0
Nice people to play. No complaints. They showed very good sportspersonship.
I do not know if we have improved or they have significantly declined, but this was a relatively easy game. Last time they fought hard, but this time they were barely pressing. They almost seem resigned to lose. About 80% possession for Campo, we could have scored easily another 4 or 5 goals.

In terms of strategy and tactics, I could not ask more from the players, they showed how ground possession and slow tempo can nullify the old long ball approach and fast tempo that is so dear to the creators of the game.

In addition, our several less tall players (5 feet or so) danced around the Meraloma towers showing them how height does not matter on this sport; perhaps it does on Rugby.




Most goals were simple textbook attacking patterns.

 

[akslop]

Out of retirement already?

Campo Atletico 4 - Meraloma 0
Nice people to play. No complaints. They showed very good sportspersonship.
I do not know if we have improved or they have significantly declined, but this was a relatively easy game. Last time they fought hard, but this time they were barely pressing. They almost seem resigned to lose. About 80% possession for Campo, we could have scored easily another 4 or 5 goals.

In terms of strategy and tactics, I could not ask more from the players, they showed how ground possession and slow tempo can nullify the old long ball approach and fast tempo that is so dear to the creators of the game.

In addition, our several less tall players (5 feet or so) danced around the Meraloma towers showing them how height does not matter on this sport; perhaps it does on Rugby.




Most goals were simple textbook attacking patterns.

 

[Soccer Coach]

Out of retirement already?

... I guess ... I should clarify. Retiring from the other types of posts...

 

[Soccer Coach]

By the way.... we have FIVE teams with 18 points at the bottom of the table and we have to play two of them. This is not good for us. We play two of those teams, and we know that playing a team battling for relegation can be madness.

 

[NO2]

Lomas 0 - 4 Campo

Tough game for us today. A combination of suspensions, injuries and absences had 5-6 key players missing and left significant holes in our line up. Hats off to Campo. I can't see them not getting promoted.

 

[Soccer Coach]

Lomas 0 - 4 Campo

Tough game for us today. A combination of suspensions, injuries and absences had 5-6 key players missing and left significant holes in our line up. Hats off to Campo. I can't see them not getting promoted.

...okey... this explains a few things. It was not the same team than before. Good luck in the last few games.

 

[Blue and White Army]

Seems to be quite a few mid-table sides losing to the relegation fodder. I suppose it should be expected to a certain degree, but one can't help but raise an eyebrow...

Anyway, here's the Division 2A relegation contest (bottom goes down; second-bottom faces second-bottom from Division 2A in relegation playoff):

Remaining league matches (with my predictions italicized):

Burnaby Selects Not-So-Serbian

• home vs. Richmond Olympics (Sun, March 13) - win for Richmond

Richmond Olympics

• away to Burnaby Selects Not-So-Serbian (Sun, March 13) - win for Richmond
• home vs. Tanoa (Fri, March 18) - draw

Tanoa

• home vs. GN Sporting Club (Sat, March 12) - win for GN Sporting
• away to Richmond Olympics (Fri, March 18) - draw

Twin Arrows

• home vs. Campo Atletico (Sun, March 20) - win for Campo
• away to Snipers (Sat, March 26) - win for Snipers

Punjab Hurricanes

• home vs. Meraloma (Fri, March 11) - win for Punjab Hurricanes
• home vs. Campo Atletico (Wed, March 23) - draw
• away to Astro (Sat, April 2) - draw

Those Burnaby vs. Richmond and Richmond vs. Tanoa matches are going to be extremely important.

I'll predict Twin Arrows and Burnaby finish level on bottom and go into a playoff for the automatic relegation spot, with the winner then contesting the relegation playoff with America in Division 2B. Punjab Hurricanes to take advantage of a tired Campo for a cheeky point on a rainy Wednesday evening in Delta to finish top of the gang of five.

 

[Arch]

Congrats to Rino's on promotion. Wished you guys had of dropped some points though.

 

[Rino's Hat]

Congrats to the Rino's Fury Division 2B Champions.

Rino's VSC win the first league title in the new look club's history, off setting a truly miserable year for the Prem and poor showing from Div 1. That Fury squad has stuck together for years, and developed into a cohesive unit with strong leadership through out the team and management. Very much deserved, and looking forward to some very interesting derby's next season...

 

[Regs]

Is that 3 Rino teams in Div 1 next year?

 

[dezza]

Is that 3 Rino teams in Div 1 next year?

Yes, and maybe 2 Norvan teams. Although looking less likely after Viking Storm lost to GN Sporting.

 

[Canucks4Ever]

Defintely some celebrating in order for the Rino's Fury guys and, as mentioned, the lone bright spot on the club's open campaign given the poor seasons for the two upper division teams. You mention that they are a tight unit, we will see if there is any internal ship jumping over the summer. Will Rino's stack a "super team" for a promotion push? Will players join in with the core from Fury and try and keep building over a slower process? If so what does that mean for the chemistry/competitiveness on the other squads? Will the VMSL even allow for 3 teams from one club to be in the same league?? Or will Fury or Tigers be forced to, at least on the surface, opperate as a separate club? Many questions indeed.

Almost as many questions as the 2A relegation race. 4 of the 5 candidates are in action this weekend. Punjab Hurricanes take on Meraloma on Friday. On paper you would suggest a comfortable one for Lomas but, given they have little to play for and may continue with the absences that dogged them this past weekend, Hurricanes could be primed for a good old fashioned desperation win. Saturday has much maligned Tanoa taking on GN. GN have the promotion scent back on after a weekend win over fellow hopefuls NorVan. Likely though, their win has simply paved Campo's way to Div 1 as GN would require an unlikely Campo slip up somewhere along the way. That is of course assuming that they themselves do not faulter, so look for them to take the pts comfortably against Tanoa.

Last up is Sunday's 6-pointer between Richmond Olympics and Burnaby Selects. This is Bby's last fixture and will finally set the mark for relegation for the others. A loss almost certainly sees them doomed given the number of games remaining for the other 4 teams. Sets up as a cracker!